The Exeter Book

The Exeter Book

My Spring Flower Academy

Table of Content

—Christ I: Advent Lyrics…………………………………………………………………………… 2
—Christ II: The Ascension………………………………………………………………………… 11
—Christ III: Judgment……………………………………………………………………………… 21
—Guthlac A………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41
—Guthlac B….………………………………………………………………………………………… 60
—Azarias: The Suffering and Songs of the Three Youths……………………………………………. 72
—The Phoenix………………………………………………………………………………………. 78
—Juliana………………………………………………………………………………………………93
—The Wanderer……………………………………………………………………………………. 109
—The Gifts of Men…………………………………………………………………………………..112
—Precepts: A Father's Instruction………………………………………………………………… 114
—The Seafarer……………………………………………………………………………………… 117
—Vainglory………………………………………………………………………………………….. 120
—Widsith…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 122
—The Fortunes of Men…………………………………………………………………………….. 125
—Maxims I: Exeter Maxims (A, B, and C) ……………………………………………………….. 128
—The Order of the World……………………………………………………………………………135
—The Rhyming Poem……………………………………………………………………………… 138
—Physiologus I: The Panther……………………………………………………………………….141
—Physiologus II: The Whale……………………………………………………………………….. 143
— Resignation A: The Penitent's Prayer……………………………………………………………. 145
—Resignation B: The Exile's Lament……………………………………………………………….147

—Deor………………………………………………………………………………………………..148
—Wulf and Eadwacer………………………………………………………………………………. 149
—The Wife's Lament………………………………………………………………………………..150
—The Descent into Hell…………………………………………………………………………….. 152
—Pharaoh—The Husband's Message……………………………………………………………….. 155
—The Ruin…………………………………………………………………………………………. 158

1

Advent Lyrics (Christ I) O, you are the Reckoner and the Rightful
King,
I. who keeps the stronghold, revealing life
and the lofty ways to the blessed,
1. withholding
the lovely lanes of desire to those others,
… to the king. if their deeds are not sufficient.

You are the wall-stone that the stonewrights Indeed we speak these words needfully
once rejected from their labors. It suits you and praise the one who shaped mankind—
that you should be the capital of the glorious
hall, [damage to the manuscript obliterates most
and you gather up the capacious walls, of a line]
the condition of the careful, we who sit
with fixed joint and stone unbroken, sorrowing in prison—
so that throughout all earthly cities,
by the sight of the eyes, all men We expect the sun, the moment when
can marvel forever at the Lord of Glory. the Life-Lord reveals the light to us,
becoming protection for us in our minds,
Manifest now through your skillful craft and winding up our frail wits in glory.
the work of your own, sooth-fast, victor-
bright, Make us worthy—
and allow wall to meet wall at once. who admits us into magnificence,
when we must depart miserably
Now there is need for the building into this narrow place,
for the Architect and the King himself to beshorn of our homeland.
come
and make amends to that which is fallen Therefore one can say,
to disrepair, the house under its roof. who speaks truthfully to you,
that he delivered the tribe of men,
He shaped the body and its limbs of clay— who were once perverted.
now shall the Lord of Life deliver the
wearied heap It was through a young woman,
from his wrath, the wretched from their a maiden without wickedness,
terrors, who he chose to be his mother.
just as he often has done. (1-17)
That was done without the love of a man,
2. so that the lady became large
with the bearing of a child.

Nothing could compare to this, throughout this wide creation
before or since, arising in the world, and the roomy roof of the heavens—
this woman’s yearning—
that was a secret, the Lord’s mystery. how the King of the Skies
seeks a journey in you
All spiritual gifts will pervade and arrives himself—
the regions of the earth—
where many wise men were enlightened, how he takes his abode in you,
their enduring teachings through the Origin as the wisely fixed prophets
of Life, told it before long ago.
which before lay hidden beneath the grave,
They revealed the birth of Christ,
and the wordy songs of the prophets, speaking to you as a comfort,
when the Wielder came, he who amplifies most excellent of all cities.
the mystery of every statement
of those who, through active state Now is the child come,
eagerly wish to extol the Shaper’s name. born as an amendment,
(18-49) to the sins of the Hebrews.

3. He brings bliss to you,
loosing your bonds
Hail sight of peace, holy Jerusalem compelled upon you
best of national thrones, land of cities of in malice. He knows
Christ, the pressing necessity,
the center of the angels’ homeland— how the wretched
and in you alone the souls of the soothfast must await mercy. (50-70)
may find their rest, exultant in your glories.
II.
Never shall a slightest symbol of sin
be revealed in that dwelling-place, 4.
but each and every fault shall far turn aside,
wickedness and strife. Hail joy of women through the triumph of
glory,
You are replete in every glory, the most noble of virgins across every
the holy expectation, corner of the earth
just as you are named — that sea-dwelling men have ever heard
spoken of—
See now for yourself: relate to us the mysteries which came to you
looking around every corner from the heavens;

1

how you ever took on your increasing, yet Christ revealed how in the kinswoman
through the birthing of a child, dear to David that the sin of Eve is wholly
never knowing any kind of coupling that the turned aside,
minds of men her curse cast down, and the weaker kind
would understand. Truly we have never glorified.
learned A hope is taken up so that a blessing may
of anything like this happening in the days abide
gone by, in both men and women together, now
that you should take hold of this in your and always for all time to come in the
unique grace, highest
nor need we look that event occurring any delight of angels with the True Father.” (71-
time ahead. 103)

Indeed that troth indwells within you 5.
worthily,
now that you have borne that glory majestic Hail shining ray! Hail brightest of angels
within your breast, and your mighty and illumination of the soothfast sun
maidenhead sent over middle-earth to all mankind,
was not destroyed. And as all children of more brilliant than the stars—always
men you light up every season of your own self!
have sown in their sorrows, so they will
soon reap— As you, God born readily from God,
conception is a killing to them. Son of the True Father, were ever
without beginning in the glory of the sky,
So spoke the Blessed Virgin, sainted Mary so now needfully your own creation
filled always with her victory: abides you faithfully, so that you send us
the bright sun, and that you come yourself
“What is this wonderment at which you all to illuminate those who for the longest time,
stand amazed, and mourning lament your shrouded in shadow and in darkness here,
cares, reside in the everlasting night—
O son of Salem and his daughter too? enfolded in our sins, they have had to endure
Curious, you inquire how I kept my virgin the dark shadows of death.
state
and its warding hand and also became the Now we joyously believe in salvation
mother brought to the many by the word of God,
of the famous Measurer’s Son. However, who at the start was the Father Almighty,
this is not a mystery knowable by men, eternal even with God, and now become
again

2

flesh without sin, that the virgin birthed just as was foretold to him,
as a comfort to the miserable. that the Son of the Measurer
himself would cleanse
God was among us, seen without sins— the citizens of the earth,
they dwelt together: the mighty Son of the
Measurer and likewise seek out
and the Child of Man both, concordant a journey to the deep as well
among humankind. We may tell our thanks by the power of his spirit.
perpetually according to his desert,
because he wished to send us himself. (104- Now they bide in their bonds
29) patiently for the Bairn of God
to come to the chary.
6. Enfeebled by their agonies,

O God of Spirits, how wisely therefore they call out thus:
you were named by the name “Now come to us yourself,
Emmanuel, as the angel High-King of Heaven.
first spoke it in Hebrew! Bring us the life of salvation,

That is readily translated the weary thralls of torment,
generously in its mysteries: worn out by our weeping,
“Now is the Warden of Heaven, with bitter tears of burning salt.
God himself among us!” The cure for our pressing need
lies with you alone.
So the men of old many years ago
truthfully prophesied Search here for these
the King of All Kings, mind-miserable captives,
just as the clean priest as well, and do not leave us behind you,
when you come here again,
the most famous of all,
Melchisedech wise in spirit once a multitude so massive,
revealed the divine majesty but reveal to us regally
of the Eternal All-Wielding God. your mercies, Christ the Savior,
Nobleman of Glory,
He was the bringer of the law,
the teacher of holy lessons nor allow those cursed ones
to those hoping for a long time to keep power over us.
for the hither-coming, Bequeath us eternal joys
your own glories,
that we may praise you,

3

Glory-King of Armies, Mary:
which you once worked “What are you mourning,
with your own hands. crying out so carefully?”

In the lofty heights Joseph:
you shall abide forever “I have never found any fault in you,
with the Sovereign Father. (130-63) nor any reason to doubt you,
no deeds of defilement, and now you speak
III. these words to me when you are filled
with every sort of sin and crime.”
7.
Mary:
Mary: “I too have received many hurts
“O my Joseph, son of Jacob, kin of David from this child-bearing state.”
the most famous of kings! Must you now
separate yourself so firmly from my Joseph:
affection, “How can I forgive this hateful speech
renouncing my love?” or find any answer in reply to the wrathful?
It is widely known that I took on
Joseph: from the bright temple of the Lord
“I am quickly seized in deep offense at you, a free-born and clean virgin, without blot,
bereaved of my reputation, because I have and now everything has changed
heard by I don’t know who—
many words of harm about you, broad
sorrows “Neither course avails me at all,
and painful words, and they speak insults to to speak up or to be silent.
me, If I tell the truth then
many many wounding allegations. the daughter of David must die,
losing her life through stones.
I must pour forth many tears in a miserable The situation is even stronger
mind. if I should cover up her crime—
God can easily heal the heart-sorrows in my the perjurer must live afterwards
head hated by all peoples, abominated by men.”
and comfort the meagerly endowed.
Alas young virigin, my maiden Mary!” Then the virgin revealed the righteous
mysteries, and spoke thus:
“I shall speak the truth by the Son of the
Measurer,

4

the Helper of Souls, that I still know nothing becoming a child
of the caresses of any man in any place on with your Glory-Father
earth, by his craft and his might!
but it was granted to me, youthful in the
yard, There is now no nobleman
that the high-angel of heaven, under the windy sky,
Gabriel gave me greeting. no perspicacious man,

“He spoke to me soothfully that the Spirit of surpassingly wise
the Skies that he can speak of this
would illuminate me with light, and the to sea-dwelling men,
life’s
majesty I must bear forth, the Bright Son, or righteously relate
the powerful Child of God, the Brilliant how the Holder of Heaven
Origin of Glory. in the beginning
Now I am made into his temple without
stain, hatched you
and inside me the Soul of Comfort indwells. as his free-born son.
Now abandon all sorrowful thoughts of pain.
Of the many things
“Speak your neverending thanks that the kindred of men
to the famous Son of the Measurer have frained among the folk,
that I am become his mother,
though still a virgin, and that you what first happened
will be called his worldly father under the heavens
in the eyes of men—this prophecy at the start of the world,
must be realized in his own person.” (164-
213) was that Wise God,
the Starting-Point of Life,
8. divided divinely

Hail Almighty Christ, light and shadow,
peaceable and true and the power
King of All Kings! of judgment was his,

Before every majesty and the Lord of Hosts
of the entire world ordained this subtle thing:
you were conceived
“Let there become
light from now, evermore
until the end of the world,

5

a sparkling joy fixed in grace
to all that live reveal to us here
which will be born your mercy!

in their generation.” There is in all of us
And it happened at once, a great desire to be allowed
when it should be so— to understand
your mother’s kindred,
illuminated rays the righteous mystery,
the tribes of men, since we cannot at all
brilliant among the stars,
explain any farther
after the arrival your father’s descent.
of the proper time.
Make joyous this middle-earth
He established himself mildly through your
that you were his Son coming here, Savior Christ—
dwelling at the same instant
command those golden gates
with your Solitary Lord to be opened wide,
before any of this which have in days of old,
even happened.
for a very long time,
You are the wisdom stood closed fast,
which created everything Highest Lord of Heaven—
of this spacious creation,
and seek us out
along with the Sovereign. through your own arrival
Therefore there is no one humbly to the earth.
so quick-witted,
There is need of your mercies!
nor so mind-crafty The cursed wolf,
that can clearly affirm the beast of death’s shadow,

your inception has brought your flock,
to the children of men. O Lord, to naught,
scattering them widely.
Come now,
Warden of Victories, 6
Measurer of Mankind,

The sheep, my Sovereign, Eternal Lord, the Living God,
you bought before Helmet of All Creatures,
with your blood wish to defend us

which the baleful foe more readily,
woefully afflicts, from the destroyer of peoples. (214-74)
and takes them captive
IV.
for himself,
over the urging 9.
of our desires.
O you are the most famous of middle-earth,
Therefore we, Savior, the cleanest queen across the earth—
entreat you earnestly of those who have been to the ends of life—
with our breasts’ thoughts how rightfully all speech-bearing men
all over the world, call you and say,
that you quickly render us with a blithe mind, that you should be
assistance, weary wretches, the bride of the best Dispenser of the Skies.
so that the tormenting slayer
Likewise, the highest in the heavens,
may tumble into abjection the thanes of Christ, call out and sing
to the depths of hell, with holy might that you should be
and the work of your hands, the lady of the glorious armies,
and of the worldly-kinds, the orders
Shaper of Heroes, under heaven, and the denizens of hell also.
may arise and arrive
at the right, Because you alone of all humans,
bold-thinking, gloriously conceived
into that upward that you would bring your maiden-head
and noble kingdom, before the Measurer, giving it to him
whence the dark ghast without sin.

drew us apart and seduced us No one like this has been found
through our sinful lust, no one else among all humankind,
so that we, lacking glory, no woman adorned with rings,
who offered this shining gift
must suffer misery afterwards with a pure heart,
forever without end, to the heavenly hue.
unless you,
7

Therefore the First of Victories locks—
ordered his high-herald to fly here they will stand behind him for eternity,
from his majestic might and swiftly always and in perpetuity, so closed up
reveal the magnitude of his power, so that no other, except the Savior God,
that you were to conceive shall unlock them ever again.”
the Son of the Lord through a pure
pregnancy Now it is fulfilled what the wise man
as a mercy to mankind, and you, Mary, saw there with his own eyes—
could keep yourself ever afterward you are the door in the wall,
unmarred — through which the Wielding Lord
made his journey alone to the earth,
We have also heard that, a certain prophet and even so Christ Almighty found you,
soothfast in the days of yore long ago— adorned with powers, pure and choice.
he was Isaiah—said this about you: So the Prince of Angels, Dispenser of Life,
that he was taken away so he could be locked you up behind him with his limb-key,
shown again unblemished by any thing.
the station of life in that eternal home.
Show us now the grace which the angel
Then the prophet so fixed in his wisdom brought you,
looked over that inhabited place the message-bearer of God, Gabriel.
until he stared where a noble entryway Indeed the city-dwellers beg you for this,
was established. The huge door that you should reveal comfort for the
was bound all over with precious treasure, people,
girded with amazing braces. your own son. Afterwards we may be
allowed
He was convinced that no human to celebrate all with a single heart
could ever heave up such a fixed bolt when we look upon the bairn upon your
in all eternity, or unlock the fastening breast.
of that city’s gate—before an angel of God
with thoughts of gladness unraveled Plead for us with your courageous words
that puzzle and spoke these words: so that he will no longer abandon us
in any wise in this deadly valley,
“I can say to you that it will come true: to heed the words of the betrayer,
that God himself, by the power of his Spirit, but instead ferry us into the Father’s realm,
the Father Almighty will at a moment to where we without sorrow may afterwards
come dwell in glory with the God of Hosts. (275-
shall sanctify these golden gates 347)
and seek out the earth through these fastened

8

10. Help the body-sorrowing,
so that your hither-coming
Hail holy Lord of the Heavens, might comfort the destitute,
you were coeval with your father
of old in that excellent home. although we have made a feud
against you with our lust
There were no angels yet made, for every sort of crime.
none of that ample and powerful majesty
which administer the realm Be merciful to your servants,
consider our miseries,
up in the heavens, how we totter with a feeble mind,
the splendid palace of the Prince
and his body of thanes, wander about abjectly.
Come now, King of Warriors,
when you first established and do not tarry too long.
yourself along with the Eternal Lord There is a need for your mercy—
and this spacious creation, that you should redeem us
and grant us the soothfast
the broad and abundant earth.
For both of you in common grace of your salvation,
is the High-Spirit fast in its shelter. so that we may henceforth
prosper the better
We all pray to you, Savior Christ,
in all humility that you hear in your fellowship
the voice of the hostages, at your will. (348-77)

your constrained captives, V.
preserving God, how we are all
oppressed by our own yearning. 11.

The exiled kindred, the cursed ghasts Hail the divine and dignified,
have constrained us cruelly, high and holy, heaven-kindly Trinity,
the hell-harmers full of hate, blessed across the broad and abundant
plains,
binding us with ropes of many harms. who the speech-bearers, the dejected earth-
The cure belongs to you dwellers
alone, Eternal Lord. must by rights praise highly with all their
means,

9

now that the pledge-fast God has revealed to abide, earthly among mankind—through all
us time
the Savior so that we are able to understand widely worthied. You are the God of
him. Armies,
because you filled both earth and heaven,
Therefore they, deed-brave, have been Shelter of Warriors, with your glories,
endowed Helmet of All Creatures!
with glory, so that the soothfast kindred of
the Seraphim, Let there be in the heights eternal salvation,
glorying upwards among the angels forever, and praises on the earth, bright among the
unwearying they sing of majesty very loftily warriors.
with a loud voice, fair to all far and near. You are blessed dearly, who came to the
multitudes
They hold an office most choice with their in the name of the Lord, as a comfort to the
king— abject.
and Christ granted it to them, so that they May you be the eternal praises of the lofty
might heavens
brook his presence at the table in their eyes forever without end.” (378-415)
for ever and ever, adorned with the sky,
worthying the Wielder widely and broadly, 12.
and with their wings ward over the face
of the Lord Almighty, the Eternal Ruler, Hail and behold! What a marvelous
and about the princely seat they eagerly exchange
throng— in the lives of men, that the Gentle Shaper
whichever of them can bounce in flight of humankind should take up sinless flesh
nearest to our Savior in those peaceful yards. in a woman, who knows naught
of the caress of a man, nor did the Owner of
They adore the Dear One and in dazzling Victories
light come through the seed of any man on
they call these words to him, glorifying earth—
the noble Originator of all creation: but it was a keener craft than all the earth-
“Holy you are, holy, Lord of the High- dwellers
Angels, could comprehend due to its mysterious
True Power of Victories, always you shall nature.
be holy, How he, Triumph of the Skies, High-Lord of
Lord of All Lords! Always shall your Heaven,
splendor effected help for humankind through his

10

mother’s womb. Almighty,
And so going forth, the Savior of the People became conceived through the state of
deals out every day his forgiveness as a help virginity,
to men, the Lord of Hosts. Therefore let us after he selected the safe haven within Mary,
praise him faithfully and vigorously greatest of maidens, most famous of
in our words and deeds. It is a lofty counsel womankind—
in every person that always keeps the that angels did not show themselves there,
memory, wearing brilliant raiment when that
that most often, most inwardly, and most nobleman arrived,
eagerly the boy in Bethlehem. Heralds were ready,
that they should honor God. who revealed by the cry of their voices to
the shepherds,
He shall reward them with recompense speaking of true rejoicing, that the Son of
of his love, the hallowed Savior himself, the Measurer
even in the homeland where had never was made flesh in middle-earth, in
come, Bethlehem. (440-53a)
in the delights of the land of the living,
where he shall blessedly afterwards abide, However, it does not record in books how
and inhabit to the fullness of life they revealed
without end. Amen. (416-39) themselves there in shining garb in that
perfect moment,
The Ascension (Christ as they soon did when the famous Lord, the
II) Glory-Fast Prince
assembled his body of thanes to Bethany,
Christ II (aka The Ascension) the dearest band.
They did not despise the teacher’s words on
by Cynewulf that precious day,
their Giver of Treasure. At once they made
I. themselves ready,
heroes with their lord, unto the holy city,
Seek now eagerly into the secret mysteries where
of the soul, reputable man, by the skill of the Dispenser of Glory made manifest many
your mind tokens,
and the wisdom of your heart, so that you the Helmet of Majesty, in wordful mysteries
will know before he mounted up, the Only-Begotten
the truth about how it happened—when the Son,

11

Child evenly eternal with his own Father, “Turn towards heathen people,
after forty counts of days then he arose and shatter their idols,
out of death from the earth. (453b-67) chop them down and humiliate them,
wash clean their hostility,
Then he had fulfilled, as was sung before, to sow peace
the words of the prophets throughout the in the hearts of men
world, by the power of my might.
by his sufferings. His thanes praised him, I shall abide among you,
celebrating dear-worthily the Owner of Life, as a comfort to you from here,
the Father of First-Creation. He gave them and hold for you my peace
fair rewards after that, his beloved my strength fixed as foundations
companions, in every place you go.” (485-90)
and spoke these words, the Wielder of
Angels, Then suddenly was a loud voice heard
hurrying, Mighty Lord, to his father’s upon the breeze. A throng of heavenly
realm: (468-75) angels,
a shining squadron, heralds of glory flocked
“Rejoice in your souls! crowding down. Our King departed
I shall never depart, through the temple roof where they looked,
but I shall attend you those who still remained in the trace of their
all with love always, beloved
and give to you my strength in that place of assembly, his chosen
and dwell with you thanes. (491-97)
forever and evermore,
so that there will never be They saw their Lord mount up to the
a want for God heights,
through my grace. (476-80) the God-Child from the ground. Their minds
were sad,
“Travel now throughout hot about the heart, thoughts mourning
this entire enormous earth, for they would never again be allowed
beyond the wide waves, to see their loved lord any longer under the
and reveal to the multitudes skies.
preach and pronounce The heralds hove up a song, of the kindred
your bright belief, above,
and baptize the people praising that noble one, celebrating
beneath the stars above. (481-84) the Origin of Life, rejoicing in the light

12

which illuminated the head of the Then was the Warden of Glory taken
Savior. (498-505) upwards
over the roofs, the King of the High-Angels,
They saw two all-bright angels beautifully into the clouds, the Helmet of the Holy.
agleam with adornments about that First- Joyous expectation was renewed—
Child, bliss in the cities, by the coming of that
the Glory of Kings. They called down from Child.
the heights Victory-exulting, he was seated at the right
with wrought words across the multitude of hand
men of his own Father, the Eternal Origin of
with a bright voice: “What are you waiting Blessings. (527-32)
for,
people of Galilee in a circle? You may Then they departed to go to Jerusalem
clearly heart-eager heroes, into that holy city,
see the True Lord travelling into the skies— sad-minded, from where they had just seen
the Owner of Victories will ascend upwards God rising up with their own eyes,
from here their Giver of Good. There was a ring of
to his new home, the Start of Nobility, cries—
with his company of angels, the Origin covered over by grief. Their true love
of Humanity, to the homeland of his was hot about their hearts, chests welling
Father.” (506-16) within,
breast-boxes burning. The magnificent
II. thanes
all awaited there ten more nights the
“With such a company, we wish to ferry promise
the Lord across the vaults of heaven of their Lord, as the Owner of the Skies
to the bright city with this blissful band, had commanded them himself before
the best and most noble of all the Sons of the Sovereign of All had ascended upwards
Victory, into the keeping of heaven. (533-45a)
who you all look upon here and see
glistening with adornments in comfort— They came down to the noblemen’s Giver
even though he will seek out the earth again of Blessings, the shining angels—
with an enormous army, and the he will that is well attested, as the Scriptures say—
judge that the all-bright angels came down to him
the folk’s every deed committed under the in that holy season in a great mass,
heavens.” (517-26) draining from the sky. Then the great feast
was held in glory. That behooved well

13

that his thanes entered into that bliss, Child,
covered by brightness, into the Lord’s city, after the play of war. Now you readily know
an army shining beautifully. They made who this lord is who leads forth this army,
welcome Now go forth glad-minded to meet your
to the Granter of the People’s Life friends boldly! (571-76a)
upon his lofty throne, the Wielder of
Heaven, O Gates of Heaven, open up!
the Wielder of all Adornment, The Wielder of All wishes to enter into you,
of middle-earth and the Power the king into his citadel with no small
Majestic. (545b-57) company,
the Author of Olden-Works, leading his
The Holy One has bereaved hell of its people
thralls, into the Joy of All Joys, who he seized
who succumbed to the unrighteous warfare from the devil by means of his own victory.
of years gone by. Now the overthrown, Peace shall be shared by angels and men
oppressed and made captive in living alike
torment, henceforth and forever, to the extent of life.
shall be deprived of their glory in the depths A pledge is created between men and God
of hell, together,
the devil’s champions. Nor can his opposing a ghost-holy troth—love, the hope of life,
foes and all the joys of light. (576b-85)
find success in war, in the tossing of
weapons, Hey! We have now heard how the Child of
since the King of Glory, Helmet of Heaven’s Salvation
Realm, through his coming hither has given us good
has made his battle against his olden health again,
adversaries liberating and defending his people under
with one single power—there he drew forth the skies,
most of their captives from their the famous Son of the Measurer, so that all
imprisonment of mankind
in the fiend’s city, a innumerable people— now living may now choose while they
this same crowd which you all stare upon abide here
here! (558-70) hell’s abasement or heaven’s
aggrandizement,
Now the Preserver of Souls wishes to seek the light of lights or the hateful nights,
out now, the majestic thrack or the shadows’ wrack,
the giving-throne of spirits, God’s Own with the joy of the Lord or the devil’s

14

agonized sword, our hopeful joy, when he transformed our
punishment with wrath or glory with grace misery
life or death, just as it is more precious to at his ascension, the sadness which we
him suffered before,
to perform, so long as flesh and spirit dwell and he interceded for the dwellers of
in the world. nations, the King Sole-Born,
May the glory and gracious thought of the with his own father, in the greatest of
majesty feuds. (609-18a)
of the Trinity endure without end! (586-99)
The terrible sentence he turned around
III. again,
peace for every soul, which was sung earlier
It is worthwhile that the human tribes should with an angry purpose to sorrow all
speak humanity:
thanks to the Lord for his every glory, which “I had created you upon this earth, and there
have you must dwell in constant struggle,
before and since have been performed suffering
through the mysteries of manifold might. my vengeance, and to the delight of fiends,
He has given us food and plenty of sing a song of hurrying hence and towards
possessions, that same
wealth across these wide lands and pleasant death you shall soon experience—welling
weather with worms,
under the sheltering skies. The sun and the and to that place you must be forced to seek
moon the fires of punishment, away from the
most noble of all the stars which are shining, earth.” (618b-26)
the candles of heaven, for the heroes on
earth. (600-08) Listen! This prince has made our lot easier
when he assumed the limbs and the
The dew and rain falls, waking glory for the lineaments
children of the stock of mankind! Since the Son of
of men to nourish their souls, increasing Measurer
their share wished to climb up to the homeland of
of earthly wealth. Therefore every one of us angels,
must the God of Armies, his desire came as a help
speak our thanks and praise for our Prince, for us in our humiliation in that holy
and indeed for the healing that he gave to us, season. (627-32)

15

Job recited a song about this, as he know high and holy, over the majesty of
how, heaven.” (645-53)
praising the Helmet of Men, celebrating the
Healer, They could not know then of that bird’s
and with his peaceable love conceived of a flight,
noble name who made denial of his climbing up, and did
for the Son of the Sovereign, naming him a not believe
bird, that the Origin of Life was taken up in the
which the Jews never could comprehend shape of man,
in the strength of the Godhead’s spirit. holy from the earth, across the Power
This fowl’s flight was secretive, concealed Majestic.
from his enemies on earth, who had dark He who shaped the world honored us then,
thoughts the Ghostly Son of God, and gave to us his
in their breasts and hearts of stone. grace,
They did not wish to perceive these bright eternal foundations upwards among the
tokens angels,
which the Free-Child of God performed and also sowed and established the manifold
before them, wisdom of the heart throughout the minds of
many and manifold, throughout middle- men. (654-63)
earth. (633-44)
To some he sends wise articulation into the
And so the faithful fowl tested his wings in memory
flight— of his mind through the aspiration of his
sometimes he sought the homeland of mouth,
angels, noble perception. One man can sing and tell
that famous home, proud and secure in his of all things
powers, in whom the craft of wisdom is committed
and sometimes he swooped down upon the in his soul.
earth, Some can vibrate the harpstrings with his
through the grace of his spirit seeking the fingers
world’s corners, very well and loudly before other men,
venturing into this realm. About this, the touching the mirth-wood.
prophet sang: Some can reckon aright the laws of the
“He was heaved upwards in the embrace of people of God.
angels, Some can tell of the mysterious orbit of the
in the plentitude of his great puissance, stars,
the broad creation. Some can craftily write

16

statements of words. So he worthies his workmanship.
To some he grants success in warfare in So the prophet spoke about this, saying that
their battles, the holy gems were heaved up on high,
when the spear-corps and shooters send the the bright stars of heaven, the sun and the
flickering moon.
of wrought missiles over the covering of What may those gems so splendid be but
locked shields. God himself?
Some very bravely can drive the swimming He is the sooth-fast rays of the sun, a noble
wood burning
over the salty sea, stirring the agitation of for both angels and the dwellers on the
the ocean. earth.
Some can climb the highest and steepest of Over middle-earth the moon radiates, a
trees. ghostly light,
Some can create weapons, the sword of so the church of God brightly shines through
steel. truth and righteousness united.
Some know the course of plains, the wide- So it says in the book, after the God-Child
spreading ways. ascended
So the Sovereign dispenses his many gifts to from the earth, the King of All Cleanness,
us then the church of the law-dutiful here
on earth, the God-Child. He does not wish to endured
give persecution within the power of heathen
all his wisdom of spirit to any one man, princes.
lest boasting over others should harm him Those sin-scathers heeded not the truth,
due to his unique talents. (664-85) the requirements of the soul, yet they broke
and burned
IV. the temple of God, wreaking bloodshed,
hating and slaying. (686-709a)
Thus Almighty God, the King of All
Creatures craftily Still the glory of thanes of God was realized
honors the stock of the earth with bountiful through the soul’s grace, after the mounting
gifts— up
likewise he gives the fruits to the blessed in of the Eternal Lord. Solomon sang about
heaven, this,
rearing eternal peace for angels and men the son of David, readily wise in verses,
forever. the sovereign of human nations, and spoke
these words of spiritual mystery: “It is

17

known sins.
that it shall come to pass—that the King of And the sixth leap was the Holy One’s
Angels, playing of hope,
the Measurer of such great power, shall when he ascended into the heavens into his
jump the mountains, ancient people.
leaping the tall hills, surmounting the dales Then was the thronging of angels become
and knolls blithe
with his glory, loosing the world and all with jubilant celebrations in that holy
its inhabitants, by those noble season.
springing.” (709b-19) They saw then Glory Majestic, the Origin of
Noblemen,
The first leap was when he went inside that seeking his homeland, the brilliant halls.
woman, Then the games of that Noble Son became
the virgin undefiled, and there took on a perpetual delight to the dwellers of the
mannish shape blessed city. (720-43)
without marring so that he could become a
comfort Thus here on the ground the Eternal Child of
to all earth-dwellers. The second leap was God
his birth jumps leaping across the lofty hillsides,
as a child, when he was placed in a manger, mindful over the mountains. So we humans
in the form of a baby wound up in cloth, must
majesty of all majesties. The third leap was leap our hearts in jumps through our
the rushing of the Heavenly King, when he thoughts—
climbed from power to power, aspiring to glories—
onto the Cross, the Father, the Comfort of so that we may climb up to the highest roof
Souls. with our holy works, where there is hope
The fourth leap was into his grave, when he and bliss,
gave up the notable throng of teeming servants.
that tree, fast in his earthen hall. The fifth There is a great need for us to seek our
leap salvation
was when he humiliated the heap of hell- with our hearts, where we eagerly believe
dwellers with our spirits, that the Son of Health will
in the living torment, bound the king within, rise upwards
the enemies’ intercessor, in flaming fetters, with our body-home from here, the Living
malignant, where he lies to this day fastened God. (744-55)
with chains incarcerated and sealed in his

18

Therefore we must always renounce empty him
lusts, all glory in heaven, world without
the wounds of sin, and celebrate the better end. (771b-78)
part.
We should keep the Father as our comfort, V.
almighty in the heavens. He dispatches his
heralds None of the kindred of man on earth needs
holy from the heights from there to here, dread
and they shield us against the showers of these diabolical arrows, spear-paths of the
hideous arrows, fearsome,
sent by scathers, lest the devils work our if God shields him, the Lord of Multitudes.
wounding It is near to that judgment that we must
when the crime-bearer sends forth bitter acquire
missiles our appropriate recompense just as we have
into the people of God from his braided burdened
bow. ourselves with our deeds through the course
Therefore we must always hold watch of our lives,
fixedly throughout the broad earth. Books speak to
and warily against the devil’s distant shots, us
lest the poisonous point should sink in how in principio the Humble One climbed
under the bone-locks, a bitter war-missile, up
the sudden trap of our foes— into middle-earth, the Gold-Hoard of Every
and that would be a perilous injury, a most Power,
ghastly wound. (756-71a) into the female’s fathoming embrace the
Free-Born Son
Let us shelter ourselves then, so long as we of God, holy from the heights. Indeed I
keep believe for myself
a home on this earth—let us entreat the and dread as well the more severe judgment
Father when the Prince of Angels arrives once
for peace, beg the Child of God and the again,
Blissful Spirit I who have not held close what my Savior
to shield us against the weapons of the has commanded me in his books. For this I
harmers, must
the hateful deceiving devices. He who gave look into terror, the wrack of sin, for this I
us life, shall make
limbs, body, and soul. Eternal praise be to

19

a true account—where many will be kept
conducted so long as glory was theirs on the
to the meeting before the Eternal earth. (797-814)
Deemer. (779-96)
Therefore I wish to instruct every one of my
When the keen ones (C) quake, hearing the beloved friends
King, so that he should not neglect his soul’s
the Righter of the Heavens, affirm and swear needs,
a harsh word nor affirm in his boasting that, so long as
upon those who listened only weakly to him God wishes,
in the world, he is allowed to dwell here in the world,
so long as they could have discovered their faring forth, soul united with body in its
comfort guest-house.
most easily through the blowing horn (Y) Every man must eagerly take care in the
and its urges (N). days of his life
There must be many affrighted waiting to remember that the Wielder of Powers
there, came to us
weary in that terrible place, for what he mildly in the beginning through the angel’s
wishes to allow them word.
according to their deeds, what wrathful But when he comes again, he shall be grim,
torments. dreadful,
The joy (W) in mortal adornments shall be yet righteous. The skies will be stirred
departed. and the greater part of middle-earth then will
Our (U) share of living joy was long quake.
encircled by flooding waters (L) The brilliant King shall pay them back who
and our wealth (F) on earth. Then all those have lived
trappings on earth with sluggish action, stained with
must burn in the pyre and brightly shall the sins—
swift red flame rage— afterwards they must long receive wrathful
quickly it shall race throughout the wide retribution
world. in the fire’s bath, beaten around by its
The plains will crumble, the city-steads welling. (815-31)
burst.
The torches shall be on the move, kindling Then the powerful King shall come to the
the ancient treasures without remorse, moot,
the most greedy of spirits, that men once in his greatest majesty. The loud human-
terrors

20

will be heard along with a heavenly clatter before we had sailed to land over the stormy
a wailing of mourners—carefully they will spine.
lament Then help comes to us, that haled us to
before the face of the Eternal Deemer, health in harbor,
those who trusted weakly in their works. the Spirit-Son of God, and gave to us grace
There will be revealed a greater terror so that we could recognize over the sides of
than ever was heard on the earth from its the ship
early inception. where we must moor our ocean-horses,
There will be for every one of the sin- the olden chargers of the waves, with our
workers anchors fast. (850-63)
in that quickly approaching hour something
much more dear than all this loaned Let us plant our hopes in that harborage,
creation, that the Sovereign of the Skies opened up
where he himself in that victorious crowd for us,
can be concealed when the First of the holy from the heights, when he ascended to
Armies, heaven. (864-66)
Start of Noblemen, judges them all,
both the beloved and the despised, The Final Judgment
rewards according to right, for every person. (Christ III)
There is a great need for us to ponder
eagerly I.
our soul’s beauty before that moment
of awful terror in that dying time. (832-49) And then the mighty day of the Mighty Lord
shall overmaster the earth-dwellers with fear
At this moment it is most like this: in the middle of the night, and with his
that we are sailing across the cold waters in power
ships, the radiant creation—just as a corrupt
beyond the broad sea in steeds of the deep, harmer,
ferried in flood-wood. The course of water is a bold-coming thief, who often comes in
perilous, darkness,
waves beyond measure on which we bounce in the black night, suddenly seizes those
here bound in sleep,
throughout this fragile existence, the windy sorrowless men, unready earls assailed with
waters evil.
over the deep ways. Our way of living is So upon the mountain of Sinai there will
harsh

21

come commotion
a great and powerful people, true to the of angels and devils, both the brilliant and
Measurer, the black.
bright and blissful. To them the fruits shall There will be a coming together of both
be given! (867-77) white and swart,
just as there are unlike homes made for
Then from the four corners of the earth, each,
from the utmost of the earthly realm, the angels and the devils. (889b-98)
angels all-bright shall blow trumpets
together with one voice. Middle-earth shall Then suddenly upon Sion’s peak from the
tremble, south-east
the ground below men. They shall resonate the light of the sun shall come shining from
together, the Shaper
strong and brilliant, with the course of the more brilliant that humans can perceive in
stars, their minds,
singing and reverberating in the south and blazing brightly, when the Child of God is
the north, revealed
in the east and the west, across all of here through the vaults of heaven.
creation. The wonderful form of Christ shall come,
The children of the multitude of men shall the Noble-King’s face, eastwards from the
be awakened skies,
from death, all of mankind terrified from the sweetly into the understanding of his own
olden earth, people,
into their measured fate—by this they will yet bitter to the baleful, marvelously flecked
order them with beauty
to stand up at once from their fixed to the blessed, yet different altogether to the
sleep. (878-89a) wretched. (899-909)

There one can hear the sorrowing people, He shall be glad-hearted in sight to the good:
miserable at mind, hurrying harshly, beautiful and winsome to the holy
carefully crying out over the deeds of their multitudes,
lives, fair in his rejoicing, pleasant and gracious
affrighted by fear. That shall be the greatest it will be for his beloved people to look
foretokening upon
which was ever, before or since, shown to that shining figure willingly, the sweet
men— arrival
there shall be commingled an entire of the Sovereign, the King of Powers,

22

for those who had previously pleased him for the benefit of the children of men.
well And so the moon itself, which lighted
in mind with their words and their mankind before
works. (910-17) by night, will fall out of the sky and the stars
just the same will be strewn from the skies
To the evil he shall be terrifying and grim to by the strong breezes of a battering
see, storm. (930-40)
to the sinful men who come forth
condemned by their crimes. The Almighty with his company of angels,
This can be a warning of retribution for the Measurer of Great Kings, will come to
those who the moot,
have sagacious forethought—that he dreads a Prince Fast in Majesty. There will be there
nothing at all as well
who does not become terrified at that visage, a triumphant mass of his thanes. The souls
frightened in his soul, when he witnesses of the holy
the presence of the Master of All Creation will fare with their Master, when the
faring amid mighty marvels to judge the Watchman of the People
many, with a terrible convulsion will seek out the
and on his every side a throng of heaven- tribes of the earth.
angels The voice of the heavenly trumpet will be
revolving about him, a shoal of the ever- heard
brilliant, loud across the broad earth, and from seven
armies of the hallowed, flocking in directions
squadrons. (918-29) the winds shall roar, blowing, breaking with
the loudest voice,
The depths of creation shall resound, and weakening and enervating the world with its
before the Lord storms,
the greatest of whelming flame shall flare filling the creatures of the earth with fear.
out Then will a terrible crash, loud, measureless,
across the broad earth. The heated fires shall leaden and powerful, the greatest clamor of
crash, noise,
the heavens burst—brilliant and true, the terrifying to the people, be revealed.
stars will tumble down. There the weary multitude of man-kind
Then the sun will be darkened, turned the shall turn in their masses into the wide fire,
color of blood, where the destroying flame meets the living,
which once shone brightly over the world
before

23

some will go up, some down, filled with The mountains shall be melted, and the high
burning. (941-59) cliffs as well,
which previously shielded the land firmly
Doubtlessly then the kindred of Adam will against the waves, against the flood,
be there, firm and shore-fast, a foundations against
filled with cares, lamenting, afflicted—a the tide,
people wretched the bouncing waters. Then shall every
not at all on behalf of the small things, but creature,
for the greatest beast and fowl, be taken by the deathly
and most powerful miseries instead. Then all flame,
three together the darkened fire shall be ferried across the
shall be widely seized by the whelming of a earth,
black fire, a welling warrior. As before the waters
the swart flame: the seas with their fishes, flowed,
the earth the agitated tides, at that moment in the fiery
with its mountains, and upper heaven bright bath
with its stars. the sea-fishes shall be burned—deprived of
The ravening flame with burn all three their swimming,
together at once, every weary wave-beast shall be wasted,
grimly and powerfully. All middle-earth, the water burning like wax. (972-88a)
pained so sore,
shall lament at that notorious moment. (960- There shall be more marvels than any man
71) in his mind
can imagine: how the collision and the storm
II. and the strong winds shall break this broad
creation.
So the greedy spirit shall search out the The warriors will wail, weeping, roaring
world, with weary voices,
the ravaging flame felling the tallest humbled, heart-sick, and humiliated with
buildings lamentations.
on the fields of the earth with the terror of The swarthy flame will seethe the sins of the
fire, perished,
and the widely-known blast, hot and hungry and glowing coals swallow up their
for blood, adornments of gold,
in the entire world. The city-walls shattered all of the ancient treasures of the tribal
shall tumble to the ground at once. kings.

24

There will be outcry and sorrow, a struggle will harshly dread when the family of the
for life, holy,
weeping and loud cries by the heavenly white and heaven-bright, a power of high
clatter, angels,
a miserable tumult of mortal men. are fearful for the terror of that face.
Thenceforth no one stained by their sinful His bright creation trembling shall await the
deeds Lord’s doom. (1007-21a)
shall be able to struggle to gain sanctuary,
or escape the burning fire in any land, The most terrifying of days shall come into
but that flame shall seize through whatever the world,
nation, when the Glory-King in his majesty
grimly dig up and eagerly root out the chastises
regions every nation, commanding the speech-
of the earth, both inside and out, bearing to arise
until the limbs of fire have burned up in its from their earth-graves, and every single
welling person,
all of the smirches of this worldly each one of mankind to muster at the moot.
impurity. (988b-1006) Then all of the kindred of Adam shall
quickly
Then Mighty God shall come onto the take up their flesh, which has come to the
famous mountain end
the King of the Heaven-Angels, and shine of this earthly pause and habitation.
out holy Then every one must rise up alive before the
amid the greatest host of majesty, coming of Christ,
wonderfully assume their limbs and bodily home, and
across the armies, the Sovereign God— become rejuvenated.
and the best of noble multitudes shall They shall have all upon them, which they
sparkle once weighted upon their soul
clearly about him, a holy massed infantry, in bygone days, all of the good and the folly,
a blessed battalion of angels. Within our over the course of the year—they shall hold
inmost thoughts both together,
we shall be shivering with fear before the body and soul. Everything must come into
terror of the Father. the light,
It is no wonder therefore that the unclean the face of their own deeds and the memory
family of their words
of worldly-men, sorrowing with their cares,

25

and the thoughts in their hearts before the One must consider the needs of the soul
King of Heaven. (1021b-38) before,
who intends to bring before God a clear
Then shall mankind be increased and face,
renewed when the burning, hot and greedy for blood,
through their Measurer. A mighty host of shall prove how preserved the soul has been
men against its sins before the Deemer of
shall be risen to judgment, after the Life- Victory. (1039-60)
Origin
looses the bonds of death. The breezes will Then the voice of the trumpet and the bright
scorch, symbol,
the heavenly stars will tumble to the earth, and the heated flame and the high multitude,
widely and the majesty of angels and the threat of
will the glutton flame lay waste, and souls terror,
will depart and the severe day and the high cross
into an eternal home. Open shall the deeds rightfully reared as a beacon to the realm,
of man shall summon the human hosts before him,
be made throughout middle-earth. Nor can every soul which has, early or late,
the hoard taken up limbs into its body-home.
of humans, the thoughts of their hearts Then the greatest of armies, eternal and
be concealed one whit before the Wielding ever-young,
God. shall go into the presence of the Sovereign,
Nor shall their deeds be kept secret from by desire or constraint. Called forth by
him, name,
but will be known there by the Lord they will bear their breast-hoard before the
on that greatest of days—how every man Child of God,
had before earned eternal life, and all will be the adornments of their soul. The Father will
present judge
which they, early or late, had wrought in the how many sound souls his sons have
world. brought
Nor shall be there anything concealed of the from their homeland where they have lived.
minds of men, Then they shall be bold who bring a clear
but that famous day shall reveal all the face
hoards unto their Measurer. Their power and joy
of breast-locks, and the thoughts of the shall be so blessed as a repayment to their
heart. souls

26

a glorious recompense for their deeds. It will Afterwards he will earnestly admonish
be well all of us for repayment, when that ruddy
for those who are allowed to be pleasing to cross
God blazes in the sky over all, rather than the
in that most grim of seasons. (1061-80) golden sun.
Upon that signal those seduced by sins,
III. the darkened wicked-workers, shall look
upon
There these sin-flecked men will see sorrowfully and with great fear—
themselves, they will see for themselves to their
with sorrowful spirits, the greatest of pains. suffering
It will be no favor to them who stand in the what has come forth to their best end,
presence were they willing to perceive it to their
before those strangers, of the Cross of our good.
Lord, And also the ancient scars and the open
the brightest of beacons, steaming with wound
blood, they shall witness, dreary-souled, in their
the pure gore of the Heavenly King, Lord,
looking out with the life-sweat that shines just as malice-minded men had impaled
clearly those white hands and holy feet with nails,
across this broad creation. The shadows and also caused blood to flow from his side,
shall be concealed where the radiant tree where blood and water together both
glows over the nations. Yet that will be emerged
ordained before the sight of their eyes, running out
a shame and a threat upon these sin-working in front of the warriors, when he was on the
peoples Rood. (1099b-114)
who knew not how to thank God for his
torments, All this they will be able to see for
when he was hanged on the Holy Tree themselves then,
for the wicked crimes of mankind. open and plain to perceive, that for the love
There he purchased dearly our lives, of humankind,
the Prince of Mankind, on that day of crime-workers, he suffered many things.
and by that price—he whose body-house The sons of men will be able to understand
was never stained by blameworthy crimes, clearly
and through this he ransomed us. (1081-99a) how destitute they denied him in their
thoughts,

27

taunting him with harmful words and also and many stones
spat their spittle burst apart across the earth and upon the
into his face. They spoke their scorn against ground as well,
him wasted in terror, trembling at the sound of
and also struck, the hell-hurrying men, his the voice,
blessed countenance and the broad sea revealed the power of its
with their hands, with fingers outstretched skill
and fist as well— and broke its bonds, angry, rising up from
and about his head bent a harsh and thorny the embrace of the earth,
ring, and in their shining orbit, the stars let go of
blind in their thinking, foolish and led their proper beauty.
astray. In that same moment, the clear heavens
They observed mute creation, the ever- understood him
greening earth who had loftily established the brightness
and the high-heavens, feel the sufferings of in the gems of heaven—therefore he had
the Lord sent his herald,
fearfully, and mournfully pronounce, though when the shining king born first of all
they lived not, creation. (1132b-52a)
when the harmers seized the Shaper with
sinful hands. (1115-32a) Listen as well! Guilty men have seen as a
true token,
The sun was washed out, smothered with upon the same day that he suffered, a great
sorrows— miracle,
when the folk in Jerusalem were looking up that the earth gave up those who lay within
the best her.
of good weaving that once must be looked Living again, they stood up, the ones who
upon had been swallowed
as decoration in that holy house—it burst up fast inside her, the buried dead, who kept
apart from above in their breast
and lay upon the earth in two patches. The the Lord’s commandment. Hell also
sails of that temple, understood,
wrought in wondrous hue to beautify that the wreaker of sin, that the Shaper had
house, come,
rent itself in two, as if the sharp blade of a the Wielding God, when the earth had given
dagger up that throng,
had passed through it. The glistening walls its spoils, from its fiery bosom. The hearts of

28

many Although from their innate virtues they
were blessed, and sorrows slid away from knew nothing
their souls. (1152b-63a) of spiritual understanding, even so they
knew by a miracle
Listen as well! The sea revealed who when their Sovereign journeyed from his
established it body-house. (1176b-86a)
on its broad basin, the glory-mighty king—
therefore it made itself firm to walk upon, The people did not know how to perceive,
when God wished to go across its waves. their Measurer, these mind-blinded men,
The watery streams dared not submerge the harder than flints, that the Master had saved
Lord’s feet them
in its flood. And the trees as well announced from a hell-death by his holy powers,
who the All-Wielding God. This fact, at the
had shaped them with their fruits—many of earliest,
them, forward-thinking men from the first of the
not just a few—when Mighty God mounted world,
upon through their wise perception, the prophets
one of them, where he suffered miseries of the Lord,
for the sake of the nation-dwelling, holy through their heart’s insight, have
a loathsome death as a help to humankind. spoken to men
Then many trees became bedewed with often—not just once—about that noble
bloody tears child,
beneath their bark, red and thick, their sap that the dearest gemstone must enter into the
turned to gore. (1163b-76a) world
as a shelter and comfort to all of the kindred
This fact no earth-dweller can speak through of men,
wise understanding, the Driver of Glory, the Start of Blessings,
how many things, which cannot perceive, by way of that noble queen. (1186b-98)
became aware
of the suffering of the Lord, these inanimate IV.
creations.
Those that are the most ennobled of the What are they thinking who will not
earth’s kindred, remember
and also the high-timbers of the heavens in their wits the mild teachings of the
were fearful Measurer,
because of that lone man, and seized by and all the miseries that he endured for the
fright.

29

benefit Then shall be gathered on the right hand of
of mankind, because he wished that we Christ himself
might be allowed the pure folk, chosen for their excellence,
to possess a glorious home for all eternity? those who had earlier followed his teachings
So it will be forlorn for them on that eagerly and with delight in their life-days,
forbidding day and there the stain-scathers into the worse
of mighty doom, for them who must, undone half
by their deadly crimes, before the Shaper shall be ordained,
be shown the scars of the Lord, the wounds ordering them to depart onto his left hand,
and the torments. the True-King of Victories and the multitude
In their sorry souls they will see the greatest of the sinful.
of sorrows, Judged truly there, they shall weep and
how the King himself released them from quiver
their crimes before the fear of the Lord, as foul as goats,
with his own body’s house, by the mercy of a filthy folk—they should not expect any
his mind, mercy. (1221-31)
so that they might live on liberated from
their wicked works Then shall the judgment of souls be decided
and possess the eternal fruits of glory. before God
Thanks for this homeland upon the generations of humankind, just as
they knew not to give unto the torments of they had
their Sovereign. previously merited—there will be readily
Therefore to punish them, they will see visible to the blessed
manifest markings there three tokens together, because they kept the
upon the body of God, unblissful people, Lord’s will
when Christ sits well by their words and their works.
on his majestic throne, his high seat, God of The first one manifest there is that they will
Heaven’s Powers, glisten
the Father Almighty. Unto every one of his with light before their people, splendid and
peoples shining
the shining Shaper shall inscribe each of over the houses in the city. Their earlier
them deeds will sparkle
by their deeds, according to justice, the in every one of them more brightly than the
Ruler of the Skies. (1199-1220) sun.
What’s more, the second is highly visible as
well—

30

that in glory they will know in themselves committed.
the Sovereign’s grace and see it in their eyes There, sorrowing pain will attach itself to
joyfully them,
that they may possess the clear pleasures a grievous agony on three sides.
of Heaven’s realm, blessed among the One of them is that they will see for
angels. themselves
Then the third will be: how, in the bale of too many miseries and the grim fire of hell
darkness, present and ready as torment, from which
the blessed multitude shall see the corrupted they must
suffer pain, as torment for their sins, eternally suffer damnation, struggling in
the welling flame and the attacks of worms exile.
with bitter jaws, the shoal of the The second curse upon them is when
burning. (1232-51) in their disgrace for the guilty, that ruined
people
From these three a winsome joy will grow shall endure the greatest shame. In them the
when they observe the second part suffer Lord sees
that evil not at all a few, but their every crime-bales
which they, through the Measurer’s mercy, and hateful deeds,
have been spared. as well as seeing the all-bright host of
Then they will thank God all the more heavenly angels
eagerly and the children of men, every earth-
for both the fruits and blisses that they will dweller—
see, and the terrifying devil shall be able to suss
that he saved them from the malice-killing out
and gave to them eternal pleasures. in their souls with his dark and powerful
Hell will be locked off for them, and skill,
heaven’s kingdom right through their body-homes, their every
granted them. So must it be exchanged wicked blemish
between them— and their disgraceful faults. Their sinning
those who previously kept well the Lord’s flesh
will through heart-love. (1253-61) shall be transfixed shamefully just like the
shining glass,
Then his will shall be recognized as so that one can scanned entirely with ease.
different for those others. Then that third sorrow for the needful, the
They shall be able see too many woes for crying care,
themselves— will be that they may observe in the pure
sins enough, the terrible hardships once

31

how they exult gladly on account of their into their soul,
good deeds, whether someone is speaking the truth or a
which they, miserable, once disdained to lie upon himself,
perform when he abases his sins then—even though
as their days lasted, and weeping sorely for someone
their deeds, may be healed of every fault, every unclean
that they had freely committed unrighteous evil
acts before. (1262-90) if he tells it to one person—but no one can
conceal it
Then they will see the better ones richly on that stern day, the stain unabated, where
glow— the host will see it. (1291-1311)
their miseries will not only be a torment to
them, Alas! There can we now see these wrathful
but the bliss of others will be to their sorrow, crimes
because they abandoned such fair joys in the in our souls, the wounds of sin, and in the
days of old eyes
and such singular ones, through the of our body-houses, the diseased
frivolous delights of the body, ponderings,
and the empty lusts of their vile flesh- these unclean thoughts! No one can speak to
homes. another
Ashamed there and shamefully afflicted, how with great vigor anyone would strive
they will stagger about drunkenly, bearing after
their sinful burden, life and spirit by every art fearfully, to
their criminal works where the people will endure longer,
see it. to cleanse the smut of sin and castigate
It would have been better for them at that himself,
point and heal the wound of that prior fault,
that they blushed in shame earlier for their within that brief space that there is in life
baleful deeds, here,
every unrighteous act and vile works before so that he can, before the eyes of earth-
any one man dwellers,
and spoken before God’s messengers that unashamed, brook his abode among mortal
they knew men,
to their regret of the sin-deeds upon their free from corruption, so long as body and
shoulders. soul
The shriver may not see through the flesh

32

are allowed to dwell together, two as before the ages,
one. (1312-26) the riches among blisses, the brilliant beauty
of this homeland,
V. when you would be allowed to witness that
life-weal
Now must we eagerly and wisely penetrate among those most dear to you, and your
with our heart-sight the faults within our own skyward delights.
breast-coffers. You have earned them when you graciously
We cannot with those other eyes, the head- took in
gems, wretched men, those destitute in the world,
peer into the soul of our inner thoughts by with a mild soul.
any means, When they in my name begged you,
whether evil or good abodes therein, so that humble-minded,
it may please for favor for themselves, then you helped
God in that grim hour, when he over his them
every host and gave them shelter, bread to hungering,
shines in splendor from his high-throne with and clothes to the naked,
the purest flame. (1327-35) and those who lay sick in soreness, abased
unsoftly,
There, before his angels and before these bound up in disease, you faithfully
strangers, supported their hearts
he will speak first to the most blessed of all, with your mind’s love. You did all these
and bid them peace lovingly, heaven’s high- things unto me
king. when you sought them with peace, and
With a holy voice he will comfort them strengthened
fairly their spirits with comfort. Because of this
and command his protection over them, you shall
bidding them to venture forth, sound and enjoy fairly your rewards long and fairly
sign-blessed, with my dear ones.” (1344-61)
into the homeland of angels’ pleasures,
and enjoy it delightfully to the width of their Then he begins to speak unto the evil, unlike
life. (1336-43) in words,
who will be there upon his left hand,
“Take up now with friends the realm of my through a terrible threat,
father— the All-Wielding God. They need not expect
that was joyfully made ready for you since the mercy

33

of the Measurer at that time, neither life nor of the woe or the shadow that you must
leniency, suffer—
but there will come their recompense to and you understand no gratitude for these
humankind things. (1376b-85)
according to the results of their words and
deeds, “When I had shaped you to be so lovely and
the speech-bearing—they must suffer alone made you
his righteous doom in the fullness of his so pleasant, and gave to you the prosperity
terror. so that you might command the creatures of
There the mighty mercy of the Almighty the world,
shall be separated from the nation-dwellers when that I established you upon the fair
on that day, earth
when he charges that fretted folk with their in order to enjoy Paradise-plain, its radiant
crimes fruiting riches,
with hateful words, ordering them to reveal blazing with blooms, then you wished not to
right now follow
the rectitude of their life that he granted the living word, but you broke my
to them before, the sinning for their commandments
happiness. (1362-76a) at the word of your slayer. You heeded
further
He himself shall begin to speak, the Master that criminal fiend, that scathing scather,
Almighty, than to your Shaper. (1386-95)
as if he were speaking to just one, and yet he
intends them all, “Now I shall omit from that olden narrative
these crime-sinning people: “Listen! I first how you first conceived of evil and by
wrought you wicked works
with my own hands and gave you relinquished what I given you to your
understanding. advantage.
From clay I set down your limbs, and gave When I had granted you so many good
you a living spirit, things
honoring you above all creation, giving you and it seemed in your heart too few
a face and figure blessings
like to myself. I gave you as well plenty of in all these things, if you were not allowed
might, to have
weal over all the wide lands, though you plenty of power, even as much as God—
knew no part then you were thrown out far away from that
joy,

34

to the delight of devils, now an alien. (1396- child-young in my crib. By this I meant to
1404) distance you from death,
the bale of hot hell, so that you would be
“The beauty of Paradise-plain you had to allowed to shine holy
renounce and blessed in this eternal life, because I
by force, sad-minded the homeland of the suffered this hardship.” (1414-27)
spirit,
gloomy and miserable, separated from every VI.
joy and glory,
and then you were driven out into the dark “It was not for pride, but I endured in my
world, youth
where afterwards you have suffered mighty misery and merciless body-pain, so that
toil through it
a great while, a painful and protracted I would be more like you, and you could
struggle become
and dark death, and after your hence-going, more like my image, separated from evil.
you must collapse humiliated into hell, And for the love of humankind my head
without helpers. (1405-13) suffered
harmful blows, my cheek and face often
“Then I rued that my handiwork should pass endured
into the power of demons, and the stock of the spit spat from the mouths of pitiless
mankind wicked-doers.
see a wicked killing, should try out the Likewise they blended together for me
unknown earth, a bitter drink, unsweet, of vinegar and gall.
a painful journey. Then I came down Then before the people I received the malice
myself, of my foes,
a son into its mother, though her they persecuted me with sins, they recked
maidenhead not of their feud,
stayed entirely whole. I alone was born and they beat me with scourges. All that
as a comfort to the people. I was wound by pain I suffered for you
human hands, with a humble mind, the scorn and the sharp
covered up with poor clothing, and laid words.
down in darkness, Then they ringed my head about with a hard,
wound in dun swaddling. Listen! I endured sharp wreath,
this for the world’s sake! cruelly they crammed it on—it was wrought
I seemed insignificant to the sons of men,
lying on the hard stones,

35

of thorns. brightly in the heavens, mighty among the
Then I was hanged upon a lofty tree, fixed angels. (1454-68)
upon the rood.
Next they poured out blood from my side “For what reason did you abandon that
with a sharpened spear, shining life
gore upon the ground, so that you may be that I bargained for faithfully and lovingly
delivered with my own body,
from the constraining power of the devil. downcast as a help to you? Why did you
Then I, without sin, suffered torment and become
evil affliction, so bereft of sense that you knew no
until alone I gave up my living soul from my thankfulness
body-home. (1428-53) to the Wielder for your redemption?
I shall ask nothing for my bitter death
“Now see these mortal wounds that you which I suffered for you, but repay me your
inflicted before life,
into my hands and my feet just the same, because I once gave you mine in ransom
through them through brutal torment. I remand your life
I hung, severely fastened—you can see here, which you have criminally killed off
manifest to this day, with wicked deeds, much to your own
in my side this bloody wound. How there shame. (1469-79)
was
an uneven account made between us there! “For what reason did you besmirch
I took on your agony so that you would be uncleanly
allowed with wicked lusts and foul sins that
to enjoy my native realm, blessed and tabernacle,
prosperous. that beloved house that I hallowed inside
And in my death I dearly purchased you you as my joy?
enduring life Why did you sully with shame by sin-
so that you would be allowed to abide working
afterwards, the body-home which I released for myself
free from blemish, and beautiful in that from the embrace of enemies, and forbad it
light. crime?
My flesh-home lay, engraved into the earth, For what reason do you hang me more
hidden down below in burial, that which heavily
never harmed a soul, with your hands upon the cross than you
so that you would be able to exist upwards, once hanged me?

36

Listen! This seems more severe to sweet word
me! (1480-88) did you speak to them in comfort, so that
they might
“Now it is more grievous to me, the cross of take up a state of mind more free. All those
your sins, things you did to me,
which I am unwillingly affixed upon, than as an injury to the Heaven-King. For that
the other was you must suffer
which I once ascended, of my own desire— severely torment forever, enduring an exile
when your woe most forpined me at heart, among devils.” (1499-1514)
then I tugged you out from hell, provided
that Then over all those there, a terrifying
you would afterwards keep yourself out— sentence
I was a beggar in this world so that you filled with pain, the Warden of Victories
would have plenty in heaven. himself,
I was miserable in your homeland so that will pronounce forth over that fated folk,
you would be blessed in mine. saying unto that horde of sinful souls:
For these things you knew not any thanks in “Begone now, accursed, shorn by your will
your heart to your Savior. (1489-98) from the pleasures of angels, into the eternal
fire
“I entrusted you to cheer my brothers well that was made ready for Satan and his
in this worldly realm with the plenty that I siblings,
gave for the Devil and his dark school, hot and
to you on this earth, to help the destitute. fearsome.
You have followed that feebly, forbidding In that terrible place you must
the needy from being allowed to come tumble!” (1515-23)
inside
under your roof, and you drew away every They will not be able to ignore the command
bit of the Heaven-King then, deprived of their
through the hardness of your heart, of powers.
garment They must fall quickly into the grim ground,
from the naked, or food from the meatless. those who struggled before against God.
Although in my name they begged for water, The guard of the realm will be savage then
for themselves, weary and poor in health, and mighty,
tormented for a drink, without means, wrathful and terrifying. Nor can any enemy
eaten up with thirst, you boldly withdrew it abide, present on these earthly ways. (1524-
from them. 29)
You did not seek out the suffering, or one

37

VII. We can appreciate this and pronounce at
once
He shall swing the victory-blade with his speaking the truth, that he has lost the
right hand Warden of Souls,
so that into the deep dale the devils shall fall the Wisdom of Life, he who cares not now
into the darksome flame, a host of the sinful whether
under the lap of the earth, the fated ghasts his soul be wretched or blessed, where he
into that stead of the wrathful, a shoal of the must
stained, eternally be home-fixed after its hence-
the ruin of the accursed in that house of going.
suffering, Nor is he anxious about committing a sin,
the death-hall of demons. None of them will this fool-headed man, nor does he have any
seek regret at all
the Lord’s memory afterwards, nor will they in his heart that the Holy Spirit is lost to him
break through his crimes in this loaned
from their sin where they are stained with time. (1549-58)
crimes,
bound up in flame, enduring death. The Then the evil-doer will stand, fearful before
penalty for sin the Lord,
shall be manifestly present—that is an darkened at his doom, and guilty to death,
eternal death. (1530-40) cursed for his stains—the pledge-breaker
will be filled with fire. Unworthy of life,
Nor can the hot portion burn away the sins menaced with terror, in the presence of God
from the kindred of the damned in eternity, pale and without beauty, he has the hue of
to the width of life, the stain from their souls the damned,
but there the deep, bottomless pit shall be the living symbol of evil. Then the children
fed of crimes
and fostered by the dreary spirits in the will shed their tears and cry out for their
shadows, sins—
and it will kindle them with an olden flame, when the time for that is no more—
and with the terrible frost, yet they do their spirits aid too late,
and with angry worms and with torments after the Wielder of Multitudes no longer
innumerable, wishes to be concerned how these sin-
and with fearsome deadly jaws, it shall scathers
destroy these people. (1541-48) grieve sorely their formerly treasured
possessions

38

in that patent hour. That hour of suffering Then heaven and hell will be filled
is not granted to those people so that they with the children of men, the souls of
might humankind.
locate their leechdom there, who does not The bottom shall swallow up the enemies of
wish God,
to obtain the cure for their health now the flickering flame shall torment hate-
so long as they are living here. (1559-74) minded men,
the greatest scathers, and will never let them
There will be no sorrow shown there by any go from there into joy as a soul-saving,
good man, yet the burning shall bind them into a fixed
in no evil man well-being, but everyone mob,
present there torturing the children of crime. Wicked it
will be weighed according to their singular seems to me
desert. that these soul-bearing men did not wish to
Therefore he must hurry, who wishes to own care for
life before the Lord, while light and soul in their hearts, when they performed evil
are seen together in him. Let him attend acts,
eagerly what the Sovereign had established as an
to the appearance of his soul in the desire of punishment
God, for that hateful people. Then life and death
and be aware of his words and deeds, shall swill down souls. (1591-1603a)
practices and thoughts, so long as thus
world, The house of torturing shall be opened and
hurrying through the shadows, is allowed to revealed
shine for him, against the oath-breakers; crime-eager men
so that he does not lose it in this loaned must fill it
time, with their swart souls. Then as punishment
his joyous profit and the count of his days, for sins,
and the beauty of his works and the reward the school of the guilty shall become
of glory separated,
that the Heaven-King in that holy hour, the humiliated from the holy, in that harmful
truth-fast, will grant as the recompense of inferno.
victory There thieves and mighty offenders, liars
to those who have assiduously obeyed him and rapists
in their souls. (1575-90) must never expect life, and ill-swearers shall
observe

39

the deserts of their crime, harsh and deadly that
fierce. despised the majesty of the Heavenly
Then hell shall pluck the pledge-less pack Realm. (1626b-33)
the Wielder shall grant them guilty to the
fiends— Then the chosen will bear before Christ their
they shall suffer a deadly bale, stained and bright treasures.
terrifying. (1603b-15a) Their glory will endure at Doomsday,
keeping their joy
He will be wretched who wishes to commit of a mild life with God, which will be
crimes. permitted
so that the guilty man must be separated to all of the holy in the realm of heaven.
from his Shaper That is the homeland that will never be
at the Day of Judgment, downwards into completed,
death, but there the sinless will ever from now
under the kindred of hell in that hot fire, ward over the happiness, loving the Lord,
within a prison of flame, the Beloved Warden of Life, wound up in
where they will stretch out their limbs for light,
the binding wrapped up in peace, parted from sorrows,
and the burning and the scourging in magnified in pleasures, made dear to the
torment for their sins. Lord.
Then the Holy Spirit with lock down hell, Forever and always they will brook with
the greatest bliss
murder-house through the might of God, the camaraderie of the angels, bright with
filled with fire and an army of demons at the mildness,
word of the King. (1615b-26a) and love the Guardian of the People. The
Father
That will be the greatest killing for devils will hold power over all and maintain the
and men! multitude of the holy. (1634-48)
That is a joyless house, where none can ever
loose Where there is the singing of angels, bliss of
their cold chains. They broke the commands the blessed—
of the King, there is the precious countenance of the
the bright words of Scripture—therefore Lord, lighter
they must abide than the sun to every one of the overjoyed.
in everlasting night, a sorrow without end, There is the love of beloved, and life
stained without death’s end,
by criminal deeds, suffering forever, those a happy multitude of humans, youth without

40

age, when she gives up this earthly joy
the majesty of the heavenly host, health and forsakes these loaned pleasures—
without pain, when she is parted from her body. (2b–3)
for the right-performing, rest without
struggle, Then the angel speaks—
for the doom-blessed, day without darkness, keeping the elder order—
brightness full of splendor, bliss without one spirit greets the other
sorrow, and announces God’s embassy: (4-5)
peace between friends from now on without
envy, “Now you may venture to where
for the blessed in the skies, love without you have striven for a long time,
malice again and again. I shall lead you myself—
in the company of the holy. There will be (6-7)
neither
hunger nor thirst, neither sleep nor dull bed, “for you the ways will be pleasant
nor the burning of the sun, neither chill nor and revealed is the splendorous light of
care, glory.
but instead there the company of the blessed You are now a fated farer
will always on your way to the holy home.” (8-10a)
enjoy the grace of the King, the most
shining hosts There regret will never come,
the glory amid the Lord. (1649-64) for its miseries, a seeking beyond the
hedge—
[End] instead there will be an ecstasy of angels,
(10b-11)

The Life of St. Guthlac peace and beatitude, and the couch of souls
of Crowland (Guthlac where they may always rejoice to their
A) furthest moment,
rejoicing with their Lord, those who have
Prologue performed his judgments here on earth. (12-
15a)

There shall be the fairest of joys God will keep perpetual recompense
for them in the heavens, where the Loftiest
when they meet at the beginning, of All,
an angel and a blessed soul— (1-2a) the King of Kings, governs the cities. (15b-

41

17) of the opportunity of auspicious seasons
and his spirit can venture forth, desiring the
Those are buildings that do not decay, way. (30-37a)
nor will life fail through wretchedness
for those that abide therein— (18-20a) The world is writhing — love for Christ
cools,
rather it will become better and many temptations have mounted
for them the longer it goes on. throughout middle-earth,
They will enjoy youth and the mercies of just as in former years God’s prophets have
God. (20b-21) warned wordfully
and through their divination declared the
To that place the souls of the soothfast sum
may come after death, those who teach just as it is happening now. All earthly
and perform Christ’s law here, and uprear abundance elders
his praise. (22-24) and from their beauty fruiting things fade—
in such tardy seasons all seeds become
They subdue those accursed spirits weaker in virtue. (37b-46a)
and obtain for them the repose of glory—
humanity’s heart must climb into here, Therefore a man needs not think much upon
before or after— (25-27a) this world
for improvement — that God will bring us a
when he attends his solitary and sublime delight
spirit, more fair over these evils that we now
so that these good souls will be allowed, endure,
clean of blot, to come into God’s wielding. before the ending of all creation, which he
(27b-29) established in six days,
when he brings forth now these orders under
I. the heavens,
both great and small. (46b-53a)
There are, throughout middle-earth,
many orders of men beneath the heavens, So this middle-earth is shared out into
those who rise up in the reckoning of the halves.
holy. The Lord watches where they dwell who
We can rightfully heed any one of them, keep his law—
if we wish to hold the holy commandments. he sees his judgments decline every day and
The wise man now can take advantage stray
from the worldly rule that he pronounced by

42

his own word. possessions.
He finds many, but few will be They show love by exchanging with those
selected. (53b-59) who own less.
Daily they serve the Lord, and daily the
Some yearn to garb themselves in the glory Lord observes their deeds. (70b-80)
of their estate
by just gabbing, but do not practice the Some dwell in desert places. They willingly
program. seek out and occupy homes
For them earth-weal over the Life Eternal is in the shadows. They await their dwelling
their highest hoping, among heaven’s kind.
that which is eventually estranged from all Often one drives loathsome terror down
earth-dwellers. upon them,
Therefore they now slander the heart of he who would snatch away life. Sometimes
saints, he reveals
those who have confirmed their thought in terrifying thoughts to them, sometimes idle
the heavens, glories.
knowing that their true homeland will The killer, wise in woven lies, has both
endure skills
perpetually for the multitudes who and persecutes the sole-dweller. (81-88a)
throughout middle-earth
serve the Lord and through their good works Before these men stand angels, armed with
pine for that precious home. (60-70a) ghostly weapons;
they are mindful of their well-being
So these mortal treasures will be meddled and keep the spirits of saints, who know
for a good their joy
more renowned when they hanker for it, is with the Lord. These are battle-tested
those for whom the fear of God bends over champions
their heads. who serve the King, that one who never
They will be rebuked by that highest refuses recompense
majesty for those that endure in his love. (88b-92)
and they will profit in their lives by his
commandments— We can now relate what was recently
and they ever wish and hope for the better revealed to us
one hereafter. by a holy order, how Guthlac stretched out
They invest in glory— they give alms and his heart
comfort the wretched. to the delight of God, rejected all
They are generous with their rightful wickedness

43

and earthly honors, mindful of the enduing good
upwards— in the heavens, where the souls of the holy
his home in the heavens. (93-98a) recline
in victor’s glory upon the joys of the Lord,
Guthlac’s hope was upon that place, after he who frankly doles out reward for their deeds
enkindled him, to those who would give thanks for his gifts
he who paves the life’s way for souls, and and who
gave to him would utterly give up the world than lose
angelic gifts, so that he alone began to that eternal life. (119-26)
inhabit
a mountain-home, and through humble mind The other incited him to seek by night
gave away all his proper possessions, the covens of reavers and struggle over
which his youth must have applied to the mortal goods by acts of malice—as do
joys of this world. exiled warriors
A holy warden from the heavens held him who mourn not for men’s souls who bring
close, plunder to their hands,
who eagerly fortified his flawless heart with save that they may have spoil by them. (127-
goodness of spirit. (98b-107) 32)

Okay, we have often heard that this holy And so they exhorted Guthlac on either side
man until the Lord of Hosts reckoned the
in his earliest age enjoyed many hazards. struggle’s end
The time yet came for the judgment of God, in the angel’s favor. The enemy was routed.
when he gave an angel unto Guthlac’s Afterwards the Comforting Spirit was
understanding enshrined
so that his thirst for sinning could be within Guthlac for his help, holding him
assuaged. dear
The time was at hand — and two guardians and instructing him even more eagerly the
kept watch over him, longer
they battled over him—an angel of the Lord the lesson went on—so that he came to
and a fearsome specter. cherish
Their counsels could be not any less alike, the land’s joys, his home within the hill.
which they bore on many sorties into his (133-40a)
heart’s reason. (108-18)
Often there came terror, frightful and
One of them said that all things of earth uncouth,
were fleeting in the wind and praised the the malice of olden foes, all so cunning in

44

artifice. days,
They revealed their own faces to Guthlac. likewise from the vain delights of the eyes
They had held many seats there previously, and proud apparel.
but had since withdrawn themselves, His fear of God was greater in his thoughts
deprived of glory, than his desire to devote himself to
thence into wide wandering, flapping on the satisfaction in mortal glory. (159b-69)
breeze. (133-46a)

That plot of land had been concealed from II.
the eyes of men
until the Creator revealed a barrow within Guthlac was a good man. He bore in his soul
the woods, heavenly expectation that he would attain
when the builder arrived and reared there a the salvation
holy home. of eternal life. An angel, a faithful peace-
Guthlac cared nothing for life-wealth loaned guard,
through covetousness, was near him, one of a very few that dwelt
but the land pleasantly protected his goods in that march-land.
after that champion of Christ subdued the There he became an example to many in
enemy. Britain,
There he was tried within the time of after that warrior, blessed and battle-stern,
remembering men, went down into the barrow. He readied
who yet worthy him for his ghostly wonders himself
and hold dear with spiritual weapons and spiritual armor.
the report of his wisdom, which that holy He blessed the plain, which had just been
servant exercised recently raised
with strength, when he rested alone in that for him as a war-camp by the Rood of
secret place. (146b-59a) Christ,
where that champion had conquered many
There he unfolded and uplifted the praise of perils
the Lord. and many of God’s martyrs were made
Often by speech he declared God’s embassy bold. (170-182a)
to those who adored the martyrs’ custom,
the sagacity of life which the spirit had We thus ascribe to the Lord the precious
revealed to him, portions
so that he denied his body-house all things of Guthlac. He gave him victory and prudent
of pleasure craft,
and worldly bliss, a softer seat and banquet-

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his mighty protecting hand, when enemy himself,
multitudes had wreaked the most misery upon them,
roused their feud against him with far-flung since he, overweening in the wastes,
arrows. had broken the barrows where they,
They could not abandon their enmity, wretched enemies,
but drove many temptations at Guthlac’s were once able to brook an abode after their
soul. (182b-89a) torments,
when they had come to rest, weary from
Assistance was near him—the angel wanderings,
strengthened him from the currents of time and rejoice in the
with courage when they whipped up wrath repose
and the horrible welling of fire at him. that was permitted them for some little
They stood about him in infantry bands, while. (200-14)
saying that he must burn within that barrow
and the flame would swallow up his body- That secret space stood high in the thoughts
house— of the Lord—though abandoned and man-
that misery and mind-trouble would devoid,
consume all his kin, far from any land-claims, it waited for the
if he would not turn away from the fight’s charter
flash-point of a better guardian for whom the elder-foes
and apply himself to human joys, harbored a hatred, and so they suffer
perform willingly and better his familial perpetual sorrow.
duty These devils may not relish an abode on
among man-kind, allowing this conflict to earth,
still. (189b-99) nor will the breeze slumber them into the
limb’s repose.
And so he raged, that one who spoke for all Rather they will suffer shelterless of home,
the multitude of fiends—and not a bit more calling out cares,
fearful longing for death, desiring the Lord manifest
was Guthlac’s soul. God had given him for them,
courage through the pangs of mortality, an end to
against the terror so that the shoal of these their tribulations. (215-25)
evil elder foes
suffered shame. These wrong-workers were The demons were neither allowed to harm
filled with agony. Guthlac’s soul,
They said that Guthlac alone, save God nor separate soul from body with a painful
blow—

46

but they heaved up harm-songs with cunning of sacred soul-mysteries indwells and
falsehoods, increases within me,
cast aside their laughter and sighed their and they bolster me up like a staff. I shall
sorrow, build myself,
when a greater guardian overcame them on readily and alone, a house here and couch
the plain. there.
Mourning the wrack-kin had to abandon The precepts within me belong to the
their green mounds. heavens:
Nevertheless the deniers of God spoke It seems not a little unlikely that an angel
vicious verses, will conduct
fiercely promising that Guthlac should unto me the spectacular success of all my
suffer deeds and words. (243b-54)
the division of death if he endured their
more “Now begone, accursed ones and weary-
loathsome moot any longer, when they minded,
would return from this ground here where you stand! Fly
with a greater crew that felt little anxiety for into the far-way!
his life. (226-38) I desire to seek peace for myself with God,
nor shall my spirit endure error among you
Guthlac marshaled words against them, all.
saying Instead the Hand of God acts as my guardian
that they needed not to boast of their deeds with its might.
against the Lord’s might. “Though you have Here shall be my earthly homeland—
promised me It is no longer yours in any wise.” (255-61)
death, the Lord that dominates over your
hardships, III.
will preserve me from your hates. There is
but one Almighty God— At that moment arose a clamor.
he can shield me easily and cherishes my The exiled family surrounded the barrow in
life. (239-43a) a band,
their speech climbing up, an anxious shout.
“I wish to speak many truths to you. Many demon advocates called out, vaunting
Alone I can oppress you all—while on my their crimes:
rump— “Often we have observed between the two
without much hardship. I am not so destitute seas
as I stand before you, the habits of humans, the prideful force of
lacking a host of men but no small portion

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