The Meters of Boethius: Meter 25

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Geher nu an spell         be ðæm ofermodum
unrihtwisum         eorðan cyningum,
ða her nu manegum         and mislicum
wædum wlitebeorhtum         wundrum scinað

5

on heahsetlum,         hrofe getenge,
golde gegerede         and gimcynnum,
utan ymbestandne         mid unrime
ðegna and eorla.         þa bioð gehyrste
mid heregeatwum         hildetorhtum,

10

sweordum and fetelum         swiðe geglengde,
and þegniað         ðrymme micle
ælc oðrum,         and hi ealle him
ðonan mid ðy ðrymme         þreatiað gehwider
ymbsittenda         oðra ðeoda;

15

and se hlaford ne scrifð,         ðe ðæm here waldeð,
freonde ne feonde,         feore ne æhtum,
ac he reðigmod         ræst on gehwilcne,
wedehunde         wuhta gelicost;
bið to up ahæfen         inne on mode

20

for ðæm anwalde         þe him anra gehwilc
his tirwina         to fultemað.
Gif mon ðonne wolde         him awindan of
þæs cynegerelan         claða gehwilcne,
and him þonne oftion         ðara ðegnunga

25

and þæs anwaldes         ðe he ær hæfde,
ðonne meaht ðu gesion         þæt he bið swiðe gelic
sumum ðara gumena         þe him geornost nu
mid ðegnungum         ðringað ymbeutan;
gif he wyrsa ne bið,         ne wene ic his na beteran.

30

Gif him þonne æfre         unmendlinga
weas geberede         þæt him wurde oftogen
þrymmes and wæda         and þegnunga
and ðæs anwaldes         þe we ymbe sprecað,
gif him ænig þara         ofhende wyrð,

35

ic wat þæt him þynceð         þæt he þonne sie
becropen on carcern,         oððe coðlice
racentan geræped.         Ic gereccan mæg
þæt of ungemete         ælces ðinges,
wiste and wæda,         wingedrinces,

40

and of swetmettum,         swiðost weaxað
þære wrænnesse         wodðrag micel;
sio swiðe gedræfð         sefan ingehygd
monna gehwelces,         þonan mæst cymeð
yfla ofermetta,         unnetta saca.

45

þonne hi gebolgene weorðað,         him wyrð on breostum inne
beswungen sefa on hraðre         mid ðæm swiðan welme
hatheortnesse,         and hreðe siððan
unrotnesse         eac geræped,
hearde gehæfted.         Him siððan onginð

50

sum tohopa         swiðe leogan
þæs gewinnes wræce;         wilnað þæt irre
anes and oðres;         him þæt eall gehæt
his recelest,         rihtes ne scrifeð.
Ic ðe sæde ær         on ðisse selfan bec

55

þæt sumes goodes         sidra gesceafta
anlepra ælc         a wilnode
for his agenum         ealdgecynde.
Unrihtwise         eorðan cyningas
ne magon æfre þurhtion         awuht goodes

60

for ðæm yfle         þe ic ðe ær sæde.
Nis ðæt nan wundor,         forðæm hi willað hi
þæm unðeawum         þe ic ðe ær nemde,
anra gehwelcum,         a underðeodan.
Sceal ðonne nede         nearwe gebugan

65

to ðara hlaforda         hæftedome,
þe he hine eallunga ær         underþiodde.
ðæt is wyrse get,         þæt he winnan nyle
wið ðæm anwalde         ænige stunde;
þær he wolde a         winnan onginnan,

70

and þonne on ðæm gewinne         þurhwunian forð,
þonne næfde he         nane scylde,
ðeah he oferwunnen         weorðan sceolde.