Elene (Old English) · c. 9th century
Lines 125–255
Gylden grima, garas lixtan
on herefelda. Hæðene grungon,
feollon friðelease. Flugon instæpes
Huna leode, swa þæt halige treo
aræran heht Romwara cyning,
heaðofremmende. Wurdon heardingas
wide towrecene. Sume wig fornam.
Sume unsofte aldor generedon
on þam heresiðe. Sume healfcwice
flugon on fæsten ond feore burgon
æfter stanclifum, stede weardedon
ymb Danubie. Sume drenc fornam
on lagostreame lifes æt ende.
ða wæs modigra mægen on luste,
ehton elþeoda oð þæt æfen forð
fram dæges orde. Daroðæsc flugon,
hildenædran. Heap wæs gescyrded,
laðra lindwered. Lythwon becwom
Huna herges ham eft þanon.
þa wæs gesyne þæt sige forgeaf
Constantino cyning ælmihtig
æt þam dægweorce, domweorðunga,
rice under roderum, þurh his rode treo.
Gewat þa heriga helm ham eft þanon,
huðe hremig, (hild wæs gesceaden),
wigge geweorðod. Com þa wigena hleo
þegna þreate þryðbold secan,
beadurof cyning burga neosan.
Heht þa wigena weard þa wisestan
snude to sionoðe, þa þe snyttro cræft
þurh fyrngewrito gefrigen hæfdon,
heoldon higeþancum hæleða rædas.
ða þæs fricggan ongan folces aldor,
sigerof cyning, ofer sid weorod,
wære þær ænig yldra oððe gingra
þe him to soðe secggan meahte,
galdrum cyðan, hwæt se god wære,
boldes brytta, "þe þis his beacen wæs
þe me swa leoht oðywde ond mine leode generede,
tacna torhtost, ond me tir forgeaf,
wigsped wið wraðum, þurh þæt wlitige treo."
Hio him ondsware ænige ne meahton
agifan togenes, ne ful geare cuðon
sweotole gesecggan be þam sigebeacne.
þa þa wisestan wordum cwædon
for þam heremægene þæt hit heofoncyninges
tacen wære, ond þæs tweo nære.
þa þæt gefrugnon þa þurh fulwihte
lærde wæron, (him wæs leoht sefa,
ferhð gefeonde, þeah hira fea wæron),
ðæt hie for þam casere cyðan moston
godspelles gife, hu se gasta helm,
in þrynesse þrymme geweorðad,
acenned wearð, cyninga wuldor,
ond hu on galgan wearð godes agen bearn
ahangen for hergum heardum witum.
Alysde leoda bearn of locan deofla,
geomre gastas, ond him gife sealde
þurh þa ilcan gesceaft þe him geywed wearð
sylfum on gesyhðe, sigores tacen,
wið þeoda þræce. Ond hu ðy þriddan dæge
of byrgenne beorna wuldor
of deaðe aras, dryhten ealra
hæleða cynnes, ond to heofonum astah.
ðus gleawlice gastgerynum
sægdon sigerofum, swa fram Siluestre
lærde wæron. æt þam se leodfruma
fulwihte onfeng ond þæt forð geheold
on his dagana tid, dryhtne to willan.
ða wæs on sælum sinces brytta,
niðheard cyning. Wæs him niwe gefea
befolen in fyrhðe, wæs him frofra mæst
ond hyhta nihst heofonrices weard.
Ongan þa dryhtnes æ dæges ond nihtes
þurh gastes gife georne cyðan,
ond hine soðlice sylfne getengde
goldwine gumena in godes þeowdom,
æscrof, unslaw. þa se æðeling fand,
leodgebyrga, þurh larsmiðas,
guðheard, garþrist, on godes bocum
hwær ahangen wæs heriges beorhtme
on rode treo rodora waldend
æfstum þurh inwit, swa se ealda feond
forlærde ligesearwum, leode fortyhte,
Iudea cyn, þæt hie god sylfne
ahengon, herga fruman. þæs hie in hynðum sculon
to widan feore wergðu dreogan!
þa wæs Cristes lof þam casere
on firhðsefan, forð gemyndig
ymb þæt mære treo, ond þa his modor het
feran foldwege folca þreate
to Iudeum, georne secan
wigena þreate hwær se wuldres beam,
halig under hrusan, hyded wære,
æðelcyninges rod. Elene ne wolde
þæs siðfates sæne weorðan,
ne ðæs wilgifan word gehyrwan,
hiere sylfre suna, ac wæs sona gearu,
wif on willsið, swa hire weoruda helm,
byrnwiggendra, beboden hæfde.
Ongan þa ofstlice eorla mengu
to flote fysan. Fearoðhengestas
ymb geofenes stæð gearwe stodon,
sælde sæmearas, sunde getenge.
ða wæs orcnæwe idese siðfæt,
siððan wæges helm werode gesohte.
þær wlanc manig æt Wendelsæ
on stæðe stodon. Stundum wræcon
ofer mearcpaðu, mægen æfter oðrum,
ond þa gehlodon hildesercum,
bordum ond ordum, byrnwigendum,
werum ond wifum, wæghengestas.
Leton þa ofer fifelwæg famige scriðan
bronte brimþisan. Bord oft onfeng
ofer earhgeblond yða swengas;
sæ swinsade. Ne hyrde ic sið ne ær
on egstreame idese lædan,
on merestræte, mægen fægerre.
þær meahte gesion, se ðone sið beheold,
brecan ofer bæðweg, brimwudu snyrgan
under swellingum, sæmearh plegean,
wadan wægflotan. Wigan wæron bliðe,
collenferhðe, cwen siðes gefeah,
syþþan to hyðe hringedstefnan
ofer lagofæsten geliden hæfdon
on Creca land. Ceolas leton
æt sæfearoðe, sande bewrecene,
ald yðhofu, oncrum fæste
on brime bidan beorna geþinges,
hwonne heo sio guðcwen gumena þreate
ofer eastwegas eft gesohte.
Cite this text
MLA
Cynewulf. Elene (Old English), Lines 125–255. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/elene-oe/1/.
Chicago
Cynewulf. Elene (Old English), Lines 125–255. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/elene-oe/1/.