IX.

When she that heard, who men there ordered, The man's behavior, she quickly commanded 710 That him from confinement and out of his dungeon, From the narrow abode, they shóuld release. They hastily thát did soon perform And him with honor then led they up From out of the prison as them the queen bade. 715 Stepped they then to the place, the firm-in-mind, Upon the hill on which the Lord Before was hanged, heaven-kingdom's Ward, God's child, on the cross, and yet knew he not well, Weakened by hunger, where the holy rood 720 Through cunning of foe[1] enclosed in earth, 721-2 Long firm in its bed concealed from men, Remained in its grave. Now raised he his voice, Unmindful[2] of might, and in Hebrew he spake: 725 "Saviour Lord, thou hast power of rule, And thou didst create through the might of thy glory Heaven and earth and the boisterous sea, The ocean's wide bosom, all creatures alike, And thou didst measure with thine own hands 730 All the globe of the earth and the heaven above, And thou thyself sittest, Wielder of victories, Above the noblest order of angels, That fly through the air encircled with light, Great might of glory. There mankind may not 735 From the paths of earth ascend on high In bodily form with thát bright host, Heralds of glory. These wroughtest thou, And for thíne own service thém didst thou set, Holy and heavenly. Of these in the choir 740 In joy eternal six are named, Who are surrounded with six wings apiece, [With them are] adorned, [and] fair they shine. Of these are four who ever in flight The service of glory attend upon 745 Before the face of the Judge eternal, Continually sing in glory the praise, With clearest voices, of the King of heaven, Most beauteous of songs, and say these words With voices pure (their name Cherubím): 750 'Holy is the holy God of archangels, Ruler of hosts. Full of his glory Are heaven and earth and all the high powers With glory distinguished,' There are two among these, Victor-race in heaven, who Seraphím 755 By name are called. They sháll Paradise And the tree of life with flaming sword Holy maintain. The hard-edged trembles, The etched brand wavers, and changes its form, Firm in their grips. Thát,[3] O Lord God, 760 Ever thou wieldest, and thou the sinful, Guilt-working foes out of the heavens, The foolish, didst cast. The accursèd host then Under dwellings of darkness was forced to fall To perdition of hell. There now in the welling 765 Endure they death-pain in the dragon's embrace, Enclosed in darkness. [Thee] he resisted, Thy princely rule; therefore in misery, Full[4] of all foulness, he guilty shall suffer, Slavery endure. There may he not 770 Thy word reject: he is fast in torments, The author of sin, in misery bound. If thy will it be, Ruler of angels, That he may reign who was on the rood, And who through Mary upon the mid-earth 775 Incarnate became in form of a child, Prince of the angels (if hé had not been Thy Son free from sin, never so many True wonders in world would hé have wrought In number of days. Thou wouldst not from death 780 So gloriously him, Ruler of nations, Have awaked 'fore the hosts, if hé in glory Through the bright [maid] were not thy Son),-- Now, Father of angels, send forth thy sign. As thou didst hear the holy man, 785 Moses, in prayer, when thou, God of might, Didst show to the earl at the noble time Under the hill-slope the bones of Joseph, So, Ruler of hosts, if it be thy will, Through that bright form I'll pray to thee 790 That to me the gold-hoard, Maker of spirits, Thou wilt reveal, that has been from men [So] long concealed. Let, Author of life, Now from this plain a winsome smoke 'Neath heaven's expanse mount up on high 795 Playing in the air. I'll the better believe, And I'll the more firmly stablish my mind, Undoubting trust, upon the hanged Christ, That hé be in truth the Saviour of souls, Eternal, Almighty, Israel's King, 800 Forever may have glory in heaven, Rule without end the dwellings eternal."

[1] No _lacuna_ in MS. Gn.^1 inserted one line, but Gn.^2 one word (_fêonda_), which W. prefers. Text as Z. (_fêondes_), which Sievers approves.

[2] 'Mindful,' Gm. and Gn.; 'suffering,' Z. [?].

[3] Referring to the sword.

[4] Gn., or 'foul,' Z.