Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race
our master's dream, and in yon fair castle we shall find the maiden
whom our emperor loves."
The Finding of the Maiden
So they went through the lovely land of Arvon to the castle of
Caernarvon, and in that lordly fortress was the great hall, with the
two youths playing chess, the venerable man carving chessmen, and the
maiden in her chair of gold. When the ambassadors saw the fair
Princess Helena they fell on their knees before her and said: "Empress
of Rome, all hail!" But Helena half rose from her seat in anger as she
said: "What does this mockery mean? You seem to be men of gentle
breeding, and you wear the badge of messengers: whence comes it, then,
that ye mock me thus?" But the ambassadors calmed her anger, saying:
"Be not wroth, lady: this is no mockery, for the Emperor of Rome, the
great lord Maxen Wledig, has seen you in a dream, and he has sworn to
wed none but you. Which, therefore, will you choose, to accompany us
to Rome, and there be made empress, or to wait here until the emperor
can come to you?" The princess thought deeply for a time, and then
replied: "I would not be too credulous, or too hard of belief. If the
emperor loves me and would wed me, let him find me in my father's
house, and make me his bride in my own home."
The Dream Realized
After this the thirteen envoys departed, and returned to the emperor
in such haste that when their horses failed they gave no heed, but
took others and pressed on. When they reached Rome and informed Maxen
Wledig of the success of their mission he at once gathered his army
and marched across Europe towards Britain. When the Roman emperor had
crossed the sea he conquered Britain from Beli the son of Manogan,
and made his way to Arvon. On entering the castle he saw first the two
youths, Kynon and Adeon, playing chess, then their father, Eudav, the
son of Caradoc, and then his beloved, the beauteous Helena, daughter
of Eudav. "Empress of Rome, all hail!" Maxen Wledig said; and the
princess bent forward in her chair and kissed him, for she knew he was
her destined husband. The next day they were wedded, and the Emperor
Maxen Wledig gave Helena as dowry all Britain for her father, the son
of the gallant Caradoc, and for herself three castles, Caernarvon,
Caerlleon, and Caermarthen, where she dwelt in turn; and in one of
them was born her son Constantine, the only British-born Emperor of
Rome. To this day in Wales the old Roman roads that connected Helena's
three castles are known as "Sarn Helen."
CHAPTER III: THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE AND ELENE
The Greatness of Constantine Provokes Attack
In the year 312, the sixth year after Constantine had become emperor,
the Roman Empire had increased on every hand, for Constantine was a
mighty leader in war, a gracious and friendly lord in peace; he was a
true king and ruler, a protector of all men. So mightily did he
prosper that his enemies assembled great armies against him, and a
confederation to overthrow him was made by the terrible Huns, the
famous Goths, the brave Franks, and the warlike Hugas. This powerful
confederation sent against Constantine an overwhelming army of Huns,
whose numbers seemed to be countless, and yet the Hunnish leaders
feared, when they knew that the emperor himself led the small Roman
host.
The Eve of the Battle
The night before the battle Constantine lay sadly in the midst of his
army, watching the stars, and dreading the result of the next day's
conflict; for his warriors were few compared with the Hunnish
multitude, and even Roman discipline and devotion might not win the
day against the mad fury of the barbarous Huns. At last, wearied out,
the emperor slept, and a vision came to him in his sleep. He seemed to
see, standing by him, a beautiful shining form, a man more glorious
than the sons of men, who, as Constantine sprang up ready helmed for
war, addressed him by name. The darkness of night fled before the
heavenly light that shone from the angel, and the messenger said:
"O Constantinus, the Ruler of Angels,
The Lord of all glory, the Master of heaven's hosts,
Claims from thee homage. Be not thou affrighted,
Though armies of aliens array them for battle,
Though terrible warriors threaten fierce conflict.
Look thou to the sky, to the throne of His glory;
There seest thou surely the symbol of conquest."
_Elene._
Vision of the Cross
Constantine looked up as the angel bade him, and saw, hovering in the
air, a cross, splendid, glorious, adorned with gems and shining with
heavenly light. On its wood letters were engraved, gleaming with
unearthly radiance:
"With this shalt thou conquer the foe in the conflict,
And with it shalt hurl back the host of the heathen."
_Elene._
Constantine is Cheered
Constantine read these words with awe and gladness, for indeed he knew
not what deity had thus favoured him, but he would not reject the help
of the Unknown God; so he bowed his head in reverence, and when he
looked again the cross and the angel had disappeared, and around him
as he woke was the greyness of the rising dawn. The emperor summoned
to his tent two soldiers from the troops, and bade them make a cross
of wood to bear before the army. This they did, greatly marvelling,
and Constantine called a standard-bearer, to whom he gave charge to
bear forward the Standard of the Cross where the danger was greatest
and the battle most fierce.
The Morning of Battle
When the day broke, and the two armies could see each other, both
hosts arrayed themselves for battle, in serried ranks of armed
warriors, shouting their war-cries.
"Loud sang the trumpets to stern-minded foemen
The dewy-winged eagle watched them march onward,
The horny-billed raven rejoiced in the battle-play,
The sly wolf, the forest-thief, soon saw his heart's desire
As the fierce warriors rushed at each other.
Great was the shield-breaking, loud was the clamour,
Hard were the hand-blows, and dire was the downfall,
When first the heroes felt the keen arrow-shower.
Soon did the Roman host fall on the death-doomed Huns,
Thrust forth their deadly spears over the yellow shields,
Broke with their battle-glaives breasts of the foemen."
_Elene._
The Cross is Raised
Then, when the battle was at its height, and the Romans knew not
whether they would conquer or die fighting to the last, the
standard-bearer raised the Cross, the token of promised victory,
before all the host, and sang the chant of triumph. Onward he marched,
and the Roman host followed him, pressing on resistless as the surging
waves. The Huns, bewildered by the strange rally, and dreading the
mysterious sign of some mighty god, rolled back, at first slowly, and
then more and more quickly, till sullen retreat became panic rout, and
they broke and fled. Multitudes were cut down as they fled, other
multitudes were swept away by the devouring Danube as they tried to
cross its current; some, half dead, reached the other side, and saved
their lives in fortresses, guarding the steep cliffs beyond the
Danube. Few, very few they were who ever saw their native land again.
There was great rejoicing in the Roman army and in the Roman camp when
Constantine returned in triumph with the wondrous Cross borne before
him. He passed on to the city, and the people of Rome gazed with awe
on the token of the Unknown God who had saved their city, but none
would say who that God might be.
A Council Summoned
The emperor summoned a great council of all the wisest men in Rome,
and when all were met he raised the Standard of the Cross in the midst
and said:
"Can any man tell me, by spells or by ancient lore,
Who is the gracious God, giver of victory,
Who came in His glory, with the Cross for His token,
Who rescued my people and gave me the victory,
Scattered my foemen and put the fierce Huns to flight,
Showed me in heaven His sign of deliverance,
The loveliest Cross of light, gleaming in glory?"
_Elene._
At first no man could give him any answer--perhaps none dared--till
after a long silence the wisest of all arose and said he had heard
that the Cross was the sign of Christ the King of Heaven, and that the
knowledge of His way was only revealed to men in baptism. When strict
search was made some Christians were found, who preached the way of
life to Constantine, and rejoiced that they might tell before men, of
the life and death, the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ,
who redeemed mankind from the bonds of evil; and then Constantine,
being fully instructed and convinced, was baptized and became the
first Christian emperor.
Constantine Desires to Find our Saviour's Cross
Constantine's heart, however, was too full of love for his new Lord to
let him rest satisfied without some visible token of Christ's sojourn
on earth. He longed to have, to keep for his own, one thing at least
which Jesus had touched during His life, and his thoughts turned
chiefly to that Cross which had been to himself both the sign of
triumph and the guide to the way of life. Thus he again called
together his Christian teachers, and inquired more closely where
Christ had suffered.
"In Judaea, outside the walls of Jerusalem, He died on the Cross," they
told him.
"Then there, near that city, so blest and so curst, we must seek His
precious Cross," cried Constantine.
Summons his Mother Elene
Forthwith he summoned from Britain his mother the British Princess
Elene, and when she had been taught the truth, had been converted and
baptized, he told her of his heart's desire, and begged her to journey
to Jerusalem and seek the sacred Cross.
Elene herself, when she heard Constantine's words, was filled with
wonder, and said: "Dear son, thy words have greatly rejoiced my heart,
for know that I, too, have seen a vision, and would gladly seek the
Holy Cross, where it lies hidden from the eyes of men."
Elene's Vision
"Now will I tell thee the brightest of visions,
Dreamt at the midnight when men lay in slumber.
Hovering in heaven saw I a radiant Cross,
Gloriously gold-adorned, shining in splendour;
Starry gems shone on it at the four corners,
Flashed from the shoulder-span five gleaming jewels.
Angels surrounded it, guarding it gladly.
Yet in its loveliness sad was that Cross to see,
For 'neath the gold and gems fast blood flowed from it,
Till it was all defiled with the dark drops."
_Dream of the Rood._
In this dream of Elene's the Cross spoke to her, and told her of the
sad fate which had made of that hapless tree the Cross on which the
Redeemer of mankind had released the souls of men from evil, on which
He had spread out His arms to embrace mankind, had bowed His head,
weary with the strife, and had given up His soul. All creation wept
that hour, for Christ was on the Cross.
"Yet His friends came to him, left not His corpse alone,
Took down the Mighty King from His sharp sufferings--
Humbly I bowed myself down to the hands of men.
Sadly they laid Him down in His dark rock-hewn grave,
Sadly they sang for Him dirges for death-doomed ones,
Sadly they left Him there as His fair corpse grew cold.
We, the three Crosses, stood mournful in loneliness,
Till evil-thinking men felled us all three to ground,
Sank us deep into earth, sealed us from sight of man."
_Dream of the Rood._
She Undertakes the Quest
As Constantine had been guided by the heavenly vision of the True
Cross, so now Elene would journey to the land of the Jews and find the
reality of that Holy Cross. Her will and that of her son were one in
this matter, so that before long the whole city resounded with the