The Dream of the Rood

VatopaidiFriend: “The Dream of the Rood (=Cross)” is a wonderful Old English poem written in the 8th century (before the Schism). It tells of how the Cross appeared to a man in a vision and spoke to him. It provides profound Orthodox insight on the Mystery of the Atonement. The translation into modern English is by Mary Rambaran-Olm. Note that today, with the Old (Julian) Calendar, we celebrate the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross (September 14/27).

1 Lo! I will tell of the best of dreams,

what I dreamed in the middle of the night,

after the speech-bearers were in bed.

It seemed to me that I saw a very wondrous tree

5 lifted into the air, enveloped by light,

the brightest of trees. That beacon was all

covered with gold. Gems stood

beautiful at the surface of the earth, there were five also

up on the central joint of the cross. All those fair through eternal decree gazed

10 [on] the angel of the Lord. [It] was certainly not a wicked person’s gallows there,

but holy spirits, men over the earth,

and all this famous creation gazed on him.

Wondrous was that tree of victory, and I stained with sins

wounded sorely with defects, I saw the tree of glory,

15 honoured with garments, shining joyously,

adorned with gold. Gems had

splendidly covered the Lord’s tree.

I was able, however, to perceive through the gold,

the ancient hostility of wretched ones, [that] it first began

20 to bleed on the right side. I was all troubled with grief,

I was afraid in the presence of that beautiful sight. I saw that noble beacon

change its coverings and colour; sometimes it was drenched with moisture,

soaked with the flow of blood, sometimes adorned with treasure.

Nevertheless, I, lying a long time there,

25 gazed troubled at the Saviour’s tree,

until I heard it speak.

The most excellent tree then began to speak the words:

It was years ago (that, I still remember),

that I was cut down from the edge of the forest,

30 removed from my foundation. Strong enemies seized me there,

they made me into a spectacle for themselves, commanded me to lift up their criminals.

Men carried me there on their shoulders, until they set me on a hill,

many enemies secured me there. Then I saw mankind’s Lord

hasten with great zeal, that he wished to climb upon me.

35 There, I did not dare break to pieces or bow down

against the Lord’s words, when I saw the surface

of the earth tremble. I was able to destroy

all the enemies, nevertheless, I stood firmly.

The young hero stripped himself then (that was God Almighty),

40 strong and resolute. He ascended onto the high gallows,

brave in the sight of many, there, [since] he wished to release mankind.

I trembled when the man embraced me. However, I dared not bow down to the earth,

fall to the surface of the earth, but I had to stand fast.

I was raised [as a] cross. I lifted up the mighty king,

45 the lord of the heavens; I dared not bend down.

They pierced me with dark nails. On me, the scars are visible,

open malicious wounds. I did not dare injure any of them.

They mocked both of us, together. I was all drenched with blood,

covered from the man’s side, after he had sent forth his spirit.

50 I endured many cruel events

on that hill. I saw the Lord of Hosts

severely stretched out. Darkness

had covered the bright radiance

of the Lord’s corpse with clouds, a shadow went forth,

55 dark under the sky. All of creation wept,

they lamented the king’s death. Christ was on the cross.

Nevertheless, eager ones came there from afar

to the prince. I beheld all that.

Grievously I was afflicted with sorrow, yet I bowed to the hands of the men,

60 humble, with great zeal. There they took God Almighty,

they lifted him up out of the oppressive torment. The warriors abandoned me

to stand, covered with moisture; I was wounded very badly with arrows.

They laid him down there, weary-limbed; they positioned themselves at his body’s head,

there they gazed at the Lord of heaven, and he, rested himself there for a while,

65 weary after the great battle. The men began to make a sepulcher for him

in the sight of his slayer; they carved it out of bright stone;

they put him, the Lord of Victories, therein. The wretched began to sing him a song of sorrow

in the evening-time, then they wanted to go again,

wearily from the glorious prince. He rested there with little company.

70 Nevertheless, we stood in a fixed position,

weeping for a good while, after the voice of the warriors

went up. The corpse cooled,

beautiful dwelling of the soul. Then they began to cut us all

down to the earth. That was a dreadful event!

75 We were buried in a deep pit. However, the Lord’s disciples,

friends, discovered me there,

and adorned me [with] gold and silver.

Now you can hear, my beloved hero,

what work of the evildoers that I have experienced,

80 the painful grief. The time is now come

that men over the earth and all this illustrious creation

far and wide honour me,

they pray to this sign. On me, God’s son

suffered a time. Therefore, now I rise up

85 glorious under the heavens, and I am able to heal

each one of those who hold me in awe.

Formerly, I was the most fierce of torments,

most hateful to people, before I opened the right

path of life to them, the speech-bearers.

90 Lo, the prince of glory, the guardian of the kingdom of the heavens,

honoured me over all the trees of the forest!

Just as he, Almighty God, before all men,

honoured his mother also, Mary herself,

over all womankind.

95 Now I command you, my beloved warrior,

that you tell this vision to men,

reveal in words that it is the tree of glory,

on which Almighty God suffered

for mankind’s many sins

100 and Adam’s deeds of old,

He tasted death there. However, the Lord arose again

to help men with his great power.

Then he ascended into the heavens. Hither again, the Lord, Himself,

will set out into this world

105 to seek mankind on the day of judgement,

Almighty God and His angels with Him,

since He who has power of judgement, He then will sentence

each one, just as he shall have earned

for himself here in this temporary life.

110 Nor can there be any unafraid there

because of the words which the Lord shall say:

He shall ask before the multitude, where the man might be,

who for the name of the Lord would taste

bitter death, as He did before on the cross.

115 But then they fear, and few think of

what to begin to say to Christ.

None needs to be afraid [of]

of [he] who already bears on his breast the best of signs,

but through the cross, each soul must seek

120 the kingdom from the earthly way,

those who intend to dwell with the Lord.

Then I prayed to the cross with friendly spirit,

with great zeal, where I was alone

with little company. My mind was

125 impelled on the way hence, it experienced very many

times of longing. Now this is my life’s joyous expectation

that I may seek the tree of victory

and honour [it] well

most often of all men. The desire for that is

130 great in my heart, and my patronage is

directed to the cross. I do not have many

powerful friends on earth, since they departed away hence

from the joys of the world, they sought the King of Glory;

now they live in the heavens with God the Father.

135 They dwell in glory, and each day

I look forward to the time when the cross of the Lord

that I previously saw here on the earth,

in this temporary life, will fetch me,

and will then bring me to where great bliss is,

140 joy in the heavens, where the Lord’s people are

seated at the feast, where perpetual joy is;

then it may set me, where afterwards I might

dwell in glory, with the saints

to enjoy bliss well. May the Lord be a friend to me,

145 who suffered here on earth before

on the gallows-tree for men’s sins;

he redeemed us and gave us life,

a heavenly home. Joy was restored

with blessings and with bliss, for those who endured the fire there.

150 The Son was triumphant on that expedition,

mighty and successful, when he came with the multitude,

the host of souls, into God’s kingdom,

the Lord Almighty, to the delight of the angels,

and of all the saints, who in the heavens before

155 dwelled in glory, when their Ruler, the Almighty

God came, where his homeland was.

Source: http://www.dreamofrood.co.uk