Page:The Elene of Cynewulf.djvu/24

 and strong in his service. And lo! ye of this knowledge unwisely and perversely cast Him forth when ye cursed Him who thought to loose you from your curse, your torture of fire, your servile bondage, through the might of His glory. Foully ye spat upon the face of Him who by his noble spittle wrought anew the light of your eyes, the cure of your blindness, and saved you oft from the unclean spirits of devils. Ye doomed Him to death who among a multitude of men roused from death itself unto their former life a number of your own race. Ye blind of soul, thus have ye confounded false with sooth, light with darkness, hate with reverence, and have woven a crime from your evil thoughts. Therefore doth this curse weigh you down in your sin—ye judged that pure Power, and until this day ye have lived with clouded thoughts in heresy. Go ye now quickly, and think upon the men most sage in wisdom and skilled in speech, who, versed in the knowledge of your law, hold it foremost in their hearts, and who may declare unto me truly and devise an answer for each token whereof I may ask them.’

Then, sorely grieved and saddened, and burdened with fear, the men wise in law went apart, and earnestly sought the deepest mystic words wherewith they might answer the queen whatsoever she asked of them, whether of good or of bad. And they found among their number a thousand of exceeding wisdom, who most fully knew the traditions of old among the Jews. In a great crowd they hastened to where, upon a royal throne in majesty, the kinswoman of the emperor waited, a stately queen of battle adorned with gold. And Elene spake before