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: