The army encamped near at hand beside the river, nobles about their prince, for the space of a single night after they first beheld the course of their foes. Then unto the emperor himself in his sleep, as he 70 slumbered among his retinue, was disclosed the marvel of a dream, shown unto him with soul uplifted in the hope of victory. Him thought there appeared before him in the form of a man a certain warrior, radiant, resplendent, brilliant, more glorious than he ever beheld 'neath the heavens, before or since. Then, dight with his 75 boar-crested helmet, he started up from slumber, and straightway the messenger, a bright herald of glory, spake unto him and called him by his name, while the veil of night parted asunder: 'O Constantine, the King of angels, Wielder of fates and Lord of hosts, hath commanded to offer thee a 80 covenant. Fear thou not, though foreign peoples threaten thee with terror and bitter strife. Look to heaven, unto the Lord of glory. There shalt thou find aid and the token of victory.' 85
He was soon ready at the holy one's behest; he opened wide the secret places of his heart; he gazed on high, as the messenger, faithful weaver of peace, had bidden him. Over the roof of clouds he saw the beauteous tree of glory, gleaming with treasure and decked with gold—and the gems shone 90 brightly. The shining tree was inscribed with letters of brilliance and light: 'By this sign thou shalt overcome the foe in the dread peril; by this thou shalt stay the hated host.'
Then the light vanished, ascended up on high, 95 and together with it the messenger, unto the throng of the pure ones. And the king, the leader of men, was the blither and the freer from grief in his heart by reason of that fair vision.
4. THE BATTLE.
Then Constantine, bulwark of heroes and giver of gifts, battle-prince of armies and glorious king, 100 bade fashion with greatest haste a token like unto that sign he had seen, which had been disclosed before him in the heavens, the cross of Christ. And at dawn, with the first gleam of day, he bade 105 rouse the warriors and make ready for the stress of fight, lift up the emblem of battle, take the holy tree before them, and bear the sign of God into the press of their foes.
The trumpets rang loud at the army's front. 110 The raven rejoiced at the move; the dewy-feathered eagle scanned the march, the strife of battle-heated men; and the wolf, fellow of the forest, raised his song. Rife was the dread terror of battle.
Then there was the clash of shields and the shock of men, the bitter hand-to-hand struggle and the 115 slaughter of hosts, when once they had passed within an arrow's flight. On the fated folk dire enemies hurled a shower of darts, and with might of arm sent their spears, biting battle-adders, over the yellow shields into the midst of their foes. But with 120 courage undaunted the other host advanced; from time to time they surged forward, broke the rampart of shields, thrust their swords between, and sternly kept their way.
Then was the standard, the token, raised before the armies, and they chanted the victors' song. Over the field of battle gleamed spears and helmets 125 of gold. The pagan host was conquered; in merciless strife they fell. As the king of the Romans, dauntless in battle, bade raise that holy tree, the peoples of the Huns straight fled away, and their warriors were scattered far and wide. Some 130 perished in the fight, some saved themselves hardly on the march, some, with life half-ebbed, fled to fastnesses and nursed their strength behind barren rocks, some seized the land near the Danube, and 135 some were finally drowned in the river's current. Then was the army of valiant heroes rejoiced, and from break of day until eve they followed hard upon the foreign foe, while the spears flew, biting 140 battle-adders. The horde of hated shield-bearers was lessened; but few of the army of Huns returned thence home again.
Then was manifest from that day's deed that the King Almighty gave unto Constantine victory, 145 glorious honor, and a realm beneath the heavens, through 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.