Elene XIV, just in time for the new year!

Happy New Year, my friends. Here is the penultimate part of Elene ready for your savor and delectation. We are almost finished with this one, folks, and getting excited about starting a new project. I'm pretty sure it's going to be Genesis A&B: I've been looking forward to the challenge of such a long poem for a while, and the voice of the new poet will be fun to explore and assume. Enough of the Cynewulfian verse--bring on the Caedmonian!

Next week, I'll be at the MLA conference in LA, interviewing for some jobs -- if you see me, say hello!

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Then Elene sought sooth-fastness eagerly with the spiritual mysteries
within her heart, a way to glory. Indeed, God of Armies,
Father in Heaven, you helped her, Almighty King, so that the queen
achieved her desire in this world. That prophecy had seen sung before
by wise men of old, all after the beginning, just as it had happened
in each instance. Keenly and through grace of spirit the folk-queen
sought, closely and often, to what purpose might she apply those nails,
best and worthily, to be a comfort to the multitudes
and what might be the desire of the Lord. She ordered then
that fore-wise man be fetched quickly to converse, he who
knew full well his counsel through wise power, sage in his spirit,
and Elene asked him what seemed best to him in his heart
to perform, and approved his advice through precept.
Cyriacus boldly spoke unto her: (1147-66)

“It is appropriate that you keep the word of the Lord,
O best of queens, in your heart by holy secret,
and diligently observe the commandment of the King,
now that God has given you the victorious success of the soul
and the skill of wisdom, the Savior of Men.
Order those nails to be made into a bridle for the noblest
of earthen-kings and city-owners, for his horse as a bit.
It shall be famous throughout middle-earth among many peoples,
when at conflict he may overcome every enemy with it,
when host-strong, his sword-foes seek combat on both sides,
where they struggle for victory, wrathful versus wrathful.
He will have success at war, victory at strife, and peace everywhere,
protection in battle, he who leads before him the bridle on his steed,
when war-renowned at the spear-struggle, tested among warriors,
bearing shield-board and spear-point. This will be to any man
an indomitable weapon of war against wretchedness.
About this the prophet sang, wise in crafty thought—
his heart ran deep, the understanding of his wisdom—and he spoke a word:
‘It shall be known that the emperor’s horse
will be worthied among the battle-proud
for its bit and ringed-bridle.
It will be a sign, named “Holy unto God,”
and that fortunate one, he who that horse
bears shall be esteemed in war.’” (1167-95)

Then Elene swiftly achieved all this before her earls.
She ordered the bridle of the prince to be so adorned,
the ring-giving warrior, and sent it to her own son as a gift,
a noble offering across the ocean’s stream.
She then ordered together those she knew to be the best men among the Jews,
the kinsmen of heroes, to come unto that holy city, into the stronghold.
Then the queen taught the throng of the beloved so that they
should perform fixedly the love of the Lord and peace
amongst themselves likewise, friendship, sinless in their lifetime,
and they heed the precepts of their teacher and Christian customs,
such that Cyriacus bade them, wise of books. (1196-1211a)

So was the bishopric established fairly. Often from far away
came to him the lame, the limb-sick, the ill, the halt, the wound-sorry,
the leprous and the blind, the wretched, the heart-sad, and always there
they found cure and health at the hands of the bishop for ever afterwards. (1211b-17a)

Then Elene gave him yet again precious gifts, when she was ready
to journey again to her homeland, and she bid all the god-praising
in that man-realm, men and women, to honor with their mind and might
that renowned day, with heart and thought, in which the holy rood
was discovered, that most famous of trees which has grown up
from the earth, thriving under its leaves. Then was springtime
departed except for six nights before the arrival of summer,
on the kalends of May. (1217b-28a)

Let the doors of hell be shut up for all men,
and those of heaven be opened wide, and revealed
the eternal realm of angels, the timeless joy, and let their portion
be assigned with Mary, those who keep in their mind
the dearest of feast-day celebrations, of the cross under the heavens,
when he the most powerful, Over-Sovereign of All, covers them with his arms.
Finit. (1228b-35)

Elene XIII at long last!

Hello, after a long, unavoidable delay here is Elene part XIII. In this chapter Judas is baptized, renamed, and given a new task, to locate the nails that bound Jesus to the cross. This extra miracle is accomplished without a problem.

There are only two sections left after this, so I'll take suggestions as to what should be translated next (I have pages ready for The Phoenix and Genesis A&B so they seem likely candidates).

Happy Holidays!


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Then Judas was baptized who was at many times before
prepared for the light—*
His heart was inspired into that better life, changed to glory.
Indeed, fate had found that he was so full of faith
and he must become so dear to God in the world-realm,
so pleasing to Christ. It became well known when Elene
ordered Eusebius, Rome’s bishop, to be brought to the holy city,
a fore-wise man, as an aid in the counsel debate with a troop of warriors,
so that Judas could be established in the priest-hood
in Jerusalem for his people, as the bishop within the city
through the gift of spirit to the temple of God,
chosen for his skills—and she renamed him “Cyriacus”
through wise thought. This man’s name was changed afresh
afterwards in the cities to that better one: “the Law of the Savior.” (1043-62a)

Then the mind of Elene was frequently mindful about the famous fate
of those nails that pierced the Savior’s feet and hands likewise,
by which upon the cross was the Sovereign of the Sky, the Mighty Prince
fastened. The Queen of Christians asked about them
and bade Cyriacus that, yet again, by the powers of his soul
he would fulfill her desire about that wonderful event,
revealing those glorious graces, and that word she spoke
to the bishop, boldly addressing him: (1062b-72)

“Thou rightly showed me, shelter of earls, the noble tree,
the cross of the King of the Heavens, upon which he was hanged
by heathen hands, the Aid of Spirits, God’s own Son,
the Savior of Men. Yet an anxiety for those nails reproaches me
in my spirit’s heart. I wish that you would find them
that are still buried deeply in the earth and hidden,
concealed by darkness. Ever my woeful heart sorrows
and laments, and never ceases before the Father Almighty
the Wielder of Armies fulfills my desire, the Savior of Men,
by the arrival of those nails holy from the heights.
Now you swiftly, with all humility, best of messengers,
send your prayers into that bright creation, in joy of glory.
ask the Majesty of Warriors that you be revealed, the Almighty King,
the treasure under the earth that still is buried,
it abides secretly, hidden to the multitudes.” (1073-92)

Then the holy one began to establish his mind, inspired
within his breast, the bishop of the people. Glad-minded
he went forth with a crowd of god-praising men,
and then Cyriacus upon Calvary eagerly bowed his face,
concealing not his heart-secrets, with the might of his soul he called out
to God with all humility, begged the Ward of Angels to reveal to him
that unknown event in his new constraint, where upon that plain
he most likely needed to turn his mind to find those nails. (1093-1103)

Then he caused a sign [to spring] forth, where they were gazing
the Father, the Spirit of Ease, through the hue of flame
exhaled upwards where those most noble nails
were hidden in the earth through the counsels of men and evil cunning.
Then came at once, brighter than the sun, a bouncing flame.
The people saw this miracle made known by their desire-giver,
then there from the darkness, just like a heavenly star
or golden gems, near to the ground, the nails from the closeness shining,
light from below. The people rejoiced, a force wish-exultant:
they said the glory was good, all one-minded, although they were
turned away from Christ before through the devil’s devastation—
for a long time in error. They spoke thus:
“Now we see the token of victory for ourselves, the true miracle
of God, even though we earlier renounced it amid these lyings.
Now is the coming of light revealed, the course of events.
Glory be to the God of Heaven-realm on the highness!” (1104-24)

Then was gladdened he who was turned unto the cure through the Child of God,
the bishop of that people, with a renewed voice. He took up those nails,
frightened by their terror, and reverently brought them to his queen.
Ciriacus had fulfilled all that woman’s desires, just as that noble woman
had commanded. Then there was a ring of cries, poured out the
hot head-welling over her face, (not at all for grief the tears fell over the
wire filigree. The queen's wishes were fulfilled gloriously.
She with illuminated faith set them upon her knee, honored the gift,
exultant in blissfulness, that was brought to her, as help to her grief.
She thanked God, the Lord of Victories, of whom she knew the truth
now present that was often foretold far since from before the world’s start,
as a comfort to mankind. Elene was fulfilled* with wisdom’s gift,
and the holy and heavenly spirit kept a dwelling in her noble heart,
guarded her breast just as the Almighty,
the Victory-child of God, protected her ever since. (1125-46)

My enforced translating hiatus has been de-enforced

So the great push to navigate the job market, complete the Diss, and get it defended has come to successful conclusion. I will be Dr. Secretguinea very soon, and go to LA in January with a few interviews.

The good news for you is that now I have time to finish up Elene. We're so close to the end too, only 200 lines or so. After that, I have a few ideas for a new project, either Genesis A&B (long overdue), or to move to a different language altogether.

I've been pondering the inception of the Anglo-Norman Narrative Poetry Project or to get going on a long-needed modern English translation of the 13th-century roman d'aventures Robert le Diable, but I think the new languages can wait for a bit. I've got lots of time to enter into these new tasks.

Stay tuned for more Elene!

Elene XII

Then was famous in that folk's borders through that human nation
widely brought, the renowned morning-news—it was a vexation
to many who wished to conceal the law of the Lord—
proclaimed through the cities, embraced by the seas, in every town,
that the Cross of Christ, long since buried in the earth, had been discovered,
the greatest sign of triumph was heaved up before or since
holy under the heavens—and it was the most wretched of sorrows
to the Jews, men accursed, most despised of fates, for they could not
turn it away for the world—a joy to all Christians. (967-79)

Then throughout her noble forces the queen commanded messengers
to hasten quickly to the journey. They must seek the lord of the Rome-dwellers
themselves across the low-bottomed seas and speak to that warrior
of the greatest of joyous news, that that victory’s token was found
through the grace of the Maker, discovered in the earth,
that had been hidden many seasons, to teen blessed Christian folk. (980-88a)

Then the mind of that king was elated by that famous word,
rejoicing in spirit. There was no lack in the cities
of questioning men in gold-shirts carried from afar.
For Constantine the greatest of comforts in the world was his
at that joyous news, which the war-counselors, the messengers
had brought across the east-ways—how they had made safe journey
over the swan-road, the warriors with their triumphant queen into Grecian lands.
The Caesar ordered them to ready themselves for the journey again
with great haste. The men delayed not after hearing his prompt answer,
the word of the noble man. (988b-1002a)

He ordered that greeting be offered to war-renowned Elene,
if they survived the ocean and were allowed to make safe passage,
those heroes active-minded, to that holy city.
Constantine also commanded the messengers to order her
to build a church there on that hilly slope on the advice of them both,
the temple of the Lord on Calvary for Christ’s sake,
as an assistance to men where the holy cross was discovered,
the most famous of trees which ground-dwellers had asked about upon the earth-way.
Elene performed such, after her kinsmen brought these glad tidings
from the west across the fastness of the waves. (1002b-16)

Then the queen ordered them separately to seek out those best
schooled in their craft, those that knew how to work most wondrously
in the stone-cutter’s art, to build the temple of God in that place,
just as the Ward of Souls had spoken to her from the heavens.
She then commanded the cross to be adorned with gold
and the kindred of gems, with the most noble of precious jewels
surrounded with crafty skill and locked up with a clasp
inside a silver vessel. That Tree of Life, best of the Victory-beams,
afterwards it abode there inviolable* in its excellence.
There it will be always a ready support for the weak of health,
for all torments, conflict and sorrow. Immediately they there
through that holy creation will find help and the divine grace. (1017-32a)

Likewise Judas took on after an appointed period of time
the bath of baptism, and was cleansed, faithful to Christ,
the beloved Life-Guardian. His belief grew fast in his heart,
after the Spirit of Comfort inhabited the house within that man’s breast,
encouraging him to repentance. He chose the better, the joy of glory,
and forsook the worse, the worship of idols, and gave over heresy,
the unrighteous law. For him was the eternal Rex,*
the mild Creator, God, the Wielder of Might. (1032b-42)

Elene XI

Then were those miracles, which the Lord of Armies, the Teacher of Life,
had wrought as a soul-saving for the kindred of humans, for the folk
remembering in their spirit, as they ever must do.* Then there the deceitful
fiend rose hovering on the wind. Then this hell-devil began to cry out,
a terrible demon, mindful of evil things: (894-901)

“What man is this, huh—who again destroys my retinue
through this ancient conflict, increasing the old enmity,
robbing me of my possessions? This is a perpetual strife—
evil-doing souls are not allowed to dwell in my keeping for long.
Now comes this stranger, who I had accounted before fixed in his sins—
now he has deprived me of all of my rights and my rents. This is no fair journey. (902-10)

“The Savior has done me many harms, many grievous grudges,
him who was reared in Nazareth. As soon as he grew from childhood,
he always turned my possessions over to them. Nor may any now
succeed by right. His realm is broad across middle-earth.
Mine is reduced, my authority under the heavens.
I don’t need that cross to be praised in exultation. (911-19a)

“Harumph! The Savior has often closed me in a narrow house,
as miserable pain! I had been hopeful through a Judas before, and
now I am humbled, lacking my goods also through this Judas,
flecked and friendless. Immediately I know how to find
redress afterwards through slanderous words—
from the houses of the accursed I will awake against you
another king, who will persecute your people,
and he will abandon your teachings and follow my wicked practices
and then he will send you into the darkest and worst of terrible torments,
so that you, afflicted with pains, renounce firmly
the Hanged King, whom you once obeyed.” (919b-33)

Wise-minded Judas answered him then, a warrior bold for battle
—the Holy Ghost was firmly commended to him, his fire-hot love
wisdom welling through the wisdom of prophets—
and spoke with a word, filled with wisdom:
“You need not so strongly renew your wounds and raise a conflict,
evil lord of murders, mindful of your sins, so that the Mighty King
he who wakens many of the dead with one word, hurls you,
sin-working and reft of glory, down into the abyss, into the ground of torment.
Know more readily that you have relinquished unwisely
the brightest light and the love of the Lord, that joy more fair
and afterwards dwelled in a flaming bath encircled with torments
and burnt with fire and there you must always, contrary-thinking,
endure damnation, a misery without an end.” (934-52a)

Elene heard how the fiend and her friend raised battle,
on two sides, the glory-blessed and the wicked,
the sinning and the innocent. Her heart was gladder
because she heard that hell-harmer overcome, the dispenser of crimes,
and then she marveled at the wisdom of Judas,
how he was so full of faith in such a short time,
and formerly so ignorant, now endowed with such wisdom.
She thanked God the Glory-King, because her desire
had come to pass through the Child of God in each of two ways
both in the sight of that victory-tree and of the faith that she knew
so clearly, a glory-fast gift in the breast of that man. (952b-66)

Elene X (completed)

Here is the full translation of part ten. I have reorganized the posts on the full translation of Elene in order to accommodate the full number of text divisions in the poem. I'm really happy with how the translation is coming now that work upon it is proceeding steadily.


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Then from that very spot a vapor arose,
such a smoke beneath the heavens.
There was lifted the man’s breast-heart.
With both hands raised high, he clapped, blessed and law-wise.
Judas spoke, astute in thought: “Now I have perceived
in my obstinate mind that you are truly the Healer of Middle-earth.
Let there be, God of Powers sitting in majesty, praises without end
that you have revealed to me through your glory,
so miserable and sin-wrought, the mysteries of fate. (802-12)

“Now I wish to ask you, Child of God, Joy-Giver to Armies,
now that I know that you were revealed and conceived
the Majesty of all Kings, to be mindful of my faults no more,
O Creator, which I have done no few times against you.
Allow me, God of Might, to abide amid some portion of the blessed
among the reckoned number of your kingdom,
in their bright city where my brother is honored in glory,
Stephen, who held a pledge with you, and though he was killed by stoning,
he has the reward of warriors, the profit without cease.
There is revealed in books of scripture the wonders that he wrought.” (813-26)

Then joyful Judas dug into the earth, resolute in his courage,
after that Tree of Glory under the covering of turf,
so that at a depth of twenty feet he found the hidden treasure
deep below the abyss, hidden beneath its dark coffer.
He discovered there three crosses together in that sorrowful home,
buried in the dirt just as they had been covered over with earth
in days gone by, by a impious band, the kin of Judea.
They heaved up their malice against God's child—they never would have
unless they had heeded the lessons of Author of Crimes. (827-38)

Then was Judas’s heart-thoughts greatly elated,
his mind strengthened, his inner heart inspired by that holy tree,
after seeing that symbol holy beneath the earth.
He grasped with his hands the joy-beam of glory,
and heaved it up among the army from its earthen grave.
The strangers went forth on foot, nobles into the city. (839-45)

Then they set down the three victory-beams, apparent to see,
before the knee of Elene, warriors resolute and courageous.
The queen rejoiced in her heart’s mind and inquired of them
upon which of those crosses it was that the Wielder’s Son,
the holy Giver of Hope was hanged.
“So,we have heard it through blessed books, revealed by signs,
that two others suffered with him, and he was the third himself
upon the rood tree. All the heavens darkened at that cruel moment.
Say, if you know, upon which of these three the Prince of Angels,
suffered, the Guardian of Majesty.” (846-58)

Nor could Judas clearly reveal to her, for he knew not readily,
upon which of those Triumph-trees the Savior had been hanged,
the Victorious Child of God—not before he ordered them
to be set up in the middle of that famous city, trees amid the tumult,
and there waited until the King Almighty should unveil
a miracle before the multitude, about the Tree of Glory. (859-66)

They sat down, the counsel-deliberators triumph-famous,
and lifted up a song about the three crosses until the ninth hour,
when they felt a fresh joy, an encounter with glory.
Then there came no small crowd of people, a throng of men,
bringing a young man upon a bier recently without spirit,
having had traveled onwards. It was the ninth hour. (867-74a)

Then was Judas greatly elated in his mind. He ordered that they
set down the soulless man, the body deprived of life and unstirring,
upon the ground and, deep-thinking, heaved up two of those crosses,
the revealer of right spirit-wise, in his embrace over that fated house.
The body was still dead, just as before, a corpse fast upon its couch.
His limbs cooled, covered over by that cruel necessity. (874b-83a)

Then the third cross was raised, blessed. The corpse was waiting
until the beam of that Noble was areared over him, the Heaven-King’s,
the true Symbol of Victory. The man immediately arose,
equipped with his soul—together both together—body and soul.
There were praises sent high fair amid the folk.
The Father was worthied and the True Son of the Sovereign
was praised wordfully. Let glory and thanks be his
eternally without end from all of creation! (883b-93)

Elene IX

When Elene, wielding power over her warriors,
heard of Judas’s bearing, she quickly ordered that he
be allowed up from the nearness and from the constraining chasm,
up from that cruel house. This her men immediately carried out,
and they mercifully let him up from his imprisonment,
just as the queen had commanded. Then they stepped
stiff-hearted to that place upon the hill that the Lord
had before been hanged, Heaven-realm’s Warden,
the God-Child, on the gallows. However, he knew not
readily, humbled through hunger, where that Holy Rood,
through the fiend’s wiles was covered by the earth,
it remained in its bed, its death-rest, for a long time,
secreted fast from the people. Judas lofted up a word,
revealing his courage, and he spoke in Hebrew: (709-24)

“Redeeming Lord, you that owns power over all judgment,
and you that worked through the might of your glory
heaven and earth and the tempestuous waves,
the embrace of the broad sea, together with all creation.
And you measure out with your hands the entire firmament
and the high-heavens, and you yourself sit, Wielder of Victories,
over the most noble of angel-kin, who fare throughout
the skies wound in light—great is their power and majesty.
Nor can the kindred of men climb up there from the earth-ways
in their body-house amid the illuminated host, the heralds of glory.
You have created them and set them into your service,
holy and heavenly. (725-42)

“Among them there are six orders named in perpetual joy,
those who are surrounded by and adorned with six wings,
shining in fairness. Among them there are four who in flight
eternally observe the majestic service before the face of the Eternal Deemer,
singing forevermore in glory with a clear voice the praises
of the Heaven-king, the lovely spirit of songs, and they speak
these words with voices unstained—their name is the Cherubim:
‘Blessed is the holy
God of the High-angels,
the Wielder of Armies!
Filled with glory
is the heaven and earth
and the high-majesty
is revealed in glory!’
There are two more among them, victory-kin in the sky,
that men call Seraphim by name. One must hold Paradise-plain
and the holy Tree of Life with a fiery sword. The hardened edge
quakes, the patterned blade shivers, and it alters its shade
in his terrifying grip. (743-59a)

“These things you, Lord God, will wield forever—and you cast out
the foolish, the guilt-working, the sinful wretches from the heavens.
Then that accursed shoal beneath the shadow-house must be
felled to the earth, in a damnation of torments, where they now endure
within the welling flame, the killing pain in the embrace of dragons,
encased in the darkness. He withsook your judging sovereignty—
therefore he must suffer in miseries, foulest of all foulness,
and stained endure a slave’s bondage. There he cannot, cast away
your word, the author of all sin, fastened in tortures, bound in pain. (759b-71)

“Should it be your will, Ruler of Angels, that he shall govern
who was hung upon the cross, who through Mary was conceived
in middle-earth in the form of a child, the Prince of Angels—
and if he were not your sinless son, he never would have performed
so many true miracles in this world’s realm during the count of his days;
nor would you have awakened him from death so gloriously,
Wielder of Peoples, before the masses, if he were not the child of your glory
through that illuminated woman—do it now, Father of Angels,
show forth your sign. Just as you obeyed that blessed man,
Moses at prayer, so that you, God of Might, revealed unto that noble man
at that seasonable time under the mountainous slope the bones of Joseph,
so I wish to entreat you, Joy of Hosts, should it be your will,
through that bright creation, so that gold-hoard be revealed,
that was hidden long ago. (772-92a)

“Let there rise up now, First of Life, a breeze-bouncing smoke
from this blessed spot of land beneath the orbit of the heavens.
I will believe in you the better the more firmly I establish my spirit,
my hope unwavering upon the crucified Christ, so that he might
truly be the Savior of my soul, Eternal Almighty, the King of Israel,
who will rule perpetual mansions of Glory in the heavens
for ever and ever without end.” (792b-801)