Old English Poems Part 14

305 Surrounding its neck like the radiant sun, Is the brightest of rings braided with feathers; Its belly is wondrous with wealth of color, Sheer and s.h.i.+ning. A s.h.i.+eld extends Brilliantly fair above the back of the fowl.

310 The comely legs are covered with scales; The feet are bright yellow. The fowl is in beauty Peerless, alone, though like the peac.o.c.k Delightfully wrought, as the writings relate.

It is neither slow in movement, nor sluggish in mien, 315 Nor slothful nor inert as some birds are, Who flap their wings in weary flight, But he is fast and fleet, and floats through the air, Marvelous, winsome, and wondrously marked.

Blessed is the G.o.d who gave him that bliss!

320 When at last it leaves the land, and journeys To hunt the fields of its former home, As the fowl flieth many folk view it.

It pleases in pa.s.sing the people of earth, Who are seen a.s.sembling from south and north; 325 They come from the east, they crowd from the west, Faring from afar; the folk throng to see The grace that is given by G.o.d in his mercy To this fairest fowl, which at first received From gracious G.o.d the greatest of natures 330 And a beauty unrivalled in the race of birds.

Then over the earth all men marvel At the freshness and fairness and make it famous in writings; With their hands they mould it on the hardest of marble, Which through time and tide tells the mult.i.tudes 335 Of the rarity of the flying one. Then the race of fowls On every hand enter in hosts, Surge in the paths, praise it in song, Magnify the stern-hearted one in mighty strains; And so the holy one they hem in in circles 340 As it flies amain. The Phoenix is in the midst Pressed by their hosts. The people behold And watch with wonder how the willing bands Wors.h.i.+p the wanderer, one after the other, Mightily proclaim and magnify their King, 345 Their beloved Lord. They lead joyfully The n.o.ble one home; but now the wild one Flies away fast; no followers may come From the happy host, when their head takes wing Far from this land to find his home.

V

350 So the dauntless fowl after his fiery death Happily hastens to his home again, To his beauteous abode. The birds return, Leaving their leader, with lonely hearts, Again to their land; then their gracious lord 355 Is young in his courts. The King Almighty, G.o.d alone knows its nature by s.e.x, Male or female; no man can tell, No living being save the Lord only How wise and wondrous are the ways of the bird, 360 And the fair decree for the fowl's creation!

There the happy one his home may enjoy, With its welling waters and woodland groves, May live in peace through the pa.s.sing of winters A thousand in number; then he knows again 365 The ends of his life; over him is laid The funeral fire: yet he finds life again, And wondrously awakened he waxes in strength.

He droops not nor dreads his death therefore, The awful agony, since always he knows 370 That the lap of the flame brings life afresh, Peace after death, when undaunted once more Fully feathered and formed as a bird Out of the ashes up he can spring, Safe under the heavens. To himself he is both 375 A father and a son, and finds himself also Ever the heir to his olden life.

The Almighty Maker of man has granted That though the fire shall fasten its fetters upon him, He is given new life, and lives again 380 Fas.h.i.+oned with feathers as aforetime he was.

VI

So each living man the life eternal Seeks for himself after sorest cares; That through the darksome door of death he may find The goodly grace of G.o.d and enjoy 385 Forever and aye unending bliss As reward for his work-- the wonders of heaven.

The nature of this fowl is not unlike That of those chosen as children of G.o.d, And it shows men a sign of how sacred joys 390 Granted by G.o.d they may gain in trial-- Hold beneath the heavens through his holy grace, And abide in rapture in the realms above.

We have found that the faithful Father created Man and woman through his wondrous might.

395 At first in the fairest fields of his earth He set these sons on a soil unblemished, In a pleasant place, Paradise named, Since they lacked no delight as long as the pair Wisely heeded the Holy word 400 In their new home. There hatred came, The old foe's envy, who offered them food, The fruit of the tree, which in folly they tried; Both ate of the apple against the order of G.o.d, Tasted the forbidden. Then bitter became 405 Their woe after eating and for their heirs as well-- For sons and daughters a sorrowful feast.

Grievously were punished their greedy teeth For that greatest of guilt; G.o.d's wrath they knew And bitter remorse; hence bearing their crimes, 410 Their sons must suffer for the sin of their parents Against G.o.d's commands. Hence, grieved in soul They shall lose the delights of the land of bliss Through envy of the serpent who deceived our elders In direful wise in days of yore 415 Through his wicked heart, so that they went far hence To the dale of death to doleful life In a sorrowful home. Hidden from them Was the blessed life; and the blissful plain, By the fiend's cunning, was fastened close 420 For many winters, till the Maker of wonders, The King of mankind, Comforter of the weary, Our only Hope, hither came down To the G.o.dly band and again held it open.

VII

His advent is likened by learned writers 425 In their works of wisdom and words of truth, To the flight of that fowl, when forth he goes From his own country and becometh old, Weighed with winters, weary in mind, And finds in wandering the forest wood 430 Where a bower he builds: with branches and herbs, With rarest of twigs, he raises his dwelling, His nest in the wood. Great need he hath That he gain again his gladsome youth In the flame of fire that he may find new life, 435 Renew his youth, and his native home, His sunbright seat, he may seek again After his bath of fire. So abandoned before us The first of our parents their fairest plain, Their happy home, their hope of glory, 440 To fare afar on a fearful journey, Where hostile hands harshly beset them; Evil ones often injured them sorely.

Yet many men marked well the Lord, Heeded his behests in holy customs, 445 In glorious deeds, so that G.o.d, their Redeemer, The high Heaven-King hearkened to them.

That is the high tree wherein holy men Hide their home from the harm of their foe And know no peril, neither with poison 450 Nor with treacherous token in time of evil.

There G.o.d's warrior works him a nest, With doughty deeds dangers avoids, He distributes alms to the stricken and needy, He tells graceless men of the mercy of G.o.d, 455 Of the Father's help; he hastens forth, Lessening the perils of this pa.s.sing life, Its darksome deeds, and does G.o.d's will With bravery in his breast. His bidding he seeks In prayer, with pure heart and pliant knee 460 Bent to the earth; all evil is banished, All grim offences by his fear of G.o.d; Happy in heart he hopes full well To do good deeds: the Redeemer is his s.h.i.+eld In his varied walks, the Wielder of victory, 465 Joy-giver to people. Those plants are the ones, The flowers of fruit, which the fowl of wildness Finds in this world from far and wide And brings to his abode, where it builds a nest With firmness of heart against fear and hatred.

470 So in that place G.o.d's soldiers perform With courage and might the Creator's commands.

Then they gain them glory: they are given rewards By the gracious G.o.d for their goodness of heart.

From those is made a pleasant dwelling 475 As reward for their works, in the wondrous city; Since they held in their hearts the holy teachings, Serving their Lord with loving souls By day and by night --and never ceasing-- With fervent faith preferring their Lord 480 Above worldly wealth. They ween not, indeed, That long they will live in this life that is fleeting.

A blessed earl earns by his virtue A home in heaven with the highest King, And comfort forever,-- this he earns ere the close 485 Of his days in the world, when Death, the warrior, Greedy for warfare, girded with weapons, Seeketh each life and sendeth quickly Into the bosom of the earth those deserted bodies Lorn of their souls, where long they shall bide 490 Covered with clay till the coming of the fire.

Many of the sons of men into the a.s.sembly Are led by the leaders; the Lord of angels, The Father Almighty, the Master of hosts, Will judge with justice the joyful and the sad.

495 Then mortal men in a ma.s.s shall arise As the righteous King, the Ruler of angels, The Savior of souls said it must be, Gave command by the trumpet to the tribes of the world.

Then ends darkest death for those dear to the Lord; 500 Through the grace of G.o.d the good shall depart In clamoring crowds when this cruel world Shall burst into flames, into baleful fire; The earth shall end. Then all shall have Most frightful fear, when the fire crashes over 505 Earth's fleeting fortunes, when the flame eats up Its olden treasures, eagerly graspeth On goodly gold and greedily consumes The land's adornments. Then dawns in light In that awesome hour for all of men, 510 The fair and sacred symbol of the fowl, When the mighty Ruler shall arouse all men, Shall gather together from the grave the bones, The limbs of the body, those left from the flame, Before the knee of Christ: the King in splendor 515 From his lofty seat shall give light to the holy, The gem of glory. It will be joyous and gladsome To the servers of Truth in that sad time.

VIII

There the bodies, bathed of their sins, Shall go in gladness; again shall their spirits 520 To their bony frames, and the fire shall burn, Mounting high to heaven. Hot shall be to many That awful flame, when every man, Unblemished or sinful, his soul in his body, From the depths of his grave seeks the doom of G.o.d, 525 Frightfully afraid. The fire shall save men, Burning all sin. So shall the blessed After weary wandering, with their works be clothed, With the fruit of their deeds: fair are these roots, These winsome flowers that the wild fowl 530 Collects to lay on his lovely nest In order that easily his own fair home May burn in the sun, and himself along with it, And so after the fire he finds him new life; So every man in all the world 535 Shall be covered with flesh, fair and comely, And always young, if his own choice leads him To work G.o.d's will; then the world's high King Mighty at the meeting mercy will grant him.

Then the hymns shall rise high from the holy band, 540 The chosen souls shall chant their songs, In praise of the powerful Prince of men, Strain upon strain, and strengthened and fragrant Of their G.o.dly works they shall wend to glory.

Then are men's spirits made spotless and bright 545 Through the flame of the fire-- refined and made pure.

In all the earth let not anyone ween That I wrought this lay with lying speech, With hated word-craft! Hear ye the wisdom Of the hymns of Job! With heart of joy 550 And spirit brave, he boldly spoke; With wondrous sanct.i.ty that word he said: "I feel it a fact in the fastness of my soul That one day in my nest death I shall know, And weary of heart woefully go hence, 555 Compa.s.sed with clay, on my closing journey, Mournful of mind, in the moldy earth.

And through the gift of G.o.d I shall gain once more Like the Phoenix fowl, a fair new life, On the day of arising from ruinous death, 560 Delights with G.o.d, where the loving throng Are exalting their Lord. I look not at all Ever to come to the end of that life Of light and bliss, though my body shall lie In its gruesome grave and grow decayed, 565 A joy to worms; for the Judge of the world Shall save my soul, and send it to glory After the time of death. I shall trust forever With steadfast breast, in the Strength of angels; Firm is my faith in the Father of all."

570 Thus sang the sage his song of old, Herald to G.o.d, with gladsome heart: How he was lifted to life eternal.

Then we may truly interpret the token clearly Which the glorious bird gave through its burning.

575 It gathers together the grim bone-remnants, The ashes and embers all into one place After the surge of the fire; the fowl then seizes it With its feet and flies to the Father's garden Towards the sun; for a time there he sojourns, 580 For many winters, made in new wise, All of him young; nor may any there yearn To do him menace with deeds of malice.

So may after death by the Redeemer's might Souls go with bodies, bound together, 585 Fas.h.i.+oned in loveliness, most like to that fowl, In rich array, with rare perfumes, Where the steadfast sun streams its light O'er the sacred hosts in the happy city.

IX

Then high over the roofs the holy Ruler 590 s.h.i.+nes on the souls of the saved and the loyal.

Radiant fowls follow around him Brightest of birds, in bliss exulting, The chosen and joyous ones join him at home, Forever and ever, where no evil is wrought 595 By the foulest fiend in his fickle deceit; But they shall live in lasting light and beauty, As the Phoenix fowl, in the faith of G.o.d.

Every one of men's works in that wondrous home, In that blissful abode, brightly s.h.i.+nes forth 600 In the peaceful presence of the Prince eternal, Who resembles the sun. A sacred crown Most richly wrought with radiant gems, High over the head of each holy soul Glitters refulgent; their foreheads gleam, 605 Covered with glory; the crown of G.o.d Embellishes beautifully the blessed host With light in that life, where lasting joy Is fresh and young and fades not away, But they dwell in bliss, adorned in beauty, 610 With fairest ornaments, with the Father's angels.

They see no sorrow in those sacred courts, No sin nor suffering nor sad work-days, No burning hunger, nor bitter thirst, No evil nor age: but ever their King 615 Granteth his grace to the glorious band That loves its Lord and everlasting King, That glorifies and praises the power of G.o.d.

That host round the holy high-set throne Makes then melody in mighty strains; 620 The blessed saints blithely sing In unison with angels, orisons to the Lord: "Peace to thee, O G.o.d, thou proud Monarch, Thou Ruler reigning with righteousness and skill; Thanks for thy goodly gifts to us all; 625 Mighty and measureless is thy majesty and strength, High and holy! The heavens, O Lord, Are fairly filled, O Father Almighty, Glory of glories, in greatness ruling Among angels above and on earth beneath!

630 Guard us, O G.o.d of creation; thou governest all things!

Lord of the highest heavens above!"

So shall the saints sing his praises, Those free from sin, in that fairest of cities, Proclaim his power, the righteous people, 635 The host in heaven hail the Redeemer: Honor without end is only for him, Not ever at all had he any birth, Any beginning of bliss, though he was born in the world, On this earth in the image of an innocent child; 640 With unfailing justice and fairest judgments, High above the heavens in holiness he dwelt!

Though he must endure the death of the cross, Bear the bitter burden of men, When three days have pa.s.sed after the death of his body, 645 He regains new life through the love of G.o.d, Through the aid of the Father. So the Phoenix betokens In his youthful state, the strength of Christ, Who in a wondrous wise awakes from the ashes Unto the life of life, with limbs begirded; 650 So the Savior sought to aid us Through the loss of his body, life without end.

Likewise that fowl filleth his wings, Loads them with sweet and scented roots, With winsome flowers and flies away; 655 These are the words, wise men tell us, The songs of the holy ones whose souls go to heaven, With the loving Lord to live for aye, In bliss of bliss, where they bring to G.o.d Their words and their works, wondrous in savor, 660 As a precious gift, in that glorious place, In that life of light.

Lasting be the praise Through the world of worlds and wondrous honor, And royal power in the princely realm, The kingdom of heaven. He is King indeed 665 Of the lands below and of lordly majesty, Encircled with honor in that city of beauty.

He has given us leave _lucis auctor_, That here we may _merueri_ As reward for good _gaudia in celo_, 670 That all of us may _maxima regna_ Seek and sit on _sedibus altis_, Shall live a life _lucis et pacis_, Shall own a home _almae let.i.tiae_, Know blessings and bliss; _blandem and mitem_ 675 Lord they shall see _sine fine_, And lift up a song _lauda perenne_ Forever with the angels. _Alleluia!_

680. This and the following lines are imitated from the original in which the first half line, in Old English, alliterates with the second half line, in Latin. The Latin is here retained. The meaning of the lines is this: "The Author of light has given us leave that we may here merit as a reward for good, joy in heaven, that all of us may seek the mighty kingdom and sit on the high seats, may live a life of light and peace, may own a home of tender joy; may see the merciful and mild Lord for time without end, and may lift up a song in eternal praise, forever with the angels. Alleluia!"

THE GRAVE

[Text used: Kluge, _Angelsachsisches Lesebuch_, reprinted from Arnold Schroeer, _Anglia_, v, 289.

Translation: Longfellow. Discussion of this translation in _Archiv fur das Studium der neueren Sprache_, xxix, 205.

It is probably the latest in date of any of the Anglo-Saxon poems.]

Before thou wast born, there was built thee a house; For thee was a mould meant ere thy mother bore thee; They have not made it ready nor reckoned its depth; No one has yet learned how long it shall be.

5 I point out thy path to the place thou shalt be; Now I shall measure thee, and the mould afterwards.

Thy house is not highly timbered.

It is unhigh and low; when thou lyest therein, The bottom and side boards shall bind thee near: 10 Close above thy breast is builded the roof.

Thou shalt dwell full cold in the clammy earth.

Full dim and dismal that den is to live in.

Doorless is that house, and is dark within; Down art thou held there and death hath the key.

15 Loathly is that house of earth and horrid to live in.

There thou shalt tarry and be torn by worms.

Thus thou art laid, and leavest thy friends; Thou hast never a comrade who will come to thee, Who will hasten to look how thou likest thy house.

20 Or ever will undo thy door for thee.

. . . . . . . . and after thee descend; For soon thou art loathsome and unlovely to see: From the crown of thy head shall the hair be lost; Thy locks shall fall and lose their freshness; 25 No longer is it fair for the fingers to stroke.