His beauty was not marred, nor was the hem
Loosed from his cloak, nor lock from off his head;
No bone was broken, and no bloody wounds
Were in his body, and no injured limb
Wet with his blood through wounding stroke of sword;
But there he stood by God's most noble might
Whole as before, giving to Him the praise.

Lo, I awhile the story of the saint--
The song of praise of him who did the deeds--
Have set forth here in words, a tale well known, 1480
Beyond my power; much is there yet to tell--
A weary task--what he in life endured,
From the beginning on! A wiser man
Upon the earth than I account myself
Must in his heart invent it, one who knows
From the beginning all the misery
Which bravely he endured in cruel wars.
Yet in small parts we further must relate
A portion of that tale. It has been told
Already how he suffered many woes 1490
From grievous warfare in the heathen town.

Beside the prison-wall set wondrous fast
He saw great pillars, work of giants old,
All beaten by the storms. With one of these
He converse held, mighty and bold of heart;
Prudent and wondrous wise, he spake these words:--
"Give ear, thou marble stone, to God's command,
Before whose presence all created things--