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By mdrout, on September 26th, 2007 The seafarer tells how he suffered while on the sea, bound with cold, tormented by hunger. The land-dweller can never understand this suffering.
The cry of the swan and the laughter of the gannets take the place of human voices, the seagull’s voice come instead of the sound of the mead-hall. Storms beat against the cliffs while the birds cry. There are no kinsmen here.
He who has lived life in the cities does not understand how the seafarer has to remain on the path of exile upon the ocean. Hail falls to earth, the coldest of grains.
The seafarer’s thoughts fly far away from his body, and the seafarer thinks on how no one on earth is every so happy or good that he does not worry about his own metaphorical seafaring. When one is thinking of God, he will not think of the harp or the ring-giving or women or anything of the world.
The woods bloom, the cities become more beautiful, the fields increase and the world goes on. But these things should encourage those who wish to travel on the ocean to set out. The cry of the cuckoo foretells sorrow, but the man who is rich does not understand this or that people should follow the path of exile.
The seafarers soul moves beyond his breast, wanders around the ocean paths and returns. The pleasures of God are better than this dead life, loaned on the land. No man will enjoy riches forever; soon one of three things will destroy him: sickness or old age or the sword will take his life.
Therefore every man should know that the praise of the living is the best last word. He should perform great deeds against enemies so that men will afterwards praise him and his name will live on forever.
The days have passed and there is now no king or caesar or gold-giver like there once was. All have passed away; the weaker ones remain in the world. The earth’s beauty grows sere just as old age weathers a man, making is face grow pale. He mourns and remember his former friends who are now in their graves. When he is dead, he will not be able to enjoy life, move or think. A brother can cover his kinsman’s grave with old, but that will be no help for his soul when he comes before God.
This world will pass although God made the foundations strong. Foolish is he who does not fear God; death will come upon his at unawares. Blessed is the humble man; he will receive grace. A man must steer his heart and be worthy of trust and pure, behaving with balance in good times and bad. Fate and God are stronger than the mind of any man.
Let us therefore consider our eternal home and how we may travel there. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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By mdrout, on September 25th, 2007 Thus the wise father, the mind-wise man, old in good-choices, taught his gentle-born child with wise-fast words so that he might grow well. Always do that which is good and your works will thrive. God will always be a lord and protector of every good thing for you; the enemy will worsen works against others. Train yourself to that which is better: always do this with valor as long as you live. Love [your] father and mother with all your heart, each one of your kin if they are in the love of God. To your elders be always dutiful, fair-worded, in your mind think kind thoughts of your teachers, those who are eager to encourage you to goodness.
The wise father spoke again to his son, another time. Hold this with courage: do not carry out crime; no, never consent to it in your friend or kinsman, the less that the Measurer might accuse you, that you are a knower of sin; he will grant punishment to you as likewise he will grant to the others prosperity.
A third time the thought-wise man taught his child with heart-thoughts. Do not dwell with anyone worse, ever, for any reason, but always take for yourself a counselor who is always able to speak in spells and lore, in whatever way he is in the world.
A fourth time the father again taught his mind-loved child, so that he would remember this. Do not desert an apart-friend, but always hold with rightness, perform this with courage, so that you never become treacherous to your friend.
A fifth time the father began with heart-thoughts to teach his child. Pro- tect yourself from drunkenness and foolish words, crime in the heart and lying in the mouth, from anger and malice, and the love of women; be- cause he must often journey away shame-minded, he who succumbs to the love of a woman, a foreign maid- en; there may always be expectation of crimes, loathsome shames, long enmity against God, excessive pride. May you always be wise in sayings, wary against desires; guard [your] words.
A sixth time the beloved one again began to teach his child, with blithe thoughts. Eagerly understand what is good or evil, and separate them always with a sharp mind in your spirit and always choose that which is better. Al- ways it is given to you — if your spirit avails, dwells in wisdom, and you know well, and recognize evil, hold yourself with valor against it, and al- ways cherish goodness in your heart.
A seventh time, the wise man, the father, taught his son, said much to the young one. A wise man rarely rejoic- es sorrowless; likewise a fool rarely rejoices sorrowful about his future, unless he knows hostility. A wise man must be word-cautious, think in the heart, not at all out loud with noise.
An eighth time the old father began to admonish his kin with mild words: learn the lore, the lore adapted for instruction. Teach yourself wisdom. Trust the Lord of Hosts whom you have as a hope, the memory of saints, and always look for truth, when you say anything.
A ninth time the old man spoke, the old scholar, said a great many things to his heir. There are not now many folk that wish to hold the ancient writings, but for them the mind decays, valor cools, duty becomes idle. They do not care a bit for that, though they do error against the Lord’s bidding. Many must thus receive soul-misery, but let you in your heart hold always the old writings and the judgments of the Lord, those which here in each kin-group men permit very much to decline, more than would be for their own rightness.
A tenth time, full of misery-sorrow, the old man again began to teach his heir. He uses wisdom, he who for the love of his soul, guards himself from errors, of words and deeds, always in his soul, and supports truth. To him every gift will be increased by God, with abundant might, when he flees from sin. Do not let an- ger, the abyss of hostile-words, ever rule you, high in the heart, smite you with whelmings. But the stout-minded man guards himself, his thoughts, against that. A man must be fast in wisdom, and measured, and wise of mind, prudent in thought, eager for wisdom, so that he with other people can have his por- tion of happiness. Do not be too ready to blame, nor too double-speaking, nor in your mind think too contemptuously about men, but be loving, light in soul, bear the breast-coffer, so you remember, my son, the lore of the wise father, and hold yourself always against sin.
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By mdrout, on September 24th, 2007 New gifts are many and visible on the earth, those which the bearers of spirits experience in their understanding. So the Lord of hosts, the Measurer strong in powers, deals out to men, gives spe- cial gifts, sends widely His own favor, of which each one of the troop-com- panions may receive a portion. Nor is any man on earth so unhap- py, poor, small-spirited or slow-spir- ited that to him the Giver of all will deprive him of the strength of mind or deeds of strength, wisdom in wits or in wordspeakings, so that he will not despair of all things which he has wrought in the worldly life, of each gift. God never determines that anyone must be this miserable. No one again through wisdom strength will rise up in the nation, in the glory of this life, so that the Guardian of the folk will send hither, through His holy grace, wise thoughts and world strengths, all under one’s power; lest in pridefulness the man strong in mind, full of the favors of heaven, turn from moderation and then, arrogant, neglect the poor ones. But He who has the power of judgment deals out diversely, around this middle-earth, the skills of people for the land-dwellers.
To one here on earth He bestows goods, worldly treasures. One is unlucky, a man short of happiness, but is on the other hand skillful in the craft of the mind. One amply receives physical strength. One is freely beautiful in fruitfulness. One is a poet gifted with songs. One is ready of speech. One is quickly eager in the chase, hunting animals. One is dear to a world-powerful man. One is hardy in war, a battle-crafty warrior, when the shield rings. One is able to plan in council the regulation of the folk, when the wise ones are together in an assembly. One is able to plan all sorts of beautiful, high-timbered works; his hand is skilled, wise and controlled. So he works rightly to build a hall, knows how to bind fast the wide structure against collapsing.
One may play the harp with his hands; he has cleverness upon the glee- board. One is able to run, one is a good shot, one is limb-keen, one is fast on land, footspeedy. One steers a ship on the fallow waves, knows the sea-road, pi- lots ships over the wide waves, when sea-rovers pull the oars alongside the gunnel with quick power. One is skilled in swimming, one is treasurecrafty of gold and gems, when the guardian of men commands him to create famous treasure for him. One, a mind-crafty weaponsmith, is able to make many weapons for use in war, when he works helmet or sword for the battle of men, armor or shining blade or the roundness of the shield, welded fast against the flying of spears. One is honor-fast, and eager to give alms, virtuous in obedience.
One is a servant ‘turned’ in the mead-hall. On is skillful with horses, wise in horse- craft. One is ruled by his own mind, endures in patience when he has to. One knows judgment where the troop- companions debate counsel. One is good at dice-playing. One is clever at wine-tasting, a good beer-keeper. One is a good builder, able to build a house. One is a battle-leader, a strong leader of armies. One is a folk-counselor. One is valiant when need be, a ser- vant with his lord. One has patience, a fast-bound spirit. One is a bird-killer, crafty with hawks. One is fast on a horse. One is very quick, has amusing tricks, a gift for glee-deeds, for the people, light and limb-flexible. One is gracious, has a spirit and a word agreeable to people.
One here eagerly embraces in mind the needs of the spirit and to him the hope of God is chosen over all the earth. One is brave-minded in devil-struggles, is always ready to fight against sins. One has strength in many church duties, is able loudly to praise the ruler of life with praise songs, has an elevated, bright voice. One is book- wise, skillful in lore. One is skillful at writing wordsayings.
There is not now any man on earth that is so crafty-minded, nor is there anyone so strengthened, that all these things become accomplished alone by him, unless vainglory injures him, or his heart rises because of his fame, if he has alone, surpassing all men, beauty and wisdom and the glory of works.
But He diversely restrains the kin of men from vainglory, and His grace gives to one virtue, to the other power, to one beauty, to one in war, to one man He gives a mild heart, a virtuous mind, one is loyal to a master. So worthily the Lord widely sows His benefits. May He always have honor, light-borne praise, He who thus gives life to us, and shows to men His mild heart.
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By mdrout, on September 21st, 2007 A poem of great sadness and beauty, the Wanderer is the lament of an exile, longing for the lost days of happiness when he was with his lord. A wise man keeps his thoughts locked in his breast. He recognizes how all the world is fleeting, strong walls standing empty, rime-covered, blasted by storms. The halls are empty because the men are dead, carried off by war, by beasts, buried in graves.
Where is the horse? Where is the rider? Where is the giver of gold? Where are the joys of the hall?
Alas, the bright cup! Alas, the mailed warrior! Alas, the power of the prince. Time has passed, grown dark under the night helm, as if it had never been. Now remains only a trace, a wall, high and decorated. Spears took the men; storms thrash the stones. Snow binds the earth, the winter wind. Then darkness, the shadow of night, hail falls, men fear.
There is much hardship on this earth. Fate changes the world under the heavens. Here wealth is loaned, here a friend is loaned, here a man is loaned, here a kinsman is loaned. All the foundations of the earth stand idle.
Good is he who holds his truth. A man must never recite his sorrow, speak from his breast, unless he knows how to cure himself with courage. Well will it be for him who seeks favor from the father in heaven, where for us the eternal foundation lies.
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By mdrout, on September 20th, 2007 Juliana is then taken to the edge of that country to be killed. She speaks to the crowd, encouraging them to remember God in heaven and to hold fast in faith. She is then killed with a sword.
Then the nobleman takes a ship voyage and he and all his men are drowned. But Juliana’s body is taken by many people to her grave inside the city.
[Then follows the exhortative passage that contained Cynewulf’s runic signature. The first part of the passage is difficult to interpret, but seems to mean that Cynewulf is in great need and that he hopes that the saint will give him help when those closest to him must part. His soul will depart from his body on a journey. He will pass away and God will be angry when those who have sinned must await judgment. Cynewulf will be afraid].
He remembers all his sins and weeps for them. He will need favors when he dies. Cynewulf prays that everyone who reads the poem will remember his name and pray to God for him on Judgment Day. He concludes by praying that we will all find God merciful in that time.
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By mdrout, on September 19th, 2007 [this leaf begins with the end of a prayer by Juliana]
After Juliana finishes praying, an angel puts out the fire where she was standing unharmed. The nobleman now needed to find another way to execute Juliana, so he orders her to be thrown into boiling lead.
But when she is pushed in, the boiling lead explodes, killing 75 of the onlookers. And not one hair of her head nor one thread of Juliana’s clothing is burned.
The nobleman is furious, and commands that Juliana be decapitated by a sword. Juliana is happy when she hears this, because she knows that her life will now be set free.
Suddenly, the same devil that Juliana had forced to confess arrives from hell. He speaks to the crowd, telling them to punish her because she had humiliated him. Juliana looks at the devil and he scrambles away, saying that he is destroyed because she has shamed him so much.
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By mdrout, on September 18th, 2007 The devil continues his confession, admitting that he blinds, cripples and burns people. He also causes their veins to burst and brings about drownings and crucifixions. He also causes strife through drunkenness, and some people he kills with his own hands. It would take more than a full summer’s day to tell how many evil things he has done since Adam and Eve lost paradise.
The devil says he has also caused all wars. He notes that no other person had ever conquered him before Juliana. He will have to tell what happened to him in his dark home (i.e., hell).
The nobleman has Juliana led out of her cell. She drags the devils along with her and begs her not to humiliate him in front of the men. Juliana releases him to go back to the pit. The devil is very concerned that he will have to tell the other devils what happened to him.
[here a leaf is missing from the MS].
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By mdrout, on September 17th, 2007 The devil continues to explain how he can harm people by encouraging them into sin. He says that he has to retreat, humiliated, if a soldier of God remains steadfast and bold in prayer. Then the devil has to seek out a weaker soldier. Even if this soldier attempts to do a good deed, the devil looks upon his whole conscience and finds a weak point and then convinces the weaker solider that it is easier to give into the desires of the flesh. The devil seeks to destroy the soul, so that the body will become food for worms.
Juliana speaks again, commanding the devils to explain how the devil can put himself in the company of good people and why he is not afraid of people steadfast in truth.
The devil ask Juliana how she has managed to fetter him, and answers that she trusted in God. Likewise the devil trusts in the power of his father, the king of hell. He worries that he will be humiliated in hell because of his defeat by Juliana and asks her to pity him in his need.
Juliana tell him he will have to confess more evils deeds. The devils replies that he knows he must suffer anything that she commands.
[it is particularly interesting how much C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters seems to owe to this passage]
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By mdrout, on September 14th, 2007 [there is a break in the text here. The next leaf begins in the middle of the devil’s confession]
The devil is confessing to having been a part of many bad things. Caused Herod to cut off John’s head, got Simon to start persecuting, Nero to kill Peter and Paul, Pilate to crucify Christ, Ægas to crucify Andrew… I’ve helped do so much evil stuff that I can’t remember it all.
Juliana says: tell me more. Who sent you?
The devils says that his father, the king of helldwellers, sent him. Wow, you should see how terrible hell is and how miserable and afraid we all are. My father sends his servants all over the world to do bad things. And if we aren’t able to turn someone to evil, we get punished.
Juliana says: tell about how you injure people who are usually strong in truth, how do you get them to fall into sin?
The devils says he change shape and turns the minds of those who are strong in truth. I give them heart-lusts, delusions, the desire for sinful pleasures. And when I succeed, my victim goes away from prayer and takes up vices. I bring terror on those I hate for their faith and, if they obey me, they aftewards die, bereft of virtues.
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By mdrout, on September 13th, 2007 The nobleman gives Juliana another chance to obey him, but she refuses, saying the she trusts in God. The nobleman then has Juliana hung by her hair on a gallows and be beaten for six hours. Then he ordered her to be taken down and put in prison. Lying inside the prison door, she continued to praise God. The Holy Spirit was her companion.
Then a devil came into the prison, but in the form of an angel. He spoke to Juliana and asked her why she is refusing to give in. He tells her that God wants her to go make a sacrifice to the pagan gods.
Juliana asks where he has come from, and he says he is an angel of God, and that God orders her to save herself.
Juliana cries out to God, asking to be allowed not to submit and asks Him to prove that the devil really is His messenger.
A voice answers from the heavens and tells Juliana to seize the devil and force him to tell his errand.
Juliana grasps the devil.
[here there is a missing MS leaf]
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By mdrout, on September 12th, 2007 Juliana tells her father that she will never accept a marriage with the nobleman unless he becomes Christian.
Her father, furious, says that if she goes on worshipping alien gods, and refuses to be married to the nobleman, she will be torn by animals. To insult the lord of a terrible path of action.
Juliana says that as long as she lives she will not speak a lie. She does not fear and ordeals nor will she ever be turned from the worship of Christ.
The father ordered her to be flogged and put to torture and tells her to change her mind.
She refuses, saying she will only honor the true God.
So Africanus, the father, handed Juliana over to Eleusius.
This nobleman ordered her to be taken to his judgment seat in front of all the people, and he said to her: Juliana, you are very sweet. If you will now worship our gods, you will avoid many tortures.
Juliana refuses, saying that she is not intimidated by threats.
So the nobleman ordered Juliana to be stretched out naked and beaten with whips.
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By mdrout, on September 10th, 2007 We have heard of what happened in the days of the persecutions of Maximian: he hated Christians. There was a nobleman who sacrificed to idols. He began to desire Juliana, but she wanted to preserve her virginity. Julian’s father promised her to the nobleman.
Julian said to the man: if you believe in the true God and stop worshipping idols, I will be commanded by you.
The nobleman became enraged and summoned her father. He said to her father: your daughter does not want to accept my love. This is an insult to me because she says that I have to worship another god.
Juliana’s father beame angry and said: if what you are saying is true, I will turn her over to you for punishment, even a death sentence. He went to speak to Juliana and said: you are the sweetest to me in the world, but you are making a mistake. This nobleman would be good to have as a friend. Do not let his love slip away.
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By mdrout, on September 7th, 2007 Christ will shine above the heavenly city and the birds, the chosen ones, will follow him. They can never be harmed by the enemy because they are clothed in light, just like the Phoenix. A bright corona, adorned with jewels, will rise upon each one’s head. They will dwell in beauty with the Father and the angels.
Nothing will harm them, not strife, poverty, work, hunger thirst, disease or old age. The spirits will praise the Lord, singing “Peace be to you, etc.”
Just as God was born into the world yet remained holy, suffered death and torment on the cross but received life again, so too the Phoenix indicates the Son of God when he arises from the ashes to new life. Just as the Savior gave us help through his body, so too the bird fills its wings with sweet herbs, the fruit of the earth.
These are the words which writings tell us will go up to heaven and bring a beautiful smell of words and works as a gift to God.
[the poem becomes macaronic here, with the a-verse of each line in Old English and the b-verse in Latin]
May there be eternal praise for the Lord. He is the right King of the world and of the heavenly troop, in the glorious city. He has granted us the ability to earn joy in heaven by good deeds. There we can live in grace, look upon the Lord, and sing Him praises with the angels. Alleluia.
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By mdrout, on September 6th, 2007 Then in that hour of revelation the image of the bird will come. Things will be well for those who may find favor with God at that time.
Spirits will return to their bodies while the fire rises up to the heavens. The blessed will be clothed with their works: these are represented by the herb with which the bird builds its nest before it is burned up and reborn renewed. Likewise all men will be re-clothed in flesh, renewed. Then holy spirits will sing as the blessed are raised up, clothed with their good deeds.
Let no one think I am making this up. Listen to the wisdom of Job, who says that he will be allowed, just like the phoenix bird, to be renewed after resurrection.
So the wise man in the early days sang so that we would better understand what the bird means. The bird gathers up the ashes, bones and cinders and brings them in his feet to the Lord’s land. So, after death, souls will journey with the body, adorned, like the bird, with noble smells, to great joy in the heavenly city.
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By mdrout, on September 5th, 2007 We have learned how God made the first man and woman and set them in paradise. They lacked nothing as long as the obeyed the Lord’s command not to eat of the tree, but the ate the apple against God’s command. For this they suffered punishment and ever since their children have paid for their sin. They had to give up the noble land due to the serpent’s seduction. Paradise was closed until the King of Glory opened it to the holy ones through his Advent.
The migration of the bird is similar to this. We he is old, he leaves his dwelling place and find a high tree in the woods in which he builds a nest. He wishes to have a new life through fire. Likewise our ancestors left paradise and made a long journey on which monsters harmed them often.
But there are many on earth who serve the Lord and he is pleased with them. This is the tree in which the holy live. No enemies can harm them there. The warrior for the Lord builds a nest for himself through his good deeds. The Lord is a shield to him. The good deeds are the herbs and fruits which the bird gathers from near and far.
Out of these herbs a city in the heavens will be built for them. This way the blessed one earns joy and a heavenly home with the Lord until the end of the world, when death takes the life of each man and sends the bodies to where they will remain until the fire comes.
That day the Lord will lead all men into a gathering and pass judgment on all men. The blessed will depart to heaven while the world burns.
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