Elene

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 1,322 sections

200
goldwine gumena in godes þeowdom,
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æscrof, unslaw. þa se æðeling fand,
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leodgebyrga, þurh larsmiðas,
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guðheard, garþrist, on godes bocum
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hwær ahangen wæs heriges beorhtme
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on rode treo rodora waldend
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æfstum þurh inwit, swa se ealda feond
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forlærde ligesearwum, leode fortyhte,
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Iudea cyn, þæt hie god sylfne
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ahengon, herga fruman. þæs hie in hynðum sculon
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to widan feore wergðu dreogan!
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þa wæs Cristes lof þam casere
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on firhðsefan, forð gemyndig
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ymb þæt mære treo, ond þa his modor het
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feran foldwege folca þreate
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to Iudeum, georne secan
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wigena þreate hwær se wuldres beam,
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halig under hrusan, hyded wære,
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æðelcyninges rod. Elene ne wolde
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þæs siðfates sæne weorðan,
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ne ðæs wilgifan word gehyrwan,
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hiere sylfre suna, ac wæs sona gearu,
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wif on willsið, swa hire weoruda helm,
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byrnwiggendra, beboden hæfde.
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Ongan þa ofstlice eorla mengu
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to flote fysan. Fearoðhengestas
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ymb geofenes stæð gearwe stodon,
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sælde sæmearas, sunde getenge.
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ða wæs orcnæwe idese siðfæt,
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siððan wæges helm werode gesohte.
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þær wlanc manig æt Wendelsæ
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on stæðe stodon. Stundum wræcon
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ofer mearcpaðu, mægen æfter oðrum,
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ond þa gehlodon hildesercum,
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bordum ond ordum, byrnwigendum,
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werum ond wifum, wæghengestas.
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Leton þa ofer fifelwæg famige scriðan
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bronte brimþisan. Bord oft onfeng
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ofer earhgeblond yða swengas;
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sæ swinsade. Ne hyrde ic sið ne ær
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on egstreame idese lædan,
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on merestræte, mægen fægerre.
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þær meahte gesion, se ðone sið beheold,
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brecan ofer bæðweg, brimwudu snyrgan
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under swellingum, sæmearh plegean,
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wadan wægflotan. Wigan wæron bliðe,
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collenferhðe, cwen siðes gefeah,
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syþþan to hyðe hringedstefnan
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ofer lagofæsten geliden hæfdon
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on Creca land. Ceolas leton
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æt sæfearoðe, sande bewrecene,
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ald yðhofu, oncrum fæste
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on brime bidan beorna geþinges,
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hwonne heo sio guðcwen gumena þreate
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ofer eastwegas eft gesohte.
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ðær wæs on eorle eðgesyne
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brogden byrne ond bill gecost,
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geatolic guðscrud, grimhelm manig,
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ænlic eoforcumbul. Wæron æscwigan,
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secggas ymb sigecwen, siðes gefysde.
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Fyrdrincas frome foron on luste
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on Creca land, caseres bodan,
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hilderincas, hyrstum gewerede.
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þær wæs gesyne sincgim locen
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on þam hereþreate, hlafordes gifu.
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Wæs seo eadhreðige Elene gemyndig,
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þriste on geþance, þeodnes willan
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georn on mode þæt hio Iudeas
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ofer herefeldas heape gecoste
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lindwigendra land gesohte,
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secga þreate. Swa hit siððan gelamp
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ymb lytel fæc þæt ðæt leodmægen,
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guðrofe hæleþ to Hierusalem
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cwomon in þa ceastre corðra mæste,
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eorlas æscrofe, mid þa æðelan cwen.
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Heht ða gebeodan burgsittendum
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þam snoterestum side ond wide
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geond Iudeas, gumena gehwylcum,
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meðelhegende, on gemot cuman,
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þa ðe deoplicost dryhtnes geryno
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þurh rihte æ reccan cuðon.
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ða wæs gesamnod of sidwegum
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mægen unlytel, þa ðe Moyses æ
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reccan cuðon. þær on rime wæs
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þreo M þæra leoda
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alesen to lare. Ongan þa leoflic wif
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weras Ebrea wordum negan:
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"Ic þæt gearolice ongiten hæbbe
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þurg witgena wordgeryno
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on godes bocum þæt ge geardagum
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wyrðe wæron wuldorcyninge,
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dryhtne dyre ond dædhwæte.
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Hwæt, ge ealle snyttro unwislice,
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wraðe wiðweorpon, þa ge wergdon þane
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þe eow of wergðe þurh his wuldres miht,
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fram ligcwale, lysan þohte,
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of hæftnede. Ge mid horu speowdon
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on þæs ondwlitan þe eow eagena leoht,
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fram blindnesse bote gefremede
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edniowunga þurh þæt æðele spald,

The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, transcribed by sacred-texts.com (sacred-texts.com/neu/ascp/), via CLTK's old_english_text_sacred_texts mirror; released into the public domain. Licence: Public domain (Unlicense). Source.