The Elene of Cynewulf by Cynewulf
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Cynewulf >> The Elene of Cynewulf
YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH
ALBERT S. COOK, EDITOR
XXI
THE
ELENE OF CYNEWULF
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE
BY
LUCIUS HUDSON HOLT
PORTER FELLOW IN ENGLISH IN YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1904
[FACSIMILE]
PREFACE
This translation was made from the edition of the _Elene_ issued by
Charles W. Kent in 1889 (Ginn & Co., Boston). His text is 'that of
Zupitza's second edition, carefully compared with Wuelker's edition and
Zupitza's third edition, in which the results of Napier's collation are
contained.'
The aim of this translation is to give an accurate and readable modern
English prose rendering of the Old English poetry. The translation of
Richard Francis Weymouth, entitled _A Literal Translation of Cynewulf's
Elene_, has been at hand, but I owe it practically nothing in this work.
While I trust that my rendering has not departed so far from the text
that it will be valueless to the student, yet at places it will be found
that I have to some extent expanded or contracted the literal
translation in the hope of benefiting the modern English version.
My thanks are due to Dr. Robert K. Root and Dr. Chauncey B. Tinker of
Yale University, and to Dr. Charles H. Whitman of Lehigh University, for
examining part of the work in manuscript, and to Dr. Albert S. Cook of
Yale University for a careful reading of the proof.
LUCIUS HUDSON HOLT.
NEW HAVEN,
January 1, 1904.
ELENE
1. THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE.
There had passed in the turn of years, as men
mark the tale of time, two hundred and thirty and
three winters over the world since the Lord God,
the Glory of kings and Light of the faithful, was
born on earth in human guise; and it was the sixth 5
year of the reign of Constantine since he was raised
in the realm of the Romans to lead their army, a
prince of battles. He was a bulwark to his people, 10
valiant with the shield, and gracious to his heroes;
and the prince's realm waxed great beneath the
heavens. He was a just king, a war-lord of men.
God strengthened him with majesty and might till 15
he became a joy to many men throughout the world,
an avenger for his people when he raised aloft his
spear against their foes.
2. THE WAR WITH THE BARBARIANS.
And battle was brought on him, the tumult of
strife. The people of the Huns and famous Goths 20
gathered a host together; and the Franks and
Hugas marched forth, men fierce in fight and ripe
for war. The spears and woven mail-coats glittered,
as with shouts and clash of shields they
lifted up on high the standard of battle. Openly 25
the fighters gathered all together, and the throng
marched forth. The wolf in the wood howled his
war-song, and hid not his secret hopes of carnage;
and at the rear of the foe the dewy-feathered eagle 30
shrieked his note on high.
A mighty host hastened to war through the cities,
gleaned from all the men the Hunnish king could
summon from the near-lying towns. A vast army
sallied forth--bands of picked horsemen strengthened 35
the force of the foot-soldiers--until within a
foreign land upon the bank of the Danube these
stout-souled brandishers of the spear pitched their
camp near the water's flow, amid the tumult of the
army. They longed to overrun the realm of the 40
Romans, and lay it waste with their hordes.
Then were the dwellers in the cities aware of the
Huns' coming. And the emperor straightway bade
summon with the greatest speed by dispatch of the
arrow his heroes to war against the foes; bade lead
out to battle the warriors beneath the heavens. 45
Their hearts inspired by victory, the Roman heroes
were soon girt with weapons for the fight, though
they had a lesser host for battle than circled about
the proud king of the Huns. Then the shields 50
rang, the wood of war clashed; the king with the
host, his army, marched forth to strife, and over
their heads the raven wailed, dark, and thirsting for
the slaughter. The army was moving--trumpeters
leaped, heralds shouted commands, and horses
stamped the earth. Hastily the multitude enranked 55
itself for strife.
But the king was fear-smitten, awed with terror,
as he looked upon the hostile host, the army of the
Huns and Goths, that upon the river's bank at the
boundary of the Roman realm was massing its 60
strength, an uncounted multitude. The king of the
Romans suffered bitter grief of soul, and hoped not
for his kingdom because of his small host; he had
too few warriors, trusty thanes, to encounter the
overmight of brave men in battle. 65
3. THE DREAM.
The army encamped near at hand beside the river,
nobles about their prince, for the space of a single
night after they first beheld the course of their foes.
Then unto the emperor himself in his sleep, as he 70
slumbered among his retinue, was disclosed the
marvel of a dream, shown unto him with soul
uplifted in the hope of victory. Him thought
there appeared before him in the form of a man
a certain warrior, radiant, resplendent, brilliant,
more glorious than he ever beheld 'neath the
heavens, before or since. Then, dight with his 75
boar-crested helmet, he started up from slumber,
and straightway the messenger, a bright herald of
glory, spake unto him and called him by his name,
while the veil of night parted asunder: 'O Constantine,
the King of angels, Wielder of fates and
Lord of hosts, hath commanded to offer thee a 80
covenant. Fear thou not, though foreign peoples
threaten thee with terror and bitter strife. Look
to heaven, unto the Lord of glory. There shalt
thou find aid and the token of victory.' 85
He was soon ready at the holy one's behest; he
opened wide the secret places of his heart; he gazed
on high, as the messenger, faithful weaver of peace,
had bidden him. Over the roof of clouds he saw
the beauteous tree of glory, gleaming with treasure
and decked with gold--and the gems shone 90
brightly. The shining tree was inscribed with letters
of brilliance and light: 'By this sign thou
shalt overcome the foe in the dread peril; by this
thou shalt stay the hated host.'
Then the light vanished, ascended up on high, 95
and together with it the messenger, unto the throng
of the pure ones. And the king, the leader of men,
was the blither and the freer from grief in his heart
by reason of that fair vision.
4. THE BATTLE.
Then Constantine, bulwark of heroes and giver
of gifts, battle-prince of armies and glorious king, 100
bade fashion with greatest haste a token like unto
that sign he had seen, which had been disclosed
before him in the heavens, the cross of Christ.
And at dawn, with the first gleam of day, he bade 105
rouse the warriors and make ready for the stress of
fight, lift up the emblem of battle, take the holy
tree before them, and bear the sign of God into
the press of their foes.
The trumpets rang loud at the army's front. 110
The raven rejoiced at the move; the dewy-feathered
eagle scanned the march, the strife of battle-heated
men; and the wolf, fellow of the forest, raised his
song. Rife was the dread terror of battle.
Then there was the clash of shields and the shock
of men, the bitter hand-to-hand struggle and the 115
slaughter of hosts, when once they had passed within
an arrow's flight. On the fated folk dire enemies
hurled a shower of darts, and with might of arm
sent their spears, biting battle-adders, over the yellow
shields into the midst of their foes. But with 120
courage undaunted the other host advanced; from
time to time they surged forward, broke the rampart
of shields, thrust their swords between, and
sternly kept their way.
Then was the standard, the token, raised before
the armies, and they chanted the victors' song.
Over the field of battle gleamed spears and helmets 125
of gold. The pagan host was conquered; in
merciless strife they fell. As the king of the Romans,
dauntless in battle, bade raise that holy tree,
the peoples of the Huns straight fled away, and
their warriors were scattered far and wide. Some 130
perished in the fight, some saved themselves hardly
on the march, some, with life half-ebbed, fled to
fastnesses and nursed their strength behind barren
rocks, some seized the land near the Danube, and 135
some were finally drowned in the river's current.
Then was the army of valiant heroes rejoiced, and
from break of day until eve they followed hard
upon the foreign foe, while the spears flew, biting 140
battle-adders. The horde of hated shield-bearers
was lessened; but few of the army of Huns returned
thence home again.
Then was manifest from that day's deed that
the King Almighty gave unto Constantine victory, 145
glorious honor, and a realm beneath the heavens,
through his holy rood. And he, renowned in battle,
a bulwark of armies, returned thence home
again when the war was decided, exulting in his
spoil. Famed in the fight, a defense for heroes, the 150
king came with a throng of thanes to visit his
cities and stud his shield with jewels.
5. THE ASSEMBLY.
Then the Lord of men straight summoned the
wisest to council, those who had pondered the craft
of wisdom in writings of old and held nobly to 155
the rede of scholars. And the prince of the people,
victory-inspired king, asked through the vast assembly
if there were any man there could tell and declare
unto him truly who the god was, giver of good 160
gifts, 'whose sign this was which appeared unto
me so bright, the most gleaming of tokens, saved
my people, and gave unto me glory and war-speed
against my foes through the holy tree.' 165
But no one of them could give him any answer
in return, nor knew they full well what to say about
the victor-tree. Then spake the wisest before the
multitudes, and said that it was a sign from the King 170
of heaven, and of that there could be no doubt.
6. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE.
But they who had learned the truth, who were
taught through baptism, were joyful in soul, and
their hearts were light that they might declare before 175
the emperor the grace of the gospel: how the
Saviour of souls, revered in threefold majesty, was
born; how God's own Son was hung upon the cross
in bitter agony before the multitudes; how He freed 180
the children of men and souls of the careworn from
the snares of devils, and gave unto them grace
through the very thing that had been disclosed to
his own sight as a sign of victory against the onrush
of foes; and how on the third day the Glory 185
of men and Lord of all mankind rose from the
tomb and from death, and ascended into heaven.
Men wise in the mystic things of the Spirit thus said
unto the victory-inspired monarch as they had 190
learned from Silvester. And at their hands the
prince of the people received baptism, and held to
the faith according to the will of the Lord from that
time forth throughout the length of his days.
Then was the giver of gifts content, the king
stern in battle; a new joy was come into his heart. 195
The Lord of the kingdom of heaven was his greatest
solace and his highest hope. Through the grace
of the Spirit he began zealously to show forth the
law of the Lord both day and night, and this ruler
of men devoted himself, far-famed and weariless, 200
unto the service of God. Then the prince, bulwark
of peoples, brave in battle and bold with the spear,
found in the books of God with the aid of his
teachers that country where, amid the shouts of multitudes,
the Ruler of the heavens was crucified upon 205
the cross through sinful hate; even as the ancient
enemy with lying craft led astray the people, deceived
the race of the Jews, until they crucified God
himself, the Lord of hosts; wherefore they shall 210
suffer a direful curse in misery through a long-enduring
life.
7. THE JOURNEY OF ELENE.
Then was the laud of Christ in the heart of the
emperor, and he was ever mindful of that glorious
tree. And he bade his mother fare unto the Jews
upon a journey with a throng of people, and zealously 215
with her band of heroes to seek where the
holy tree of glory, the rood of the King, was hid
beneath the earth.
Nor would Elene slight such a journey, nor be 220
heedless of the word of the prince her son; but
the woman was soon ready for the welcome way,
as the bulwark of heroes and mail-clad warriors
had bidden her. And thereupon throngs of nobles 225
made ready for the voyage over the ocean. The
ships stood ready by the shores of the sea, bound
ocean-coursers resting on the deep.
And the journey of the queen was plainly manifest
when she sought the swell of the ocean with 230
her company; many a noble stood there, near to
the water's edge, and from time to time crowds of
men pressed across the way.
Then they loaded the ships with battle-dress,
shields and spears; mail-clad warriors and men and 235
women embarked thereon. And they let the steep
ocean-speeders course over the foamy deep; often
the hull bore the shock of the billows on the ocean-way,
and the sea raised her song. Never heard 240
I before nor since of woman leading a fairer force
upon the paths of the ocean, the streams of the deep.
There one might see, if he beheld that voyage, ships
cleave the watery way and haste beneath swelling 245
sails, sea-coursers leap, and wave-floaters speed ahead.
The proud warriors were glad; the queen rejoiced
in the journey.
When the ring-prowed ships had reached their
harbor in the land of the Greeks over the fastness 250
of flood, they left their vessels, their olden water-homes,
lashed by the sea, bound with anchors, to
await upon the surging deep the fate of the men,
when the warrior queen with her band of heroes 255
should again seek the eastern ways. Many a
woven corselet, trusty sword, and glittering battle-sark,
many a helmet and glorious boar-crest, were
there to be seen among the warriors. The spearmen, 260
heroes about their queen, were eager for the
march. The brave fighters, heralds of the emperor,
warriors clad in armor, went forth rejoicing
into the land of the Greeks. Many a gold-set
jewel, the gift of their prince, was to be seen there
among the company. 265
But the blessed Elene, zealous and earnest of purpose,
was mindful of her lord's will that over fields
of battle she should seek the land of the Jews with
her trusty band of shield-bearers, her company of 270
spearmen; and so it befell within a little space
thereafter that the multitude of men, heroes famed
in war and chieftains of spear-renown, entered into
the city of Jerusalem in a vast throng with the
noble queen. 275
8. THE COUNCILS OF THE JEWS.
Then she bade summon the wisest of the dwellers
in the cities among the Jews, far and wide, each
man of them, to come unto a council for deliberation,
those who knew how to expound justly and
fully the hidden things of God. And there was 280
gathered together from far ways no small multitude
of those who could expound the law of Moses.
They were in number three thousand men, chosen 285
for teaching.
Then the well-beloved woman spake unto the
men of the Hebrews in these words:--'This have I
learned well by the mystic sayings of prophets in
the books of God, that in days of yore ye were 290
dear unto the King of glory, loved of the Lord
and strong in his service. And lo! ye of this
knowledge unwisely and perversely cast Him forth
when ye cursed Him who thought to loose you from
your curse, your torture of fire, your servile bondage, 295
through the might of His glory. Foully ye
spat upon the face of Him who by his noble spittle
wrought anew the light of your eyes, the cure of 300
your blindness, and saved you oft from the unclean
spirits of devils. Ye doomed Him to death who
among a multitude of men roused from death itself
unto their former life a number of your own race. 305
Ye blind of soul, thus have ye confounded false
with sooth, light with darkness, hate with reverence,
and have woven a crime from your evil thoughts.
Therefore doth this curse weigh you down in your
sin--ye judged that pure Power, and until this day 310
ye have lived with clouded thoughts in heresy. Go
ye now quickly, and think upon the men most sage
in wisdom and skilled in speech, who, versed in the
knowledge of your law, hold it foremost in their 315
hearts, and who may declare unto me truly and
devise an answer for each token whereof I may
ask them.'
Then, sorely grieved and saddened, and burdened 320
with fear, the men wise in law went apart, and earnestly
sought the deepest mystic words wherewith
they might answer the queen whatsoever she asked
of them, whether of good or of bad. And they 325
found among their number a thousand of exceeding
wisdom, who most fully knew the traditions of old
among the Jews. In a great crowd they hastened
to where, upon a royal throne in majesty, the kinswoman 330
of the emperor waited, a stately queen of
battle adorned with gold. And Elene spake before
the folk:--'Hearken, ye wise of soul, unto a holy
mystery, the word and the wisdom. Lo! ye had the
teaching of prophets how the Prince of life and Lord 335
of might should be born in the likeness of a child.
Of him sang Moses, leader of the Israelites, and
spake this word:--"Unto you is born a child of
wondrous might in mystery, for his mother conceived 340
him not through the love of man." Of him
king David, father of Solomon, ruler of men, a
prophet with the wisdom of age, chanted a psalm
and spake this word:--"In times afore I beheld the 345
God of creation, the Lord of victories. He was
before my sight upon my right hand, the King of
might and Prince of majesty. Thence will I never
turn my eyes more unto life." Likewise again 350
Isaiah the prophet, deeply moved by the Spirit of
God, spake concerning you before the multitudes in
these words: "I raised up sons and I begat children,
and unto them I gave possessions, and holy balm
for their souls; but they scorned me, loathed me 355
with their hate, and they had no forethought, no
skill of wisdom. Even the wretched oxen, which
man doth each day drive and beat, know their well-wisher,
and in their revenge for wrong hate not
their friend who giveth them fodder. But never 360
would the men of the Israelites take knowledge of
me, though I wrought many wonders for them
throughout my life in the world." Lo! this have
we learned in holy books, that God the Creator
gave unto you spotless glory and wealth of power, 365
and said unto Moses how ye should hearken unto
the King of heaven, and follow His teaching. But
ye soon became weary of this, and withstood that
righteous one; ye scorned the pure Maker of all,
the Lord of lords, and pursued error against the 370
law of God. Now go ye quickly and find once
more those who know best by wisdom's craft the
ancient scriptures, your righteous law, that with 375
depth of soul they may give me answer.'
Then a throng of the proud leaders, saddened in
heart, went forth as the queen had bidden them,
and found five hundred wise men of their own race
who held learning in their memory, most wisdom 380
in their mind. And again within a little space the
lords of the city were summoned unto the hall. And
the queen, looking upon them all, spake unto them 385
in these words:--'Oft have ye wrought foolish
deeds, ye wretched in misfortune, and scorned the
Scriptures, the lore of your fathers, but never worse
than now when ye have refused the cure of your
blindness, and withstood the truth and the right--that 390
the Son of the Mighty One, the only-begotten
Ruler and King of kings, was born in Bethlehem.
Though ye knew the law, the words of the prophets,
yet because of your sin ye have not been willing to
confess the truth.' 395
And with one accord they answered:--'Lo! we
have learned the Hebrew law that from the ark
of God our fathers knew in days of yore; but we
know not in sooth wherefore, O lady, thou hast
become thus angry with us. We know not the sin 400
that we have wrought in this province, the wrong
we have ever done to thee.'
Then Elene spake before the people openly, before
the multitudes this woman spake aloud:--'Go ye 405
now quickly, and seek far and near those who have
the power of wisdom and the most skill of thought
among you, that they may show forth to me without
reserve whatsoever I ask of them.' 410
And they went forth from the council as the
mighty queen, strong in her cities, had bidden them,
and earnestly pondered, sad of heart, and sought
shrewdly what that sin might be that they had 415
wrought in the province against the emperor, wherewith
the queen reproached them.
9. THE SPEECH OF JUDAS.
And there spake before the people one learned in
ancient writings and wise of speech (his name was
Judas):--'I know well that she wishes to ask concerning 420
that victor-tree whereon suffered the Lord
of hosts, God's own Son, guiltless of all evil, Him
whom, unspotted with any sin, our fathers in days 425
of yore hung upon the high cross through hate--fearful
was that thought! Now is there great need
that we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray
that murder, nor declare where the holy tree was
hid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise 430
writings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our
fathers forsaken. For if this shall be known, it will
not be long that the race of the Israelites and the
faith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world. 435
Thus once my father's father, prophet with the wisdom
of age and far-famed in victory--his name was
Zaccheus--gave like counsel unto my father and
spake this word, which in after times he himself told
to his son, as he turned him from the world:--"If in 440
the days of thy life it happen that thou hear sage
men ask of the holy tree and stir up strife concerning
the rood of victory whereon the true King
was crucified, Lord of heaven and Child of all 445
peace, then do thou, my dear son, ere death snatch
thee off, quickly declare that never shall the people
of the Hebrews, taking wise counsel together, hold
sway and rule over men, but the glory and kingdom 450
shall endure of those who, filled with gladness from
age to age, revere and love the crucified King."'
'Then I boldly gave answer unto my father, the 455
aged counselor:--"How came it to pass in the
kingdom of the world that with wrathful intent
our fathers laid hands on the Holy One to put him
to death, if they had knowledge that he was Christ, 460
the King upon the cross, true Son of the Creator,
and Saviour of souls?"'
'And my parent gave answer unto me, wisely my
father spake:--"Recognize, O youth, the surpassing
power of God, the name of the Saviour which
may not be expressed by any man. No man on 465
earth can search it out. Never would I visit the
council which this people held, but I ever kept
myself aloof from their sin, nor wrought shame 470
unto my soul in any way. Many times I earnestly
withstood the unrighteous act when the wise men
sat in council, and sought in their heart how they
might crucify the Son of the Creator, the Bulwark 475
of men and Lord of all, of angels and of mortals,
the most noble of heroes."
'"But these foolish and wretched men could not
bring death upon Him as they weened, nor beset Him
about with agony, though He, the victorious Son of
God, for a little while yielded up His ghost upon 480
the cross. Then the King of the heavens, the Glory
of all glory, was raised from off the rood, and abode
three nights in the tomb, within the place of darkness;
and upon the third day He arose living, Light 485
of all light and Lord of angels, and revealed himself
unto His followers, the true Prince of victory,
resplendent in glory. Then after a little space,
Stephen, thy brother, received the bath of baptism, 490
the faith of joy, and for the love of the Lord he
was stoned. Yet he gave not evil for evil, but in
patient suffering made intercession for his ancient
foes, and prayed the King of glory that He would
not lay to their charge this evil deed, that they 495
deprived of life a man innocent and free from guile
through hate and the teachings of Saul.