The Legend of Gladius - Song of the Holy Sword

From the research notes of Andre J. Harrington, Professor of Historical Archaeology, Yale University:

Heraklion, The Island of Crete,

January 16th, 2023,

Our kind benefactor has given us permission to examine the stone tablet that was recently unearthed. Though clearly a broken section of a much bigger piece, the tablet is in remarkable condition for something so ancient. Along the with the decorative motifs and drolleries that were common in Atlantean stonework of the time, a lengthy inscription is clearly visible near the bottom portion. I was allowed to make a hasty handwritten copy of the inscription [pictured below], and have been hard at work deciphering it for the past day and a half! As I had hoped, it is yet another example of antediluvian era Adamic script!

Adamic is, of course, a tricky language to translate, especially since the mode of writing tends to differ depending on its regional origin. I've had to lean on Webber quiet a bit for the past thirty-ish hours, as she is - admittedly - much more fluent in these old Mediterranean scripts than I am.

The inscription appears to be a poem - or maybe even a song - possibly written in the late Second Era of the Atlantean Period. The text itself is a rarer form of Kenanite - possibly used only by specific religious sects. Phonetically, it reads as:

"Dol gohldasus yg kernenn,

Hyrshegg ana galebb nenn,

Meg akkel noss, essah meg dyr,

Essahmet nah eggel resh gonen,

Yg kernah nyk meg grohr,

Meg aran tyrekk ash ett nor,

Yr tenness ol Addoni,

Ehr nym gadohl ana meg hi.

Tyg rehl dykas lish ana meg,

Tyg ehk sekkah yn meg ryk,

Brohkahl tyg dohnneh li kyn,

Teh genyn joh nakam,

Grokmyrdohn ana lohr jett,

Kyn meg, addos meg nym kohdett,

Mydekk ana rull, Shudahk,

Grokmaastus ehr tohl vyr nindett."

The literal translation, as closely as we can tell, goes something like this:

"For ten centuries I rest,

Hidden in (a) deep cavern,

My hunger grows, awaiting my time,

Awaiting (the) day when I shall feed again,

I long to loosen my blade,

My divine wrath (as) bright as daylight,

The enemies of the Lord Our God,

Shall flee fearfully in my sight.

Their blood quenches (the) thirst in me,

Their skin torn by my jaws,

(I will) Sunder their bones to prove,

(That) They are mere mortals,

Killer of Demons in noble name,

Find me, Free my soul, I beg,

My hand in yours, Behold!

Demon hosts shall fear your coming."

Clearly, the text must bear some relation to the Champions Faithful, mythical Atlantean figures mentioned in the original "Adamaic Account" that Professor Erikson's team discovered back in the summer of 2019. Having been fortunate enough to be on Erikson's excavation team, Webber is beyond ecstatic to be working on another project connected to Atlantean folklore. I admit, her enthusiasm is catchy. The other team members and I have started referring to this whole thing as "The Song of the Holy Sword". Menendez - in true theater nerd fashion - has started composing music around the script, and - with Webber's help - has even written up a more lyrical translation.

Here's what he came up with:

"For a thousand years I sleep,

Hidden away in caverns deep,

Biding my time, my hunger grows,

Whenever shall I feast again?

How I long to draw my blade,

My holy wrath as bright as day,

The enemies of God Most High,

Shall flee in terror at my sight!

Their blood slakes the thirst in me,

Their flesh riven by my teeth!

I'll break their fragile bones,

To prove that they are mortal.

Demon-killer of noble caste,

Find me, and free my soul at last!

With me in hand, Behold!

The hosts of Hell shall fear your name!"

If it ever hits Broadway, I hope he'll remember to give me a cut of the royalties.

To be perfectly honest, I'm more interested in the philological aspects of the script itself. There aren't that many known examples of this "high Kenanite" writing, and what is known tells us more about the religious or superstitious beliefs of the ancient Atlantean people than any of their actual history.

Unlike the common (or "low") Kenanite, this mode of writing reads from left to right - something of a rarity in antediluvian text. Additionally, in the seventh line of the song's first verse, the word Addoni - probably related to the Hebrew Adonai (our lord/lords) - is flanked between two small symbols that seem to represent either crowns or upraised hands. Webber and I both agree that this "reverential symbolism" in the case of this single word is further evidence of it being an ancient Adamic name for a god. Whether that refers to the actual God of the Abrahamic religions or some other deity worshipped during the Antediluvian period remains to be seen.

Tomorrow is another big day. We've been given access to pieces of metalwork that were fished out of the bottom of the Sea of Crete this past month. One of them is, supposedly, a "real" orichalcum dagger. Webber is predictably excited about that prospect, but I have my doubts...