Elene; Judith; Athelstan, or the Fight at Brunanburh; Byrhtnoth, or the Fight at Maldon; and the Dr | Page 9

not
On
that expedition be slow to start, 220 Nor that joy-giver's command
neglect,
Her own [dear] son's, but soon she[3] was ready
For the
wished-for journey, as the helmet of men,
Of mail-clad warriors, her
had commanded.
Gan then with speed the crowd of earls 225 Hasten
to ship.[4] The steeds of the sea
'Round the shore of the ocean ready
were standing,
Cabled sea-horses, at rest on the water.
Then plainly
was known the voyage of the lady,
When the welling of waves she
sought with her folk. 230 There many a proud one at Wendel-sea


Stood on the shore. They severally hastened
Over the mark-paths,
band after band,
And then they loaded with battle-sarks,
With
shields and spears, with mail-clad warriors, 235 With men and women,
the steeds of the sea.
Then they let o'er the billows the foamy ones go,

The high wave-rushers. The hull oft received
O'er the mingling of
waters the blows of the waves.
The sea resounded. Not since nor ere
heard I 240 On water-stream a lady lead,
On ocean-street, a fairer
force.
There might he see, who that voyage beheld,
Burst o'er the
bath-way the sea-wood, hasten
'Neath swelling sails, the sea-horse
play, 245 The wave-floater sail. The warriors were blithe,

Courageous in mind; queen joyed in her journey.
After to haven the
ringèd-prowed
O'er the sea-fastness had finished their course
To the
land of the Greeks, they let the keels 250 At the shore of the sea beat by
the breakers,
The old sea-dwellings at anchor fast,
On the water
await the fate of the heroes,
When the warlike queen with her band of
men
Over the east-ways should seek them again. 255 There wás on
[each] earl easily seen
The braided byrnie and tested sword,

Glittering war-weeds, many a helmet,
Beautiful boar-sign. The
spear-warriors were,
Men 'round victor-queen, prepared for the march,
260 Brave war-heroes. They marched with joy
Into land of the
Greeks, the Cæsar's heralds,
Battle-warriors with armor protected.

There wás to be seen treasure-gem set
'Mid that army-host, gift of
their lord. 265 [Then] wás the blessed Helena mindful,
Bold in her
thought, of the prince's will,
Eager in mind, in that shé of the Jews,

O'er the army-fields with tested band
Of warriors-with-shields, the
land was seeking, 270 With host of men; so it after befell
In little
while that thát force of men,
War-famed heroes, to Híerusalem[5]

Came to the city the greatest of crowds,
Spear-famed earls, with the
noble queen. 275
[1] Lit., 'smiths of lore.'
[2] Z. supposes lacuna of one verse; W. thinks it

unnecessary.
[3] Lit., 'the woman.'
[4] Lit., 'to the sea,' or 'sea-journey.'
[5] A.-S. form retained for the sake of the accent and
alliteration.
IV.
Bade she then order the dwellers-in-city
Most skilled in lore, those
far and wide
Among the Jews, each one of men,
For council-talk in
meeting to come,
Whó most deeply the secrets of God 280 By
righteous law were able to tell.
Then was assembled from distant
ways
No little crowd who Moses' law
Were able to tell. In number
there were
Of thousands three of thóse [learned] men 285 Chosen for
lore. The lovely woman
The men of the Hebrews with words gan
address:
"I thát most surely have learnt to know
Through secret
words of prophets [of old]
In the books of God, that in days of yore
290 Ye worthy were of the glorious King,
Dear to the Lord and
daring in deed.
Lo! yé that wisdom [very, Gn.] unwisely,
Wrongly,
rejected, when him ye condemned
Who you from the curse through
might of his glory, 295 From torment of fire, thought to redeem,

From fetters' force. Ye filthily spat
On hís fair face who light of the
eyes
From blindness [restored], a remedy brought
To you anew by
that noble spittle, 300 And often preserved you fróm the unclean

Spirits of devils. This one to death
Ye gan adjudge, who self from
death
Many awakened 'mong host of men
Of your own race to the
former life. 305 So blinded in mind ye gan conjoin
Lying with truth,
light with darkness,
Hatred with mercy, with evil thoughts
Ye
wickedness wove; therefore the curse
You guilty oppresses. The
purest Might 310 Ye gan condemn, and have lived in error,
In
thoughts benighted, until this day.
Go ye now quickly, with prudence

select
Men firm in wisdom, crafty in word,
Who yóur own law,
with excellence skilled, 315 In thoughts of their minds most thoroughly
have,
Who to me truly are able to say,
Answer to tell for you
hencefórth
Of each one of tokens that I from thee seek."
They went
then away sorry-in-mind, 320 The law-clever earls, oppressed with fear,

Sad in their grief, earnestly sought
The wisest men in secrets of
words,
That they to the queen might answer well
Both of good and
of ill, as shé from them sought. 325 Then théy 'mong the host a
thousand of men
Found clever in mind whó the old story
Among
the Jews most readily knew.
Then they pressed in a crowd where in
pomp awaited
On kingly throne the Cæsar's mother,[1] 330 Stately
war-queen with gold adorned.
Helena spake and said 'fore the earls:

"Hear, clever in mind, the holy secret,
Word and wisdom. Lo! yé
the prophets'
Teaching received, hów the