Chapter X

1 _The fighters from afar off_. 4 _Concerning the men of Cann_. 10 _Concerning the men of Anz_. 20 _Concerning the men of Saf_. 24 _The greeting of the damsels_. 27 _One is chosen_. 31 _She uses artifice_. 34 _The means of escape_.

Now _there was_ in the host of En a great number of men that did come from afar off; neither considered they distance as anything _against_ the righteousness of a just cause.

2 And there were men of Anz, and men of Cann, and men of Ind, and men of Saf, and men that did come _from_ other lands also. And all of them were hardy men and full of valour, so that no man could say _concerning_ them, Behold, these people, they are more valiant _than_ the others.

3 And when they went out _for_ to fight, there were never men more terrible than these. Yea, in the heat of the battle, there was not _one_ of the men of Hu that could stand up _against_ them.

4 ¶ Now, the men of Cann were very bold, _being_ strenuous of purpose and knowing not fear. Also, _they were_ full of a great vim.

5 And it came to pass that they were sent against one _of the_ strongholds of the men of Hu. And it was a place that was girded round with cunning devices, and the fortifications _of it_, they were stronger than iron.

6 And when they had pitched their camp _before_ it, behold, all the garrison did band themselves together, and they did arm themselves with mighty weapons, being resolved that the men of Cann, they should not take that _place_.

I Nevertheless, their resistance, _it_ availed them nothing; neither was there any power either of earth or of hell for to stay the men of Cann in the violence _of their_ onslaught.

8 For they were a valiant lot, scornful _of_ danger and unafraid to die. Also, _they were_ full of a great vim.

9 Wherefore, they called the name of that place Vimy Ridge, meaning, _because_ it was taken with a great vim. And so it is known even unto this day.

10 ¶ Now the men of Anz did come from a land at the other _side_ of the earth, being six weeks journey _in_ a ship.

11 And certain _of them_ were sent unto Egypt for to make them ready to fight; and they sojourned there many days.

12 And the fire of their ardour burned very bright in that land; yea, the flame of it did blaze forth _even_ as a living thing.

13 Now there was a _certain_ rock that was set in the sea, being an high rock and formidable. And _it was_ in the hands of the enemy.

14 And because of the bravery of the men of Anz, therefore were they charged _with_ the taking of it.

15 And they went out against it in boats; yea, in little _boats_ did they row them up for to take it.

16 And every contrivance of man and all the inventions of the devil, they were turned _against_ them for to drive them back.

17 Nevertheless, they gat them on; even unto the high rock did _they_ get them on.

18 And when they were come up _to it_, they descended out of their boats, and they _did_ take it by the strength of a mighty attack. Yea, they did climb unto the top of the high rock, _and_ they did take it.

19 And in all the war there was no deed done _that was_ more valiant than this.

20 ¶ Now the men of Saf were divided into two parts. And some _of them_ did come unto En for to be with the host; and some _of them_ did fight against the men of Hu in Geaf, being _that_ land which was next unto Saf.

21 And they prospered exceedingly in their enterprises, so _that they_ were famed for renown amongst all the peoples of the earth.

22 And they did capture the land of Geaf by the edge _of the_ sword; even from the men of Hu did they capture it.

23 Nevertheless, it was an harassing task and full of peril; wherefore the glory of their triumph, it did shed a light _upon_ their name that shall last for ever more.

24 ¶ Now whensoever it happened that a fighter, _being_ of a land afar off, did come unto the city of Lon, then would the damsels make them _ready_ for to greet him.

25 And they would _put on_ their chief raiment, and they would go down unto the gates of the city for to meet him; and they would show their teeth _at him_, and would allure him with sundry blandishments.

26 And they would get him amongst them, and would take him on one _side_. And they would speak unto him, _with_ subtil words. And each of them would strive to entice him unto _her way_.

27 ¶ And _after_ he had sorted them out, the one from the other, the wheat from the chaff, and the corn from the tares, then would he go forth _with her_.

28 And she would be a guide unto him, and a friend also. And she would show him _things_ and would whisper in his ear.

29 And she would speak unto him _concerning_ his own land, being a country whither she was for a long _time_ back inclined.

30 And she would look at him in a _certain_ way; yea, notwithstanding that he needed not a spur, nevertheless, she _would_ urge him with her eyes. And because he had chosen her _above_ all the others, therefore would he caress her.

31 ¶ And after that he had caressed her to her liking, so that her soul cried _out_ for more, then would she seek for _to gather_ him in.

32 And she would speak unto him concerning her _points_ and concerning the things that she could do. Yea, she would fill her mouth _with_ lies, seeking to make herself perfect.

33 And she would look upon him with large eyes; and she would say unto him, Verily, _thou art_ a man; and thy strength, it terrifieth me. And if he strove for to comfort her _because_ she feared his strength, then was he lost indeed.

34 ¶ Yea, unless he had taken unto himself a wife _before_, there was no help in him. For the wiles of the damsels, they worked in devious ways; but the end of the ways, assuredly, it was _for ever_ the same.