is not metrically sufficient
to fill the _lacuna_.

[5] Lit., 'awaited.'

[6] So Gn.? 'Scouring,' Sw.?, Kr.?, C.

[7] 'Hostile,' Sw.?

XI.

Then had she gained glorious honor,
Judith in war, as God to her granted,
The Ruler of Heaven, who gave to her victory.
The cunning maid then quickly brought 125
The army-leader's head so bloody
In that [very] vessel in which her attendant,
The fair-faced woman, food for them both,
In virtues renowned, thither had brought,
And it then so gory to her gave in hand, 130
To the thoughtful-in-mind to bear to their home,
Judith to her maid. Went they forth thence,
The women both in courage bold,
Until they had come, proud in their minds,
The women triumphant, out from the army, 135
So that they plainly were able to see
Of that beautiful city the walls [fair] shine,
Bethulia. Then jewel-decked they
Upon the foot-path hastened to go,
Until glad-minded they had arrived 140
At the gate of the wall. The warriors sat,
The watching men were keeping ward
Within that fortress, as before to the folk,
Sad in their minds, Judith had bidden,
The cunning maiden, when she went on her journey, 145
The stout-hearted woman. Then again was she come,
Dear to her people, and then quickly ordered
The wise-minded woman some one of the men
To come to meet her from out the wide city,
And her in haste to admit within 150
Through the gate of the wall, and this word she spake
To the victor-folk: "To you can I say
A thought-worthy[1] thing, that no longer ye need
Mourn in your minds: your Creator is kind,
Glory of kings: that is become known 155
Wide through the world, that to you is success
Glorious at hand, and honor is granted
For [all] those sorrows which long ye suffered."
Glad then were they, the dwellers-in-borough,
After they heard how the holy one spake 160
O'er the high wall. The host was in joy.
To the fortress-gate the people hastened,
Men, women together, in troops and heaps,
In crowds and throngs, hurried and ran
To meet the Lord's maid by thousands and thousands, 165
Both old and young: to each one became
Of men in the mead-city his mind rejoiced,
After they knew that Judith was come
Again to her home, and then in