The Old English Physiologus | Page 4

ocean-reedbank begirt with sand-dunes, so that seamen imagine they are gazing upon an island, and moor their high-prowed ships with cables to that false land, make fast the ocean-coursers at the sea's end, and, bold of heart, climb up

and tonne in t?t [=e]glond [=u]p gew[=i]tae?collenfer[_h_]te; c[=e]olas stondae?bi state f?ste str[=e]ame biwunden.?Donne gew[=i]ciae w[=e]rigfer[_h_]ee,?20 faroel[=a]cende, fr[=e]cnes ne w[=e]nae.
On t[=a]m [=e]alonde [=?]led weccae,?h[=e]ah fyr [=?]lae. H?let b[=e]ot on wynnum,?r[=e]onigm[=o]de, r?ste gel[y]ste.?Tonne gef[=e]lee f[=a]cnes cr?ftig?25 t?t him t[=a] f[=e]rend on f?ste wuniat,
w[=i]c weardiae, wedres on luste,?eonne semninga on sealtne w[=?]g?mid t[=a] n[=o]te niter gew[=i]tet,?g[=a]rsecges g?st, grund ges[=e]cee,?30 and tonne in d[=e]aesele drence bif?stee
scipu mid scealcum.
Sw[=a] bie scinn[en]a t[=e]aw, d[=e]ofla w[=i]se, t?t h[=i] droht[i]ende?turh dyrne meaht duguee besw[=i]cae,?and on teosu tyhtat tilra d[=?]da,?35 w[=e]mae on willan, t?t h[=y] wrate s[=e]cen,

The weary-hearted sailors mount the isle,?And, free from thought of peril, there abide.?Elated, on the sands they build a fire,?A mounting blaze. There, light of heart, they sit--?No more discouraged--eager for sweet rest.?Then when the crafty fiend perceives that men,?Encamped upon him, making their abode,?Enjoy the gentle weather, suddenly?Under the salty waves he plunges down,?Straight to the bottom deep he drags his prey;?He, guest of ocean, in his watery haunts?Drowns ships and men, and fast imprisons them?Within the halls of death.
Such is the way?Of demons, devils' wiles: to hide their power,?And stealthily inveigle heedless men,?Inciting them against all worthy deeds,?And luring them to seek for help and comfort

on that island; the vessels stand by the beach, enringed by the flood. The weary-hearted sailors then encamp, dreaming not of peril.
On the island they start a fire, kindle a mounting flame. The dispirited heroes, eager for repose, are flushed with joy. Now when the cunning plotter feels that the seamen are firmly established upon him, and have settled down to enjoy the weather, the guest of ocean sinks without warning into the salt wave with his prey (?), and makes for the bottom, thus whelming ships and men in that abode of death.
Such is the way of demons, the wont of devils: they spend their lives in outwitting men by their secret power, inciting them to the corruption of good deeds, misguiding

fr[=o]fre t[=o] f[=e]ondum, ott?t hy f?ste e[=?]r??t t[=a]m w[=?]rlogan w[=i]c gec[=e]osae.?Tonne t?t gecn[=a]wee of cwics[=u]sle?fl[=a]h f[=e]ond gem[=a]h, t?tte f[=i]ra gehwylc?40 h?leta cynnes on his hringe bit
f?ste gef[=e]ged, h[=e] him feorgbona,?turh sl[=i]ten searo, sittan weortee,?wloncum and h[=e]anum te his willan h[=e]r?firenum fremmae; mid t[=a]m h[=e] f[=?]ringa,?45 heolothelme biteaht, helle s[=e]cee,
g[=o]da g[=e]asne, grundl[=e]asne wylm?under mistgl[=o]me, sw[=a] se micla hw?l?se te bisencee s[=?]l[=i]tende?eorlas and [=y]emearas.
H[=e] hafae [=o]tre gecynd,?50 w?tertisa wlonc, wr[=?]tl[=i]cran g[=i]en.
Tonne hine on holme hunger bysgae,?and tone [=a]gl[=?]can [=?]tes lystet,?eonne se mereweard m[=u]e ont[=y]nee,

From unsuspected foes, until at last?They choose a dwelling with the faithless one.?Then, when the fiend, by crafty malice stirred,?From where hell's torments bind him fast, perceives?That men are firmly set in his domain,?With treachery unspeakable he hastes?To snare and to destroy the lives of those,?Both proud and lowly, who in sin perform?His will on earth. Donning the mystic helm?Of darkness, with his prey he speeds to hell,?The place devoid of good--all misty gloom,?Where broods a sullen lake, black, bottomless,?Just as the monster, Fastitocalon,?Destroys seafarers, overwhelming men?And staunch-built ships.
Another trait he has,?This proud sea-swimmer, still more marvelous.?When hunger grips the monster on the deep,?Making him long for food, his gaping mouth?The ocean-warder opens, stretching wide

them at will so that they seek help and support from fiends, until they end by making their fixed abode with the betrayer. When, from out his living torture, the crafty, malicious enemy perceives that any one is firmly settled within his domain, he proceeds, by his malignant wiles, to become the slayer of that man, be he rich or poor, who sinfully does his will; and, covered by his cap of darkness, suddenly betakes himself with them to hell, where naught of good is found, a bottomless abyss shrouded in misty gloom--like that monster which engulfs the ocean-traversing men and ships.
This proud tosser of the waves has another and still more wonderful trait. When hunger plagues him on the deep, and the monster longs for food, this haunter of the sea opens his mouth, and sets his lips agape;

w[=i]de weleras; cymee wynsum stenc?55 of his innote, t?tte [=o]tre turh tone,
s[=?]fisca cynn, beswicen weoreat.?Swimmae sundhwate t[=?]r se sw[=e]ta stenc?[=u]t gew[=i]t[e]e. H[=i] t[=?]r in farae,?unware weorude, ott?t se w[=i]da ceafl?60 gefylled bie; tonne f[=?]ringa
ymbe t[=a] hereh[=u]te hlemmee t[=o]g?dre?grimme g[=o]man.
Sw[=a] bit gumena gehw[=a]m?se te oftost his unw?rl[=i]ce,?on t[=a]s l[=?]nan t[=i]d, l[=i]f bisc[=e]awae:?65 l[=?]tee hine besw[=i]can turh sw[=e]tne stenc,
l[=e]asne willan, t?t h[=e] bit leahtrum f[=a]h?wie Wuldorcyning. Him se [=a]wyrgda ong[=e]an??fter hins[=i]te helle ont[=y]nee,?t[=a]m te l[=e]asl[=i]ce l[=i]ces wynne?70 ofer ferh[e]gereaht fremedon on unr[=?]d.
Tonne se f[=?]cna in t[=a]m f?stenne?gebr[=o]ht hafae, bealwes cr?ftig,

His monstrous lips; and from his cavernous maw?Sends an entrancing odor. This sweet scent,?Deceiving other fishes, lures them on?In swiftly moving schools toward that fell