[457]. know how to return, that is, to escape: comp. ‘hwan ic aȝen cherre; al ic þe ȝelde,’ OEH i. 79/12, and for the noun, ‘Þer deþ so redi fynt dore opene, | Ne may helpe no ȝeyn char,’ Desputisoun, 76/167; ‘efter-charr,’ CM 21922.
[458]. Often they have burst away, made good their escape: comp. 193/548 where the verb has an object in the acc. of the thing escaped from, as occasionally in OE., and as probably here also. For the second half of the line in its present form yields no satisfactory sense. Mätzner, who completed he[re], translates, with their heart incorruptible, inflexible, equating ouel with OWScand. ófalr. Read, ofte arn atbrosten mid hele . here brest iuel, often have they safely escaped from their evil danger. Comp. ‘Þe king Goffar iseih his burst; ⁊ unæðe him seolf atbreac,’ L 1610; ‘þa ofte ure Bruttes; makeden hufele burstes,’ id. 19856, and with the form brest, ‘or thei take reste | Er schal thei suffre mochel breste,’ Laud Troy Book, 4226; ‘To-quils þai duelled þar to rest, | O water had þai ful mikel brest,’ CM 6308.
[459]. Mätzner deletes herd, to correspond with, ‘Quod (i.e. periculum) qui fugerunt, hii tales esse tulerunt,’ T.; but in view of L 1334-1337 quoted above, it would be better to leave out told; the wise escape because they have been forewarned. With either alteration, the line remains formless: better, he hauen herd tellen . of tis mere unimete, with distinct alliteration in each half-line (comp. 464/15). Holthausen supplies is after ðat: the scribe probably understood the connection as, which, monstrous in this wise, as being half human and half fish, has a moral application (‘significacio’, ‘bitacnunge,’ 79/15) in virtue of this monstrosity.
[463], 464. Many men illustrate what is signified by this creature here adduced as a symbol. ‘Quam plures homines sic sunt in more biformes,’ T.; comp. 191/471.
[465]. Mätzner altered wulues to sepes; the source is, ‘Attendite a falsis prophetis, qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ovium, intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces,’ S. Matt. vii. 15.
[467], 468. ‘Utpote sunt multi qui de virtute locuti, | Turpibus indulgent,’ T. Perhaps of should be inserted before godcundhede.
[469]. vncuð wið: see 179/97. ‘Qui foris ut fantur, sic intus non operantur,’ T.
[474]. ðe legen, lie to thee, by presently breaking their oath: ‘unum dicentes, aliud mox tibi facientes,’ T.
[475]. sage, discourse: OE. sagu: comp. ‘heo wenden þat his sawen; soðe weren,’ L 749.
[476]. ðer imong, all the time they are promising.