Then Constantine, bulwark of heroes and giver
of gifts, battle-prince of armies and glorious king, 100
bade fashion with greatest haste a token like unto
that sign he had seen, which had been disclosed
before him in the heavens, the cross of Christ.
And at dawn, with the first gleam of day, he bade 105
rouse the warriors and make ready for the stress of
fight, lift up the emblem of battle, take the holy
tree before them, and bear the sign of God into
the press of their foes.
The trumpets rang loud at the army's front. 110
The raven rejoiced at the move; the dewy-feathered
eagle scanned the march, the strife of battle-heated
men; and the wolf, fellow of the forest, raised his
song. Rife was the dread terror of battle.
Then there was the clash of shields and the shock
of men, the bitter hand-to-hand struggle and the 115
slaughter of hosts, when once they had passed within
an arrow's flight. On the fated folk dire enemies
hurled a shower of darts, and with might of arm
sent their spears, biting battle-adders, over the yellow
shields into the midst of their foes. But with 120
courage undaunted the other host advanced; from
time to time they surged forward, broke the rampart
of shields, thrust their swords between, and
sternly kept their way.
Then was the standard, the token, raised before
the armies, and they chanted the victors' song.
Over the field of battle gleamed spears and helmets 125
of gold. The pagan host was conquered; in
merciless strife they fell. As the king of the Romans,
dauntless in battle, bade raise that holy tree,
the peoples of the Huns straight fled away, and
their warriors were scattered far and wide. Some 130
perished in the fight, some saved themselves hardly
on the march, some, with life half-ebbed, fled to
fastnesses and nursed their strength behind barren
rocks, some seized the land near the Danube, and 135
some were finally drowned in the river's current.
Then was the army of valiant heroes rejoiced, and
from break of day until eve they followed hard
upon the foreign foe, while the spears flew, biting 140
battle-adders. The horde of hated shield-bearers
was lessened; but few of the army of Huns returned
thence home again.
Then was manifest from that day's deed that
the King Almighty gave unto Constantine victory, 145
glorious honor, and a realm beneath the heavens,
through his holy rood. And he, renowned in battle,
a bulwark of armies, returned thence home
again when the war was decided, exulting in his
spoil. Famed in the fight, a defense for heroes, the 150
king came with a throng of thanes to visit his
cities and stud his shield with jewels.