Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/432

412 ANGLO-SAXON DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE. From The Phœnix, a Paraphrase of the Carmen de Phœnice, ascribed to Lactantius. Codex Exoniensis. Tr. by B. Thorpe, p. 197. I have heard tell, that there is far hence in eastern parts a land most noble, amongst men renowned. That tract of earth is not over mid-earth fellow to many peopled lands; but it is withdrawn through the Creator's might from wicked doers. Beauteous is all the plain, with delights blessed, with the sweetest of earth's odors : unique is that island, noble the Maker, lofty, in powers abounding, who the land founded. There is oft open towards the happy, untlosed, (delight of sounds !) heaven-kingdom's door. That is a pleasant plain, green wolds, spacious under heaven; there may not rain nor snow, nor rage of frost, nor fire's blast, nor fall of hail, nor descent of rime, nor heat of sun, nor perpetual cold, nor warm weather, nor winter shower, aught injure; but the plain rests happy and healthful. That noble land is with blossoms flowered: nor hills nor mountains there stand steep, nor stony cliffs tower high, as here with us; nor dells nor dales, nor mountain-caves, risings nor hilly chains; nor thereon rests aught unsmooth, but the noble field flourishes under the skies with delights blooming. That glorious land is higher by twelve fold of fathom measure, (as us the skilful have informed, sages through wisdom in writings show,) than any of those hills that brightly here with us tower high, under the stars of heaven. Serene is the glorious plain, the sunny bower glitters, the woody holt, joyously; the fruits fall not, the bright products, but the trees ever stand green, as them God hath commanded; in winter and in summer the forest is alike hung with fruits, never fade the leaves in air, nor will flame them injure, ever throughout ages, ere that an end to the world shall be. What time of old the water's mass