Bede and Gregory's allusive angles - The Venerable Bede and Pope Gregory the Great - Critical Essay

Criticism, Summer, 2002 by Stephen J. Harris

3. Thomas Miller, ed. and trans., The Old English Version of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People [Early English Text Society, o.s. 95. London: Oxford University Press, 1890 (reprint, 1997)], 96-97; late ninth century; translation by Miller:

Nis us Ponne se hlisa to foreswigienne, pe be pam eadigan Gregorie Durh yldra manna segene to us becom, for hwilcum intingan he monad waere, paet he swa geornfulle gymenne dyde ymb ba haelo ute Deode. Secgead hi, paet sume daege pider niwan come cypemen of Brytene 7 monig cepe ping on ceapstowe brohte, 7 eac monige cwomon to bicgenne pa ding. Pa gelomp paette Gregorius betweoh odre eac Dider cwom, 7 pa geseah betweoh oder ping cype cnaeohtas paer gesette: waeron hwites lichoman 7 faegres ondwlitan men 7 aedellice gefeaxe. pahe da heo geseah 7 beheold, ba frzegn he, of hwelcon londe odbe of hwylcre Deode hy brohte waeron. Saegde him mon, Daet heo of Breotone ealonde brohte waeron, ond paes ealondes bigengan swelcre onsyne men waeron. Eft he fraegn, hwaeder pailcan londleode cristne waeron pe hi pa gen in haedennesse gedwolan lifden. Cwaed him mon to 7 saegde, Dmt heo haedne waeron; 7 he da of inneweardre heortan swide sworette 7 pus cwm: Wala wa: Daet is sarlic, Dztte swa faeger feorh 7 swa leohtes ondwlitan men scyle agan 7 besittan beostra aldor.

Eft he fraegn, hwaet seo beod nemned waste, pe heo of cwomon. Ondswarede him mon paet heo Ongle nemde waeron. Cwaed he: Wel Daet swa maeg: fordon heo amlice onsyne habbad, 7 eac swylce gedafonad, paet heo engla aefenerfeweardas in heofonum sy. Pa gyt he furdor fraegn 7 cwaed: Hwaet hatte seo maegd, pe pa cneohtas hider of laedde waeron. Pa ondswarede him mon 7 cwaed, paet heo Dere nemde waeron. Cwaed he: Wel baet is cweden Dere, de ira eruti; heo sculon of Godes yrre beon abrogdene, 7 to Cristes mildheortnesse gecegde. pagyt he ahsode hwzet heora cyning haten waere: 7 him mon ondswarade 7 cwaed, paet he AEll hatan waere. Ond pa plegode he mid his wordum to Daem noman 7 cwaed: Alleluia, Daet gedafenad, paette Godes lof usses scyppendes in paem daelum sungen sy.

(We cannot pass over in silence the report which has come to us by the tradition of older men about the blessed Gregory, as to the reason why he was warned to take such zealous care for the salvation of our people. They say, that one day merchants came there fresh from Britain, and brought to market many wares, and many also came to buy those things. Then it happened that Gregory among others also came there, and saw among other objects for sale, youths placed there: they were men of fair complexion and handsome appearance with beautiful hair. When he saw them there and regarded them, he asked from what land or race they were brought, and was told that they were brought from the island of Britain, and that the inhabitants of this island had this appearance. Again he asked, whether the people in that country were Christians or still living in heathen error. They replied and told him that they were still heathen; and he then sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart and thus spoke, "Alas the pity! It is grievous that such fair forms and men of such bright faces should be owned and possessed by the prince of darkness."