(ll. 362-376) Noah, the great prince, sailed over unknown waters,
deepest of floods that ever came on earth, and his three sons
with him. Within his heart he cherished holy faith. Wherefore
he steered across the oceanstreams the richest treasure whereof I
ever heard. To save the life of all the tribes of earth the wise
sea-prince had numbered out a lasting remnant, a first
generation, male and female, of every living kind that brought
forth offspring, more various than men now know. And likewise in
the bosom of their ship they bore the seed of every growing thing
that men enjoy beneath the heavens.

(ll. 377-396) Now Abraham's father, as the wise men tell us, was
ninth from Noah in lineage and descent. This is the Abraham the
God of angels named with a name, and gave the holy tribes into
his keeping, far and near, and made him mighty over nations. He
lived in exile. Thereafter, at the Holy One's behest, he took
the lad, most dear of all to him, and they two, son and father,
climbed together a high land unto the hill of Sion. And there,
so men have heard, they found a covenant and holy pledge, and saw
God's glory. And there, in after years, the son of David, the
great king, the wisest of all earthly princes, according to the
teaching of the prophets, built a temple unto God, a holy fane,
the holiest and highest and most famous among men, the greatest
and most splendid of all temples the sons of men have built upon
the earth.

(ll. 397-416) Abraham took Isaac, his son, and went to the place
appointed, and kindled the altar flame. The first of murderers
was not more doomed. As a bequest to men he would have