19. CONCLUSION.

Then straightway in the presence of the nobles

Elene accomplished all. She bade deck the bridle

of the prince, gift-giver of men, and unto her own

son she sent the glorious present over the stream 1200

of the ocean as an offering. Then she bade assemble

together in the town, in that holy city, those

whom she knew as the best among the Jews, that

race of heroes. And the queen began to teach the 1205

throng of her dear subjects that they should steadfastly

hold to the love of the Lord, and maintain

peace one with another, and that they should hearken 1210

unto the lore of the teacher, and the customs of the

Christians, which Cyriacus, wise in the knowledge

of books, should declare unto them. The bishopric

was well established. Often there came to

him from afar the lame, the halt, the weak, the 1215

maimed, the bleeding, the leprous, the blind, the

poor, the sad in heart, and ever found they health

and relief there at the hands of their bishop during

all of their life. And again Elene gave unto him

gifts of great worth when she was ready for the

journey back to her own land, and when she bade 1220

all those who glorified God in that kingdom, both

men and women, to honor in their thought with

heart and strength that great day on which the holy

rood was found, most wondrous tree of them that 1225

have grown up from the earth, laden with leaves.

And, save for six nights ere the coming of summer

on the kalends of May, the spring was gone. May

hell's portal be closed and heaven's opened, may the 1230

eternal kingdom of the angels be revealed with joy

unceasing, and may their part be assigned with

Mary, to each man who keepeth in memory the

most sacred festival of the cross beneath the heavens, 1235

which the almighty King over all protected with

his arm! Finit.

The Elene of Cynewulf translated into English prose · 第 33 / 34 题