and his wife with them. And when the sun arose, peace-candle of
men, then, as I have heard, the Lord of glory sent brimstone out
of heaven, black fire and raging flame, in vengeance upon men,
because so long in days gone by they had displeased the Lord.
The Ruler of spirits gave them their reward!

(ll. 2547-2561) And a great fear gripped the heathen race; din
arose in their cities, wailing of sinful men, a wretched people
at the point of death. All that was green in the golden cities
the flame devoured; likewise no little portion of the wide land
round about was covered with flame and terror. Fair groves and
fruits of the earth were turned to ash and glowing ember, even as
far as that grim vengeance swept the broad land of men. A
roaring flame, destroying all things high and spacious, consumed
the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah. All this the Lord God
destroyed, and the people with it.

(ll. 2561-2575) But when Lot's wife heard the rushing flame, and
dying men within the city, she looked behind her to that place of
death. Straightway, the writings tell us, she was changed into
the likeness of a pillar of salt; and ever since, the image (far-
famed is the story) has stood in silence where that bitter
vengeance came upon her, because she would not heed the bidding
of the thanes of glory. Hard and high-towering in that spot of
earth she must abide her fate, the doom of God, till time shall
cease and the world vanish away. That is a wonder which the Lord
of glory wrought!


XXXVII