leaders returned
Over perilous paths through the piles of the slaughtered,
Of reeking corpses; good occasion there was
315 For the landsmen to plunder their lifeless foes,
Their ancient enemies in their armor laid low,
Of battle spoils bloody, of beautiful trappings,
Of bucklers and broad-swords, of brown war-helmets,
Of glittering jewels. Gloriously had been
320 In the folk-field their foes overcome,
By home-defenders, their hated oppressors
Put to sleep by the sword. Senseless on the path
Lay those who in life, the loathsomest were
Of the tribes of the living.

6. The Spoil

Then the landsmen all,
325 Famous of family, for a full month's time,
The proud curly-locked ones, carried and led
To their glorious city, gleaming Bethulia,
Helms and hip-knives, hoary burnies,
Men's garments of war, with gold adorned,
330 With more of jewels than men of judgment,
Keen in cunning might count or estimate;
So much success the soldier-troop won,
Bold under banners and in battle-strife
Through the counsel of the clever Judith,
335 Maiden high-minded. As meed for her bravery,
From the field of battle, the bold-hearted earls
Brought in as her earnings the arms of Holofernes,
His broad sword and bloody helmet, likewise his breast-armor
large,
Chased with choice red gold, all that the chief of the
warriors,
340 The betrayer, possessed of treasure, of beautiful trinkets and
heirlooms,
Bracelets and brilliant gems. All these to the bright maid they
gave
As a gift to her, ready in judgment.

7. The Praise

For all this Judith now rendered
Thanks to the Heavenly Host, from whom came all her success,
Greatness and glory on earth and likewise grace in heaven,
345 Paradise as a victorious prize, because she had pure belief
Always in the Almighty; at the end she had no doubt
Of the prize she had prayed for long. For this be praise to
God,
Glory in ages to come, who shaped the clouds and the winds,
Firmament and far-flun