'Thank-worthy,' Kr, XII

Thus then the thanes in the morning-hours Pressed on the strangers unceasinglý, Until they perceived, those who were hostile, The army-folk's chiefest leaders, That upón them sword-strokes mighty bestowed The Hebrew men. They thát in words To their most noted chiefs of the people Went to announce, waked helmeted warriors And to thém with fear the dread news told, To the weary-from-mead the morning-terror, The hateful sword-play. Then learnt I that quickly The slaughter-fated men aroused from sleep Ánd to the baleful's sleeping-bower The saddened men pressed ón in crowds, To Holofernes: they only were thinking To their own lord to make known the fight, Ere terror on him should take its seat, The might of the Hebrews. They all imagined That the prince of men and the handsome maid In the beautiful tent were [still] together, Judith the noble and the lustful one, Dreadful and fierce; though no earl there was Whó the warrior durst [then] awake, Or durst discover how the helmeted warrior With the holy maid had passed his time, The Creator's handmaid. The force approached, The folk of the Hebrews, courageously fought With hard battle-arms, fiercely repaid Their former fights with shining swords, The old-time grudge; was óf the Assyrians By thát day's work the glory diminished, The pride brought low. The warriors stood 'Round their prince's tent strongly excited, Gloomy in mind. They then all together Began to groan, to cry aloud And gnash with their teeth,—afar from God,— Showing their anger; 'twas the end of their glory, Of joy and valor. The earls were thinking To awaken their lord; they did not succeed. Then at last and too late was one so bold Of the battle-warriors that to the bower-tent He daringly ventured, since need him compelled: Found he then on the bed lying deadly-pale His [own] gold-giver of breath bereft, Of life deprived. Then quickly he fell Astounded to earth, gan tear his hair, Excited in mind, and his garments too, And this word he spake to the warriors [brave], Who saddened there were standing without: "Here is displayed our own destruction, The future betokened, that it is to the time Now amongst men almost arrived, When wé our lives shall lose together, In battle perish: here lies with sword hewn Our lord beheaded." They then sad-in-mind Threw down their weapons and sorrowful went To hasten in flight. They fought on their tracks, The mighty folk, till the greatest part Of the army lay, in battle struck down, On the victor-plain, hewn down with swords, To wolves for pleasure, and to slaughter-greedy Fowls for a joy. Those who lived fled The shields of their foes. Went on their tracks The Hebrews' host, honored with victory, With glory ennobled; them took the Lord God Fairly to help, the Lord Almighty. They bravely then with shining swords, Stout-hearted heroes, a war-path wrought Through heaps of their foes, hewed down their shields, Cut through their phalanx: the warriors were Enraged in battle, the Hebrew men; The thanes at that time were much delighted At the combat with spears. Here fell in the dust The highest part of the chiefest number Óf the Assyrians' princely nobility, Of the hateful race; very few came Alive to their homes. The nobly-bold turned, Warriors retiring, among the slaughtered, The smoking corpses; it was time to take For the dwellers-in-land from the loathsome ones, Their ancient foes deprived of life, The gory booty, the shining trappings, Shields and broad swords, brown-colored helmets, Precious treasures. Gloriously had they On thát folk-place their foes overcome, The defenders of home their ancient foes With swords put-to-sleep: behind them rested Those who in life were most hateful to them Of living races. Then all the people, Of tribes most renowned, for one month's space, The proud twisted-locked, bore and carried To that bright city, Bethulia [named], Helmets and hip-swords, hoary byrnies, War-trappings of men adorned with gold, More precious treasures than any man Of the cunning-in-mind may be able to tell, All that the warriors with might had won, The bold under banners on the battle-place By means of Judith's [most] clever lore, The moody maid's. As meed for her From that expedition, they brought for herself, The spear-strong earls, of Holofernes The sword and gory helm, likewíse the byrnie broad, Adorned with reddish gold, all that the warrior-chief, The brave, of treasure had, or individual wealth, Of rings and jewels bright; thát to the lady fair, The wise-in-mind, gave théy. For all that Judith said Glory to the Lord of hosts, who honor to her gave, Fame in realm of earth, and meed in heaven too, Reward in the glory of heaven, because true faith she had Ín the Almighty ever; now at last she doubted not Of the meed which long she yearned for. For that to the dear Lord be Glory for ever and ever, who made both wind and air, The heavens and roomy lands, likewíse the rushing streams, And joys of firmament too by means of his mercy mild.

So Sw.; 'weary in mind,' Gn., Kr., C.

'Hostile,' C., though 'flashing,' 194, and 'gleaming,'

Lit., 'cough.'

So Gn. and Kr.; 'with violence,' Sw.; 'with afflictions,'

So Sw. and Kr.; 'Of the hostile shield-warriors,' Gn. and

i.e., 'spirited.'