The Meters of Boethius: Meter 1

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hit wæs geara iu         ðætte Gotan eastan
of Sciððia         sceldas læddon,
þreate geþrungon         þeodlond monig,
setton suðweardes         sigeþeoda twa;

5

Gotena rice         gearmælum weox.
Hæfdan him gecynde         cyningas twegen,
Rædgod and Aleric;         rice geþungon.
þa wæs ofer Muntgiop         monig atyhted
Gota gylpes full,         guðe gelysted,

10

folcgewinnes.         Fana hwearfode
scir on sceafte.         Sceotend þohton
Italia         ealle gegongan,
lindwigende.         Hi gelæstan swua
efne from Muntgiop         oð þone mæran wearoð

15

þær Sicilia         sæstreamum in,
eglond micel,         eðel mærsað.
ða wæs Romana         rice gewunnen,
abrocen burga cyst,         beadurincum wæs
Rom gerymed.         Rædgot and Aleric

20

foron on ðæt fæsten;         fleah casere
mid þam æþelingum         ut on Grecas.
Ne meahte þa seo wealaf         wige forstandan
Gotan mid guðe;         giomonna gestrion
sealdon unwillum         eþelweardas,

25

halige aðas.         Wæs gehwæðeres waa.
þeah wæs magorinca         mod mid Grecum,
gif hi leodfruman         læstan dorsten.
Stod þrage on ðam.         þeod wæs gewunnen
wintra mænigo,         oðþæt wyrd gescraf

30

þæt þe ðeodrice         þegnas and eorlas
heran sceoldan.         Wæs se heretema
Criste gecnoden,         cyning selfa onfeng
fulluhtþeawum.         Fægnodon ealle
Romwara bearn         and him recene to

35

friðes wilnedon.         He him fæste gehet
þæt hy ealdrihta         ælces mosten
wyrðe gewunigen         on þære welegan byrig,
ðenden god wuolde         þæt he Gotena geweald
agan moste.         He þæt eall aleag.

40

Wæs þæm æþelinge         Arrianes
gedwola leofre         þonne drihtnes æ.
Het Iohannes,         godne papan,
heafde beheawon;         næs ðæt hærlic dæd.
Eac þam wæs unrim         oðres manes

45

þæt se Gota fremede         godra gehwilcum.
ða wæs ricra sum         on Rome byrig
ahefen heretoga,         hlaforde leof,
þenden cynestole         Creacas wioldon.
þæt wæs rihtwis rinc,         næs mid Romwarum

50

sincgeofa sella         siððan longe.
He wæs for weorulde wis,         weorðmynða georn,
beorn boca gleaw;         Boitius
se hæle hatte         se þone hlisan geþah.
Wæs him on gemynde         mæla gehwilce

55

yfel and edwit         þæt him elðeodge
kyningas cyðdon.         Wæs on Greacas hold,
gemunde þara ara         and ealdrihta
þe his eldran mid him         ahton longe,
lufan and lissa.         Angan þa listum ymbe

60

ðencean þearflice,         hu he ðider meahte
Crecas oncerran,         þæt se casere eft
anwald ofer hi         agan moste.
Sende ærendgewrit         ealdhlafordum
degelice,         and hi for drihtne bæd

65

ealdum treowum,         ðæt hi æft to him
comen on þa ceastre,         lete Greca witan
rædan Romwarum,         rihtes wyrðe
lete þone leodscipe.         ða þa lare ongeat
ðeodric Amuling,         and þone þegn oferfeng,

70

heht fæstlice         folcgesiðas
healdon þone hererinc.         Wæs him hreoh sefa,
ege from ðam eorle.         He hine inne heht
on carcernes         cluster belucan.
þa wæs modsefa         miclum gedrefed

75

Boetius.         Breac longe ær
wlencea under wolcnum;         he þy wyrs meahte
þolian þa þrage,         þa hio swa þearl becom.
Wæs þa ormod eorl,         are ne wende,
ne on þam fæstene         frofre gemunde,

80

ac he neowol astreaht         niðer of dune
feol on þa flore,         fela worda spræc,
forþoht ðearle;         ne wende þonan æfre
cuman of ðæm clammum.         Cleopode to drihtne
geomran stemne,         gyddode þus: