The writings of Hellenia Princes and Priests

These are the writings of Hellenia.¹
I put them first for they are the oldest.

All true Frya’s hail.
In former times wist the Slavs naught of freedom.
Like oxen were they brought under the yoke.⁵
Into the bowels of the earth were they driven to dig metal and out of hard mountains must they hew houses for the princes’ and priests’ homes.

In all what they did was there naught to satisfy themselves, but all must serve to make the princes and priests yet richer and mightier.
Under this toil became they grey and stiff before they were old and died without pleasure, although earth gave them overwhelmingly much to the profit of all her children.

But our wanderers came and our exiles, through the Germanies, over into their marches travelling and our seamen came into their harbours.
From them heard they talk of equal freedom and right and of laws, beyond which no one may transgress.¹⁰

All this was soaked up through the sad people like dew through the dry fields.
When they were full, the boldest of all began to clap their chains, thus it caused the princes grief.

The princes are proud and warlike, therefore is there also yet virtue in their hearts, they discussed together and gave a wit of their abundance.
But the cowardly, hypocritical priests might not suffer that, among their imagined gods had they also created vicious monsters.

Pestilence came over the land.¹⁵
Now said they, the gods are angry over the disobedience of the wicked.
Then were the bravest people of all strangled with their chains.
Earth has drunken their blood, with that blood fed she fruits and grains, and all who ate thereof became wise.