"
Judas to her spake again (he might not the sorrow avoid,
Avert the ire of the empress.[2] In the power of the queen was he): 610
"How may him befall who out on the waste,
Tired and foodless, treads the moorland,
Oppressed with hunger, and bread and stone
Both in his sight together[3] shall be,
The hard and the soft, that he take the stone 615
For hunger's defence, care not for the bread,
Return to want and reject the food,
Renounce the better, if both he enjoys?"
[1] Lit., 'under the lap (or bosom) of sins.'
[2] MS. _rex_ (Latin?), Z.; 'oppression of care' (_cearces_),
Gn.; 'of hunger' (_ceaces_), Gm.; 'of smoke' (_reces_),
Schubert; _rex_ = _cyninges_, Sievers and W.
[3] Z.
VIII.
To him then the blessed answer returned,
Helena 'fore earls without concealment: 620
"If thou in heaven willest to have
Dwelling with angels and life on earth,
Reward in the skies, tell me quickly
Where rests the rood of the King of heaven
Holy 'neath earth, which ye now long 625
Through sin of murder from men have concealed."
Judas replied (his mind was sad,
Heat in his heart and woe for both,
Whether hope of heaven with [all] his soul
He should renounce, along with his present 630
Kingdom 'neath skies, or show the rood):
"How may I that find that long ago happened
In course of winters? Now many are gone,
Two hundred or more, reckoned by number;
I may not recount, now the number I know not.
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