shall be raised
  The strife of warfare, with the battle-din
  Of heathens, and the warriors’ martial might. 
  Even to-morrow with the early dawn, 220
  At the sea’s border thou shalt straightway go
  On shipboard, and upon the waters cold,
  Over the ocean[1], break thy speedy way. 
  Thou hast My blessing over all the earth,
  Wherever thou shalt fare!” The Holy One,
  Ruler and Guardian, archangels’ King,
  The world’s Defense, betook Him to His home,
  That glorious home, where souls of righteous men
  After the body’s fall shall life enjoy. 
  So in that town this mission was decreed 230
  Unto the noble champion; not abashed
  In mind was he, but steadfast for the deed
  Heroic; hardy-hearted, firm in soul,
  No skulker he from battle, but prepared
  For warfare, in God’s struggle stout and bold.

  [Footnote 1:  Lit. “bath-road.”]

    So at the dawning, when the day first broke,
  He gat him o’er the sand-downs to the sea,
  Valiant in heart, and with him went his thanes
  To walk upon the shingle, where the waves
  Loud thundered, and the streams of ocean beat
  Against the shore.  Full glad was that brave saint
  To see upon the sands a galley fair 240
  Wide-bosomed.  Then, behold, resplendent dawn,
  Brightest of beacons, came upon her way,
  Hasting from out the murky gloom of night,
  And heaven’s candle shone across the floods. 
  Three seamen saw he there, a glorious band,
  Courageous men, upon their ocean-bark
  Sitting all ready to depart, like men
  Just come across the deep.  The Lord himself
  It was, the everlasting Lord of hosts,
  Almighty, with His holy angels twain. 
  In raiment they were like seafaring men, 250
  These heroes, like to wanderers on the waves,
  When in the flood’s embrace they sail with ships
  Upon the waters cold to distant lands.

    Then he who stood there, eager, on the shore,
  Upon the shingle, greeted him and said:—­
  “Whence come ye, men in seamanship expert,
  Seafaring on your ocean-coursing bark,
  Your lonely ship? whence has the ocean-stream
  Wafted you o’er the welter of the waves?”

    Then answered him again Almighty God, 260
  In such wise that the saint who heard His words
  Wist not what one of speaking men it was
  With whom he was conversing on the strand. 
  “From the land of Mermedonia are we come,
  Borne hither from afar; our high-prowed ship
  Carried us o’er the whale’s road with the flood,
  Our sea-horse fleet, all girt about with speed,
  Until we reached the country of this folk,
  Sea-beaten, as the wind did drive us on.”

    Then Andrew humbly answered him again:—­ 270
  “I fain would beg thee, though but little store
  Of jewels or of treasure I can give,
  That thou wouldst bring us in thy lofty ship,
  Over the ocean[1] on thy high-beaked boat,
  Unto that people; thou shalt meed receive
  From God, if kindness thou but show to us
  Upon our journey.”