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: