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The Meters of Boethius: Meter 9

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 63 sections

1. 0

   Hwæt, we ealle witon hwelce ærleste

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   ge neah ge feor Neron worhte,

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   Romwara cyning, þa his rice wæs

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   hehst under heofonum, to hryre monegum.

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   Wælhreowes gewed wæs ful wide cuð,

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   unrihthæmed, arleasta fela,

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   man and morðor, misdæda worn,

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   unrihtwises inwidþoncas.

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   He het him to gamene geara forbærnan

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    Romana burig, sio his rices wæs

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    ealles eðelstol. He for unsnyttrum

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    wolde fandian gif þæt fyr meahte

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    lixan swa leohte and swa longe eac,

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    read rasettan, swa he Romane

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    secgan geherde þæt on sume tide

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    Troia burg ofertogen hæfde

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    lega leohtost, lengest burne

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    hama under hefonum. Næs þæt herlic dæd,

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    þæt hine swelces gamenes gilpan lyste,

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    þa he ne earnade elles wuhte,

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    buton þæt he wolde ofer werðiode

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    his anes huru anwald cyðan.

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    Eac hit gesælde æt sumum cierre

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    ðæt se ilca het ealle acwellan

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    þa ricostan Romana witan

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    and þa æþelestan eorlgebyrdum

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    þe he on þæm folce gefrigen hæfde,

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    and on uppan agene broðor

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    and his modor mid meca ecgum,

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    billum ofbeatan. He his bryde ofslog

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    self mid sweorde, and he symle wæs

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    micle þe bliðra on breostcofan

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    þonne he swylces morðres mæst gefremede.

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    Nalles sorgode hwæðer siððan a

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    mihtig drihten ametan wolde

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    wrece be gewyrhtum wohfremmendum,

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    ac he on ferðe fægn facnes and searuwa

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    wælriow wunode. Wiold emne swa þeah

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    ealles þisses mæran middangeardes,

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    swa swa lyft and lagu land ymbclyppað,

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    garsecg embegyrt gumena rice,

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    secgea sitlu, suð, east and west,

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    oð ða norðmestan næssan on eorðan;

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    eall þæt Nerone nede oððe lustum,

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    heaðorinca gehwilc, heran sceolde.

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    He hæfde him to gamene, þonne he on gylp astag,

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    hu he eorðcyningas yrmde and cwelmde.

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    Wenst ðu þæt se anwald eaðe ne meahte

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    godes ælmihtiges þone gelpscaðan

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    rice berædan and bereafian

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    his anwaldes ðurh þa ecan meaht,

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    oððe him his yfeles elles gestioran?

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    Eala, gif he wolde, ðæt he wel meahte,

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    þæt unriht him eaðe forbiodan!

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    Eawla, þæt se hlaford hefig gioc slepte

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    sware on þa swyran sinra ðegena,

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    ealra ðara hæleða þe on his tidum

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    geond þas lænan worold liban sceoldon.

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    He on unscyldgum eorla blode

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    his sweord selede swiðe gelome;

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    ðær wæs swiðe sweotol, þæt we sædon oft,

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    þæt se anwald ne deð awiht godes

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    gif se wel nele þe his geweald hafað.

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