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.