Editing Old English literature (section)

==== Saints' lives in verse ====
The Vercelli Book and Exeter Book contain four long narrative poems of saints' lives, or [[hagiography|hagiographies]]. In Vercelli are ''[[Andreas (poem)|Andreas]]'' and ''[[Elene]]'' and in Exeter are ''[[Guthlac]]'' and ''[[Juliana (poem)|Juliana]]''.

''Andreas'' is 1,722 lines long and is the closest of the surviving Old English poems to ''Beowulf'' in style and tone. It is the story of [[Saint Andrew]] and his journey to rescue [[Saint Matthew]] from the [[Mermedonians]]. ''Elene'' is the story of [[Helena, mother of Constantine I|Saint Helena]] (mother of [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine]]) and her discovery of the [[True Cross]]. The cult of the True Cross was popular in Anglo-Saxon England and this poem was instrumental in promoting it.{{sfn|Cameron|1982|p=279}}

''Guthlac'' consists of two poems about the English 7th century [[Saint Guthlac]]. ''Juliana'' describes the life of Saint Juliana, including a discussion with the devil during her imprisonment.{{sfn|Cameron|1982|p=279}}