The Old English Physiologus | Page 5

place?Whence comes the perfume. There, unwary host,?They enter in, until the yawning mouth?Is filled to overflowing, when, at once,?Trapping their prey, the fearful jaws snap shut.?So, in this fleeting earthly time, each man?Who orders heedlessly his mortal life?Lets a sweet odor, some beguiling wish,?Entice him, so that in the eyes of God,?The King of glory, his iniquities?Make him abhorrent. After death for him?The all-accursed devil opens hell--?Opens for all who in their folly here?Let pleasures of the body overcome?Their spirits' guidance. When the wily fiend?Into his hold beside the fiery lake

whereupon there issues a ravishing perfume from his inwards, by which other kinds of fish are beguiled. With lively motions they swim to where the sweet odor comes forth, and there enter in, a heedless host, until the wide gorge is full; then, in one instant, he snaps his fierce jaws together about the swarming prey.
Thus it is with any one who, in this fleeting time, full oft neglects to take heed to his life, and allows himself to be enticed by sweet fragrance, a lying lure, so that he becomes hostile to the King of glory by reason of his sins. The accursed one will, when they die, throw wide the doors of hell to those who, in their folly, have wrought the treacherous delights of the body, contrary to the wise guidance of the soul. When the deceiver, skilful in wrongdoing, hath brought into that fastness,

?t t[=a]m [_[=a]_]dwylme, t[=a] te him on cleofiae,?gyltum gehrodene, and [=?]r georne his?75 in hira l[=i]fdagum l[=a]rum h[=y]rdon,
tonne he t[=a] grimman g[=o]man bihlemmee,??fter feorhcwale, f?ste t[=o]g?dre,?helle hlinduru. N[=a]gon hwyrft n[=e] swice,?[=u]ts[=i]t [=?]fre, t[=a] [_te_] t[=?]r in cumae,?80 ton m[=a] te t[=a] fiscas, farael[=a]cende,
of t?s hw?les fenge hweorfan m[=o]tan.?Forton is eallinga . . . . . . . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?dryhtna Dryhtne, and [=a] d[=e]oflum wiesace?85 wordum and weorcum, t?t w[=e] Wuldorcyning
ges[=e]on m[=o]ton. Uton [=a] sibbe t[=o] him,?on t[=a]s hw[=i]lnan t[=i]d, h[=?]lu s[=e]can,?t?t w[=e] mid sw[=a] l[=e]ofne in lofe m[=o]tan?t[=o] w[=i]dan feore wuldres n[=e]otan.

With evil craft has led those erring ones?Who cleave to him, sore laden with their sins,?Those who in earthly life have hearkened well?To his instruction, after death close shut?He snaps those woful jaws, the gates of hell.?Whoever enters there has no relief,?Nor may he any more escape his doom?And thence depart, than can the swimming fish?Elude the monster.
Therefore it is [best?And[1]] altogether [right for each of us?To serve and honor God,[1]] the Lord of lords,?And always in our every word and deed?To combat devils, that we may at last?Behold the King of glory. In this time?Of transitory things, then, let us seek?Peace and salvation from him, that we may?Rejoice for ever in so dear a Lord,?And praise his glory everlastingly.
[Footnote 1: Conjecturally supplied.]

the lake of fire, those that cleave to him and are laden with guilt, such as had eagerly followed his teachings in the days of their life, he then, after their death, snaps tight together his fierce jaws, the gates of hell. They who enter there have neither relief nor escape, no means of flight, any more than the fishes that swim the sea can escape from the clutch of the monster.
Therefore is it by all means [best for every one of us to serve[1]] the Lord of lords, and strive against devils with words and works, that so we may come to behold the King of glory. Let us ever, now in this fleeting time, seek from him grace and salvation, that so with the Beloved we may in worship enjoy the bliss of heaven for evermore.
[Footnote 1: Conjecturally supplied.]

III
THE PARTRIDGE[1]
H[=y]rde ic secgan g[=e]n bi sumum fugle?wundorl[=i]cne[2]. . . . . . . . . . . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f[=?]ger?t?t word te gecw?e wuldres Ealdor:?5 'In sw[=a] hwylce tiid sw[=a] g[=e] mid tr[=e]owe t[=o] m[=e]
on hyge hweorfae, and g[=e] hellfirena?sweartra gesw[=i]cae, sw[=a] ic symle t[=o] [=e]ow?mid siblufan s[=o]na gecyrre?turh milde m[=o]d; g[=e] b[=e]oe m[=e] sittan
[Footnote 1: The partridge (like the cuckoo) broods the eggs of other birds. When they are hatched and grown, they fly off to their true parents. So men may turn from the devil, who has wrongfully gained possession of them, to their heavenly Father, who will receive them as his children.]
[Footnote 2: Gap in the manuscript, probably of considerable length.]

About another creature have I