Page:The Elene of Cynewulf.djvu/39



Thereupon the glad and zealous man set forth the three trees of victory before Elene in open view. The queen rejoiced in her heart at the deed, and asked on which of those trees the Son of the King, Giver of joy to men, was crucified: ‘Lo! we heard it declared from the holy book that two suffered with Him, and He Himself was the third on the cross. All the heavens grew dark in that woful hour. Say, if thou knowest, on which of these trees the Lord of angels and Prince of glory suffered.’

But Judas could not declare unto her fully concerning that tree of victory, on which the Saviour, the conquering Son of God, was hung, for he wist it not assuredly. Then he bade set the crosses with tumult in the midst of the fair city, there to abide until the King Almighty should show forth a miracle before the people through that tree of glory. With souls uplifted in their victory, they sat themselves down about the rood, and with earnest thought raised their voices in song until the ninth hour, when they had new joy, gloriously gained. For many came there, no small multitude, and among the press of men close by on a bier they brought one who was dead, a young man, lifeless; and it was the ninth hour.

And there was the heart of Judas gladdened with great joy. He bade them set down upon the earth him whose soul had fled, the body forsaken of life, the dead man, and he himself, wise and earnest revealer of truth, raised up in his arms two of those crosses over the lifeless frame. But the body, fast