The Meters of Boethius: Meter 9
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,
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.