Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/83

 but I  now  despise  them  for  [the  sake  of]  His  ordinance,

because I  have  hope  in  him  that  I  may  receive  them  again  from  him,'

And the  king  wondered,  and  they  that  were  with  him,

at the  young  man's  constancy,  that  he  despised  the  death-tormeht.

After this  one's  departure  (from  life),  they  took  the  fourth,

and tormented  him  in  like  manner,  but  he  firmly  quoth,

'It is  better  for  us  to  die  and  soothly  to  abide

the eternal  resurrection  at  (the  hands  of)  the  Almighty  God;

but for  thee  shall  be  no  resurrection  to  the  eternal  life.'

He then  ended  (his  life)  with  constant  belief,

and they  took,  to  torment  (him),  the  fifth  brother.

He looked  then  towards  the  king,  and  quoth  thus  to  him,

'Now (that)  thou  hast  might  amongst  men  for  a  while,

thou dost  as  thou  wilt,  but  think  not,  nevertheless,

that the  God  upon  whom  we  believe  forsakes  us.

thou shalt  find  His  might,  not  far  hence,  over  thyself,

how He  will  torment  thee  sharply  with  punishments.'

He ended  (liis  life)  then,  and  they  quickly  caught

The sixth  brother;    and  he,  dying,  quoth,

'Err not  thou  vainly,  though  the  Lord  permit  thee

that we  for  our  sins  become  such  a  spectacle;

and think  not  thou  concerning  thyself  that  thou  shalt  be  untormented,

now (that)  thou  fightest  against  God; '  and  he  departed  then  soon.

Then wondered  their  mother  that  they  strove  so  well,

and she  with  blithe  mood  ever  exhorted  her  children,

each one  severally,  and  said  to  them  all,

'I joined  not  your  limbs,  nor  did  I  supply you  with  life,

but the  world's  Creator  gave  you  your  spirit  and  life,

and He  again  will  give  you  the  eternal  life  with  Him,

even as  ye  now  ofifer  yourselves  for  His  law.'

Thereupon Antiochus,  the  impious  king,

promised the  one  boy  who  was  still  alive