When she who there held sway over the heroes
understood the changed bearing of the man, she 710
straightway bade release him from his prison,
his dungeon, his narrow cell. Then quickly they
did so, and took him out of the pit with care, as
the queen had bidden them. And they resolutely 715
took their way to that place upon the hill where
the Lord was crucified on the cross, the Son of
God and Prince of the heavenly realm. Weakened
by hunger, he knew not yet clearly where through 720
the wiles of the devil the holy rood lay hid beneath
the earth, nor where it rested in its tomb, safe in a
secret place, long hidden from men.
After a little while he lifted up his voice with
unwonted power and spake in Hebrew:--'O Lord 725
Jesus, thou who dost possess the power of judgment,
thou who didst form the heaven and the earth and
the sea, the broad expanse of waters, and all created
things, by the might of thy glory; thou who didst
measure out with thine own hands all the sphere of 730
this earth and of the firmament above; thou who
dost sit in person, the King of victories, over the
most glorious angel-kind; thou who in a mantle
of light dost fare through space in surpassing
majesty, the nature of man cannot rise in the flesh 735
from the earth-tainted ways unto the bright throng
of the pure, the heralds of glory. Thou didst form
that host, holy and heavenly, and didst ordain it
unto thy service. Six of their number are called 740
by name in joy without end, and they are clothed
about with six wings; they are adorned, and gleam
brightly. And there are four of their number
ever in flight that perform the service of glory 745
before the sight of the eternal Judge, and they continually
sing in holiness with clear voices the laud
of the King of heaven, fairest of songs, and they
chant these words in pure tones--their name is 750
cherubim:--"Holy is the holy God of the archangels,
the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are
full of His majesty, and all His exceeding might is
marked with His glory." And there are two among
their number in the heavens, the victorious race, 755
whereon man bestoweth the name of seraphim.
With flaming sword they are to keep sacred the field
of Paradise and the tree of life. And fast in
their grasp the drawn sword, sharp of edge, quivers,
trembles, and changes its hue. For thou dost rule, 760
O Lord God, eternally, and thou didst hurl thy sin-stained
foes, the workers of iniquity, from the
heavens, and the unhappy host fell to the dark
abodes, into the pains of hell. There now they suffer 765
the agony of death in a sea of fire, encompassed
about with darkness, in the embrace of the dragon.
He withstood thy kingly rule, and therefore in
misery, abhorred, the vilest of the vile, shall he
suffer and endure the servile yoke. He cannot there 770
neglect thy commandment; he is fettered in torture,
bound in agony, the author of all sin. If it be thy
will, O King of angels, that He who was on the
cross, and was born of Mary into the world in the 775
form of a child, the Lord of the heavenly host, shall
rule--and were He not thy Son, free from guile,
never could He have wrought such a multitude
of true miracles day after day in the world; 780
nor wouldst thou, O Lord of the peoples, so gloriously
have raised Him from the dead before the
nations, were He not thy Son in glory by that holy
maid--then do thou, O Father of angels, now show
forth thy sign. Even as thou didst hearken unto 785
the words of that holy seer, Moses, in prayer, when
thou, O God of power, didst reveal unto the noble
man in due time the bones of Joseph beneath the
mountain-side, so would I, O God of hosts, if it be
thy will, beseech thee in the name of that fair being 790
that thou, Creator of souls, wilt disclose unto me
this treasure-house that long has been hidden from
men. Do thou now, O Prince of life, let rise up
beneath the span of the heavens from this smiling 795
field a misty smoke. Then shall I trust in thee
better, and the more firmly establish my soul in
undoubting joy upon the crucified Christ, that He
is truly the Saviour of souls, eternal, omnipotent,
and King of the Israelites, and that He shall rule 800
for ever in glory without end the everlasting dwellings
in the heavens.'
Then from that place a mist rose up beneath the
skies, like unto smoke. Thereupon was the soul
of the man exalted, and he clapped his hands unto 805
the heavens, wise and blessed. And Judas spake,
sage in thought:--'Now have I truly perceived in
the hardness of my heart that thou art the Saviour
of the world. Thanksgiving without end be thine, 810
O God of might, who sittest in majesty, that unto
me in my misery and my sin thou dost uncover the
secrets of the fates by thy glory. Now I would
pray thee, O Son of God, Giver of gifts to men,
inasmuch as I know thou art revealed and born the 815
Glory of all kings, that thou never more be mindful
of my guilt, O my Creator, which I have wrought
not a few times against thee. Let me, O God of
power, dwell with holy joy among the number of 820
the kingdom in that fair city where my brother is
exalted in glory, for he, Stephen, held covenant with
thee, even though he was stoned. He hath the
reward of the fight, joy unceasing, and the wonders 825
that he wrought are set forth in books.'
Then, glad and zealous, he digged in the earth
under the sod for the tree of glory until he uncovered
and came upon three crosses together in a
mournful home, hid twenty feet below, concealed 830
in their dark grave beneath the steep cliff, and covered
over with sand, even as in days of yore the 835
host of the sinful, the race of the Jews, had clothed
them over with earth. They stirred up hatred
against the Son of God, as they would not have
done had they not hearkened to the teachings of
the prince of evil.
And his soul was gladdened with great joy, and 840
his heart strengthened by that holy tree, and his
spirit exalted within him as he beheld the holy sign
in the earth. With his hands he seized upon the
wondrous tree of glory, and in the midst of the
people raised it aloft from its earthy grave. Then 845
strangers and heroes entered into the town.