" The light then departed,
Ascended on high, and the messenger too, 95
To the realm of the pure. The king was the blither
And freer from sorrow, chieftain of men,
In thoughts of his soul, for that fair sight.
[1] Prince's.
[2] MS. '_Huns_,' but Z. reads '_Hugs_.' Cf. W.
[3] 'O'er land of Burgundians,' Gn.
[4] Z. has no point, W. puts (;), Gn. (.)
[5] 'Hurried,' Z.^3
[6] 'He,' W.
[7] 'Which,' Z.
[8] 'In the terrible danger,' Gn.
II.
Bade then a likeness[1] defender of aethelings,
Ring-giver of heroes, to that beacon he saw, 100
Leader of armies, that in heaven before
To him had appeared, with greatest haste
[Bade] Constantine [like] the rood of Christ,
The glorious king, a token make.
He bade then at dawn with break of day 105
His warriors rouse and onset of battle,
The standard raise, and that holy tree
Before him carry, 'mid host of foes
God's beacon bear. The trumpets sang
Aloud 'fore the hosts. The raven rejoiced,[2] 110
The dew-feathered eagle beheld the march,
Fight of the fierce cries, the wolf raised his howl,
The wood's frequenter. War-terror arose.
There was shattering of shields and mingling of men,
Heavy handstroke and felling of foes, 115
After in arrow-flight first they had met.
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