gh his holy rood. And he, renowned in battle,
a bulwark of armies, returned thence home
again when the war was decided, exulting in his
spoil. Famed in the fight, a defense for heroes, the 150
king came with a throng of thanes to visit his
cities and stud his shield with jewels.

5. THE ASSEMBLY.

Then the Lord of men straight summoned the
wisest to council, those who had pondered the craft
of wisdom in writings of old and held nobly to 155
the rede of scholars. And the prince of the people,
victory-inspired king, asked through the vast assembly
if there were any man there could tell and declare
unto him truly who the god was, giver of good 160
gifts, 'whose sign this was which appeared unto
me so bright, the most gleaming of tokens, saved
my people, and gave unto me glory and war-speed
against my foes through the holy tree.' 165

But no one of them could give him any answer
in return, nor knew they full well what to say about
the victor-tree. Then spake the wisest before the
multitudes, and said that it was a sign from the King 170
of heaven, and of that there could be no doubt.

6. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE.

But they who had learned the truth, who were
taught through baptism, were joyful in soul, and
their hearts were light that they might declare before 175
the emperor the grace of the gospel: how the
Saviour of souls, revered in threefold majesty, was
born; how God's own Son was hung upon the cross
in bitter agony before the multitudes; how He freed 180
the children of men and souls of the careworn from
the snares of devils, and gave unto them grace
through the very thing that had been disclosed to
his own sight as a sign of victory against the onrush
of foes; and how on the third day the Glory 185
of men and Lord of all mankind rose from the
tomb and from death, and ascended into heaven.
Men wise in the mystic things of the Spirit thus said
unto the victory-inspired monarch as they had 190
learned from Silvester. And at their hands the
prince of the people received baptism, and held to
the faith according to the will of the Lord from that
time forth throughout the length of his days.

Then was the giver of gifts content, the king
stern in battle; a new joy was come into his heart. 195
The Lord of the kingdom of heaven was his greatest
solace