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ne et dessoubz terre demouroit ailleurs. Et fust le jour
obscur comme propre nuit aleure quil devoit estre
pur et cler dont monseigneur saint denis qui a pre
sent est eslene en franche et lors estoit estudiant en
grece paien comme bon clerc qui estoit. Car il sa
voit moult dastronomie quant il perceu celle gran
de obscurte il en eust tresgrant merveille et trouva
par astronomie que che ne povoit pas estre par natu
re ne par raison que eclipse advenist en telle saison
A dont il dist une moult obscure parole en telle ma
niere. Ou le dieu de nature soeuffre grant tourment
et grant tort out tout le monde se discorde et desiomt
pour deffaillir comme celui qui voeult prendre fin
Si se appensa quil estoit ung grant dieu. lequel dessus
tous aultres avoit povoir comme celui qui creoit plu
seurs dieux selon la loy. Adont en son oratoire il fist
ung autel tout au dessus des aultres et a une part ou
personne ne repairoit fors lui tant seulement et ne
voloit mie que len le tenist a mescreant. Et quant il
leust veu il lappella lostel du dieu mescongneu. si le
aovra et le tient moult chier Si ne demoura gaires

full and located underneath the earth. And the day
became as dark as full night, when it should have
been pure and clear. For this reason, my lord Saint Denis (who is now
eshrined in France, and who at that time was a student
in pagan Greece), good cleric that he was -- for he knew
much about astronomy -- when he perceived this great
darkness, he marvelled mightily at it and found
through astronomy that it could not have happened
naturally nor through reason that an eclipse could have
come at that time. Therefore he said something very cryptic,
thusly: Either the god of nature is suffering great torment
and great wrong, or the whole world is in disharmony and wants
to collapse like something that wants to come to an end.
He thought to himself that it was a great god, one having
power over all others, since he was someone who believed
in many gods according to the law. Therefore he made
an altar in his oratory that was above all the others and off to
one side, where no one would go but himself alone, for
he did not want anyone to consider him an wrong believer.
And when he had seen it he called it the house of the unknown god.
He adored him and held him to be most dear. Not long after,

ne et dessoubz terre demouroit ailleurs. Et fust le jour
obscur comme propre nuit aleure quil devoit estre
pur et cler dont monseigneur saint denis qui a pre
sent est eslene en franche et lors estoit estudiant en
grece paien comme bon clerc qui estoit. Car il sa
voit moult dastronomie quant il perceu celle gran
de obscurte il en eust tresgrant merveille et trouva
par astronomie que che ne povoit pas estre par natu
re ne par raison que eclipse advenist en telle saison
A dont il dist une moult obscure parole en telle ma
niere. Ou le dieu de nature soeuffre grant tourment
et grant tort out tout le monde se discorde et desiomt
pour deffaillir comme celui qui voeult prendre fin
Si se appensa quil estoit ung grant dieu. lequel dessus
tous aultres avoit povoir comme celui qui creoit plu
seurs dieux selon la loy. Adont en son oratoire il fist
ung autel tout au dessus des aultres et a une part ou
personne ne repairoit fors lui tant seulement et ne
voloit mie que len le tenist a mescreant. Et quant il
leust veu il lappella lostel du dieu mescongneu. si le
aovra et le tient moult chier Si ne demoura gaires

full and located underneath the earth. And the day
became as dark as full night, when it should have
been pure and clear. For this reason, my lord Saint Denis, who is now
eshrined in France, and who at that time was a student
in pagan Greece - good cleric as he was, for he knew
much about astronomy - when he perceived this great
darkness, he marvelled mightily at it and found
through astronomy that it could not have happened
naturally nor through reason that an eclipse could have
come at that time. Therefore he said something very obsure,
thusly: Either the god of nature is suffering great torment
and great wrong, or the whole world is in disharmony and wants
to collapse like something that wants to come to an end.
He thought to himself that it was a great god, one having
power over all others, since he was someone who believed
in many gods according to the law. Therefore he made
an altar in his oratory that was above all the others and to
one side, where no one would go but himself alone, for
he did not want that anyone should consider him an wrong believer.
And when he had seen it he called it the house of the unknown god.
He adored Him and held Him to be most dear. Not long after,