The Meters of Boethius: Meter 9

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hwæt, we ealle witon         hwelce ærleste
ge neah ge feor         Neron worhte,
Romwara cyning,         þa his rice wæs
hehst under heofonum,         to hryre monegum.

5

Wælhreowes gewed         wæs ful wide cuð,
unrihthæmed,         arleasta fela,
man and morðor,         misdæda worn,
unrihtwises         inwidþoncas.
He het him to gamene         geara forbærnan

10

Romana burig,         sio his rices wæs
ealles eðelstol.         He for unsnyttrum
wolde fandian         gif þæt fyr meahte
lixan swa leohte         and swa longe eac,
read rasettan,         swa he Romane

15

secgan geherde         þæt on sume tide
Troia burg         ofertogen hæfde
lega leohtost,         lengest burne
hama under hefonum.         Næs þæt herlic dæd,
þæt hine swelces gamenes         gilpan lyste,

20

þa he ne earnade         elles wuhte,
buton þæt he wolde         ofer werðiode
his anes huru         anwald cyðan.
Eac hit gesælde         æt sumum cierre
ðæt se ilca het         ealle acwellan

25

þa ricostan         Romana witan
and þa æþelestan         eorlgebyrdum
þe he on þæm folce         gefrigen hæfde,
and on uppan         agene broðor
and his modor mid         meca ecgum,

30

billum ofbeatan.         He his bryde ofslog
self mid sweorde,         and he symle wæs
micle þe bliðra         on breostcofan
þonne he swylces morðres         mæst gefremede.
Nalles sorgode         hwæðer siððan a

35

mihtig drihten         ametan wolde
wrece be gewyrhtum         wohfremmendum,
ac he on ferðe fægn         facnes and searuwa
wælriow wunode.         Wiold emne swa þeah
ealles þisses mæran         middangeardes,

40

swa swa lyft and lagu         land ymbclyppað,
garsecg embegyrt         gumena rice,
secgea sitlu,         suð, east and west,
oð ða norðmestan         næssan on eorðan;
eall þæt Nerone         nede oððe lustum,

45

heaðorinca gehwilc,         heran sceolde.
He hæfde him to gamene,         þonne he on gylp astag,
hu he eorðcyningas         yrmde and cwelmde.
Wenst ðu þæt se anwald         eaðe ne meahte
godes ælmihtiges         þone gelpscaðan

50

rice berædan         and bereafian
his anwaldes         ðurh þa ecan meaht,
oððe him his yfeles         elles gestioran?
Eala, gif he wolde,         ðæt he wel meahte,
þæt unriht him         eaðe forbiodan!

55

Eawla, þæt se hlaford         hefig gioc slepte
sware on þa swyran         sinra ðegena,
ealra ðara hæleða         þe on his tidum
geond þas lænan worold         liban sceoldon.
He on unscyldgum         eorla blode

60

his sweord selede         swiðe gelome;
ðær wæs swiðe sweotol,         þæt we sædon oft,
þæt se anwald ne deð         awiht godes
gif se wel nele         þe his geweald hafað.