[The Assyrian officers, obeying the commands of Holofernes, come to the carouse.]

     They then at the feast proceeded to sit,
     The proud to the wine-drinking, all his comrades-in-ill,
     Bold mailed-warriors.  There were lofty beakers
     Oft borne along the benches, also were cups and flagons
     Full to the hall-sitters borne.  The fated partook of them,
     Brave warriors-with-shields, though the mighty weened not of it,
     Awful lord of earls.  Then was Holofernes,
     Gold-friend of men, full of wine-joy: 
     He laughed and clamored, shouted and dinned,
     That children of men from afar might hear
     How the strong-minded both stormed and yelled,
     Moody and mead-drunken, often admonished
     The sitters-on-benches to bear themselves well. 
     Thus did the hateful one during all day
     His liege-men loyal keep plying with wine,
     Stout-hearted giver of treasure, until they lay in a swoon.

[Holofernes has been slain by Judith.  The Hebrews, encouraged by her, surprise the drunken and sleeping Assyrians.]

     Then the band of the brave was quickly prepared,
     Of the bold for battle; stepped out the valiant
     Men and comrades, bore their banners,
     Went forth to fight straight on their way
     The heroes ’neath helmets from the holy city
     At the dawn itself; shields made a din,
     Loudly resounded.  Thereat laughed the lank
     Wolf in the wood, and the raven wan,
     Fowl greedy for slaughter:  both of them knew
     That for them the warriors thought to provide
     Their fill on the fated; and flew on their track
     The dewy-winged eagle eager for prey,
     The dusky-coated sang his war-song,
     The crooked-beaked.  Stepped forth the warriors,
     The heroes for battle with boards protected,
     With hollow shields, who awhile before
     The foreign-folk’s reproach endured,
     The heathens’ scorn; fiercely was that
     At the ash-spear’s play to them all repaid,
     All the Assyrians, after the Hebrews
     Under their banners had boldly advanced
     To the army-camps.  They bravely then
     Forthright let fly showers of arrows,
     Of battle-adders, out from the horn-bows,
     Of strongly-made shafts; stormed they aloud,
     The cruel warriors, sent forth their spears
     Among the brave; the heroes were angry,
     The dwellers-in-land, with the loathed race;
     The stern-minded stepped, the stout-in-heart,
     Rudely awakened their ancient foes
     Weary from mead; with hands drew forth
     The men from the sheaths the brightly-marked swords
     Most choice in their edges, eagerly struck
     Of the host of Assyrians the battle-warriors,
     The hostile-minded; not one they spared
     Of the army-folk, nor low nor high
     Of living men, whom they might subdue.