Then were they in the fear of death, of the
funeral-pyre, and the end of life; and there they 585
thrust forth one of exceeding wisdom in the lore
of old, whose name was Judas, sprung from noble
lineage; and they gave him up unto the queen,
and called him a man of wondrous learning: 'He
can show forth to thee the truth, unlock the secret
of the fates, expound the just law from the beginning 590
even to the end, according as thou dost ask
him. He is of noble race in the world, wise in
speech, the son of a prophet, outspoken in council.
And it is his nature to have sage answers and wisdom
of soul. He shall show forth to thee before 595
the multitude with his great power the gift of wisdom,
even as thy heart desireth.'
Then she let each man seek his own home in peace,
and took Judas alone as hostage. And she earnestly 600
bade him tell the truth concerning the cross,
which had been long buried in a secret place. Then
Elene, the glorious queen, drew him aside by himself,
and thus spake to the lonely man:--'Two ways 650
are ready for thee, either life or death, whichsoever
thou shalt please to choose. Declare quickly
now which one thou wilt accept.'
And Judas made answer unto her--nor could he
rid himself of sorrow and turn away the wrath of
his ruler, but he was in the power of the queen--: 610
'How shall it be with him who treadeth the moor
in a desert, weary, without food, and tortured
with hunger, if before his eyes a loaf and a stone
together seem hard and soft, and he knoweth them
not apart, but taketh the stone to ward off his 615
hunger, and marketh not the loaf, turneth to want
and forsaketh the food, refuseth the better when
he hath the choice of both?'
Then openly before the people the blessed Elene
gave him answer:--'If thou wouldst have thy life 620
in the world and a home with the angels in the
kingdom of heaven, the reward of victory in the
sky, tell me straightway where the holy rood of
the King of glory lieth under the earth, which ye 625
have hid now for a while from men because of the
unrighteous murder.'
Judas answered, and his heart was heavy within
him; there was grief in his soul, and woe either
way, whether thus he forsook the joy of the 630
heavenly realm and this present kingdom beneath
the skies, or disclosed the rood:--'How can I
reveal that which came to pass so long ago in the
course of years? Two hundred or more in number
are now vanished away--I know not the sum of 635
them, and I cannot declare the event. Many of
wisdom, of virtue, and of learning, who were before
our time, are told among the dead. In days long
after was I born, and in my childhood, and in my
youth. I may not discover in my heart that which 640
I know not, and which came to pass so long ago.'
Then Elene bespake him in answer:--'Whence
cometh it that ye bear in mind so many things,
every wondrous deed, such as those which the Trojans 645
wrought in battle? That far-famed war of
old was further in the course of years than this
holy event, and yet ye know that fully, how to
declare at once the number of all that were slain 650
there, and of the spearmen who fell in death beneath
their shields. Ye set forth in writing the
tombs beneath the rocky cliffs, and likewise the
places and the tale of years.'
Then Judas answered--he suffered bitter grief:--'We 655
are mindful of that war from very need, my
dear lady, and we set forth in writing the fierce
strife and the deeds of the nations, but never have
we heard this declared unto men from the mouth 660
of any save here and now.'
And the noble queen gave him answer:--'Too
mightily dost thou withstand the truth and the right
concerning the tree of life, insomuch as thou spakest 665
verily of the rood of victory before thine own
people but a little time ago, and now dost turn
to falsehood.'
Judas again spake unto her, and said that he
uttered those words in sorrow and exceeding doubt,
that he had weened bitter hardship for himself.
Quickly the kinswoman of Cæsar answered him:--'Lo!
we have heard it declared unto men from 670
the holy book that the noble Child of the King, the
Son of God, was crucified on Calvary. Thou shalt
reveal thy knowledge perfectly concerning the field
where this place Calvary is, according to the teaching 675
of the Scriptures, ere death and utter destruction
snatch thee away for thy sins, that I may thereafter
cleanse the cross to be a solace for men, according
to the will of Christ. Thus shall the Holy God,
the Lord Almighty, Glory-giver of hosts and Helper 680
of souls, fulfill for me my desire and my inmost
longing.'
But with stubborn heart Judas answered her:--'I
know not the place, nor aught of the field, nor
know I the event.'
Then Elene spake with wrath in her heart:--'I 685
swear by the Son of the Creator, by the crucified
God, that thou shalt be starved to death before the
people of thine own race, save thou forsake this
falsehood and fully declare unto me the truth.' 690
Then she bade men take him alive, and throw
him, guilty as he was, into a dried-up well--nor did
her subjects hesitate. And there, joyless and famished,
weighed down with chains, was he to abide
in his grief for the space of seven nights. And
upon the seventh day, weakened by sorrow, weary, 695
and without food--his strength was broken--he
began to call aloud:--'I beseech you by the God
of the heavens that ye release me from this misery, 700
for I am brought low by the pangs of starvation.
Joyfully will I show forth the holy tree--no longer
can I hide it now by reason of my hunger. This
durance is too fearful, this need too great, and this
torture too bitter day by day. No longer can I 705
endure to suffer, and conceal my knowledge concerning
the tree of life, though before I was filled
with folly, and confess the truth too late.'