Andreas III

When the brave-spirited mounted into the ship, eager to depart,
the mind of each was blessed upon the mere-flood.
Then Andrew began to beg the Chief of Glory for mercy
for the sea-farers over the waves’ toss, and spoke in words thus:
“May the Lord give you glory magnificent, your wishes
in this world and in the fruit of glory, the Maker of Man-kind,
as you have made your peace known to me on this voyage!” (349-58)

He sat himself then near the Holy Helm-ward, noble by noble.
I have never heard a more comely ship laden with such high-treasures.
The heroes sat therein, glorious princes and proud thanes.
Then the Prince of Dominion spoke, the Almighty Eternal,
and ordered his angel, the famous kin-servant, to go and give
foodstuffs to those destitute of comfort so that they could
the more easily endure their condition over the welling waves. (359-69a)

Then the whale-mere became vexed and agitated.
The garfish sported gladly through the spear-waves
and the gull reeled grey and carrion-greedy.
The weather-candle was obscured.
Winds swelled. Waves ground together.
Currents were stirred. The rigging creaked and the tackle was soaked.
Water-terror stood in the strength of its violence.
The thanes became timid-hearted upon the sea-currents—
none of those who had sought this ship with Andrew believed
that he would ever regain the land still living. They did not yet
know who guided that sea-floater upon the sea. (369b-81)

Then the holy one on the sea-path, Andrew, still
a prince-loyal thane then, spoke thanks over the oar-blending
to him, the counselor to kingdoms, when he was fed:
“May the Truth-fast Creator, the Life’s Light-origin,
the Wielder of Hosts, make recompense unto you
for this provender and give you food, heavenly bread
as you have revealed your friendship in peace to me
over these mountainous waves. Now my servants,
these young battle-warriors, are afflicted. The spear-waves,
the steaming ocean, are roaring. The sea floor is troubled,
the deeps disturbed, the multitude perturbed,
the power of proud men is much oppressed.” (382-95)

The Shaper of Heroes replied to him from the helm:
“Now let our float ferry you to dry land,
the ship over the sea-fastness, and then bid
your servants to alight onto the earth until your soon return.” (396-400)

At once, those earls gave him answer, those thanes
toil-enduring, saying that they would not suffer to abandon
their beloved teacher at the ship’s stem, and choose the land
for themselves. They said: “Where would we turn,
lordless, sad-minded, starved for good, wounded by our sins,
if we should desert you? We would be hated in every land,
vile to every people, whenever the sons of man, courage-bold,
hold council and discuss which of them always attended
their lord the best in battle, suffering straits on the war-plain
when shield and hand are ground down by swords in the spite-play.” (401-14)

Then the Prince of Realms spoke, the pledge-fast King,
and heaved up a word at once: “If you are the thanes
of He that Sits in Majesty, the Glory-King,
as your word claims, then recite those mysteries,
how he instructed the speech-bearers under the lofty sky.
Long is the journey-path across the fallow waves:
comfort your servants in their hearts. There is now a great distance
yet to go over the ocean-stream—the land is so far to seek.
The sands are churned up, the ground with grit.
God can easily effect help for sea-farers.” (415-26)

Then Andrew wisely began to strengthen his disciples with words,
his glory-speeding men: “When you all mounted upon the sea,
you were mindful that you would conduct your life to a hostile people,
and for the love of the Lord might suffer death,
giving up your souls in the homeland of wholly evil men.*
I myself know that the Shaper of Angels shields us,
the Lord of Armies. Compelled and rebuked by the Might-king,
these water-terrors, the tossing ocean, must become more gentle. (427-37)

“So it happened once upon a time, that the Disciples ventured
a ford over the surging strife in a sea-boat.
The water-ways seemed horrible and fearsome:
water-streams beat the shore-boards;
the sea-water often answered back, wave upon wave.
Sometimes the terrors stood up from the ocean’s bosom
over the wave-ship, into the breast of the boat. (438-44a)

“The Almighty, the Maker of Man-kind bright in the sea-rusher,
expected this. The warriors were fearful in their hearts,
desiring peace, mercies for the famous one.
When the watery multitude began chatter upon the ship,
the king soon arose, the Blessing-giver of Angels,
and quieted the waves, the welling of the water.
The winds were chastened, the sea subsided, the boundaries
of the ocean-currents became tranquil again.
Then our hearts laughed since we had seen the wind and waves
under heaven’s circuit and the terror of the deep grow afraid
for fear of the Lord. Therefore I wish to say to you as truth:
the living god will never abandon an earl upon the earth,
if his courage avails.” (444b-60)

Thus sounded the holy champion, mindful of his servants.
The blessed warrior taught his thanes; he strengthened his men
until forthwith they were bested by sleep, exhausted beside the mast.
The sea-storm abated; the endeavors of the waves, the tempest’s
sea-violence soon was transformed. Then Andrew’s spirit became
gladdened by the holy one, after that terror-spell. (461-8)

Then he began to speak, keen of counsels, wise in his wits,
to unfasten his word-chest: “It strikes me that I have never
met a better sea-farer, a robust rower more counsel-prudent,
nor more learned in his speech. Now I would like to ask you
one further favor as a nobleman un-notorious, even though
I am light in rings and golden riches, of things treasure-worthy
that I can give you. I wish to obtain your good friendship,
glory-fast prince, if I might. Afterwards you will get a share
of holy joy in heavenly majesty if you are generous with your lore
to those sea-weary ones. I want to discover one skill from you,
royal-famed hero, that you might teach me the power and glory—
such as the King, the Shaper of Men has given you—
how you direct the swimming power of this wave-floater,
this sea-horse drenched by the sea. (469-88)

“It chanced that I have been some sixteen times, now and again,
on a sea-boat, with hands stirring the frozen ocean,* the water-currents.
This time is once more. Thus I have never seen any man,
no might-born hero the likes of you, no steersman over the stern.
The tide-swell roars, it beats the shore-boards.
This boat is so well equipped;* it fares foamy-necked,
very much like a bird, gliding on the ocean. I know for certain
that I have never seen such proficiency at sail-going
across the wave-trail. It is almost like the ship stood still on land,
where the storm nor the wind can shake it,
nor the floodwaters break its sword-shining-prow—
yet the ship speeds on the sea, swift under sail. (489-505a)

“You are young yourself, a haven for war-faring men
—not at all advanced in winters—
yet you, sea-tossed, have in your soul the answer of a noble man.
You know the wise sense of every word for this world.” (505b-9)

To him replied the Eternal Lord: “Often it occurs
that we are on the sea-way in ships among sailors,
when a storm comes, breaking across the bath-way, in watery horses.*
At times it goes laboriously with us among the waves,
upon the sea, though we escape and continue the terrible passage.
The flood-welling cannot hinder at once any men contrary to the grace
of the Maker: but he binds for himself the power of life,
just as He binds the waters and compels and rebukes the brown waves.
He must rule rightfully, he that heaved up the heavens and affixed
them with his own hands; that shaped and supported
the bright bounty-home filled with glory, thus was blessed
the homeland of angels through his sole might.” (510-25)

Therefore it is an evident and manifest truth,
known and understood, that you, Andrew, are the King’s own
pious servant, of He That Sits in Glory, because the sea-mound,
the course of the spear-waves, immediately recognized you,
that you held the favor of the Holy Ghost. The sea soon
retreated, the blending of the oar-waves. The terror was stilled,
the broad-bosomed wave.* The ford-waters were calmed
after they understood that God, who by strong power
established the gift of glory, was wound up in you.” (526-36)

Then the brave-souled champion exclaimed in a holy voice,
honoring the King, the Wielder of Glory, and thus spoke in words:
“Be blessed, Hero of Man-kind, Delivering Lord!
Ever shall your fame live! Both near and far is your holy name
beautified in glory across the human-nations, celebrated
for your mercies. There is no man under the heaven-vault,
none of the race of heroes, who could relate or may know
the count of how gloriously you deal out your favor,
Prince of Nations, Spiritual Savior. Indeed it is apparent,
Preserver of Souls, that you have honored this young man
with such gifts, so he would be so loyal in his youth and wise
in his wits and word-sayings. I have never met among his
even-elders one more wise in his heart’s understanding.” (537-54)

Then from the ship spoke the Glory of Kings to Andrew,
the Beginning and the End and boldly asked:
“Say, thane wise in thought, if you know,
how it happened that among doubting men,
those men wicked in deceitful thought,
the people of Judea heaved up harmful speech
against the Son of God. There men not unwicked—
angry and sad-minded—did not believe in their own Life-start,
that he was God, even though he made known many
wonders to the people, quite evident and manifest.
The sinning could not recognize the king-born,
he who was conceived as shelter and comfort to the race of men,
to all earth-dwellers. The noble one increased in word and wisdom,
but praise-holding, he always revealed openly no small deal
of those wonders to those pride-eaten people.” (555-71)

Andrew then gave him a reply: “How could it happen
in a human nation that you have not heard of the Savior’s power,
dearest of men, how he made known his gift throughout the wide world,
the child of the Sovereign? He gave the mute speech, the deaf hearing,
the blind sight; he made the spirits of the lame and the leprous
rejoice; those that had long been limb-sick, weary, weak of health,
bound in torments, throughout the cities. So he awoke
with a word many of the various kindred of men from death
in the ground-way. Likewise he, kingly-famous, also made known
many miracles through the power of his art.
He consecrated for his war-band wine from water
and ordered it to change into a better sort, to bring his men joy.
Likewise, he fed from two fishes and five loaves
five thousand of the kindred of men.
The walking troop sat down, sad-minded, united at rest,
weary after the wandering, and received this meal,
men upon the earth, as was most agreeable to them. (572-94)

“Now you can hear, dearest young man,
how the Guardian of Glory showed us love with words
and deeds in this life, and through his teaching
urged us toward that joyous glory, that place
where at liberty and blessed with the angels,
those that seek the Lord after death can occupy.” (595-600)