14. The Embassy to Constantine.
Then was the fair news of the morning manifest among the nation, spread far throughout the people, to the vexation of many who would keep secret the970 law of the Lord. It was heralded through the cities, as far as the sea embosoms the land, through every town, that the rood of Christ, buried of yore in the earth, had been found, best emblem of victory of them that were raised aloft before or since, holy975 beneath the heavens. Unto the Jews, men of misfortune, it was a most bitter grief and most hated of fates that they could change neither it nor the joy of the Christians in the world. Then the queen980 bade messengers from her noble company make them ready with haste, for they were to seek the lord of the Romans over the deep sea, and declare unto that warrior in person the best of glad tidings—how the tree of victory, that had been hidden a long985 time before to grieve the holy ones, the Christian people, had been discovered and found in the earth through the grace of the Creator.
Then was the soul of the king rejoiced at that990 fair news, and his heart filled with gladness. And in the city there was no want of richly-clad questioners concerning what was come from afar. The greatest comfort in the world, a joyful soul, was995 come unto him at these glad tidings which the messengers, leaders of the army, brought to him over the eastern ways, how the warriors with the glorious queen had made a prosperous voyage over the sea into the land of the Greeks. The emperor bade them prepare themselves again for the journey with1000 the greatest haste. The warriors made no delay when once they heard the answer, the message of the prince. He bade them, heroes hardy of soul, give greeting to Elene, renowned in war, if they should survive the sea and make a prosperous1005 voyage unto the holy city. And Constantine furthermore bade the messengers charge her to build a church there on the mountain-slope for the weal of them both, a temple of the Lord on Calvary for1010 the joy of Christ and the solace of men, there where the holy rood was found, fairest of all trees the dwellers on earth have ever known.1015