The Meters of Boethius: Meter 1

Hit wæs geara iu ðætte Gotan eastan of Sciððia sceldas læddon, þreate geþrungon þeodlond monig, setton suðweardes sigeþeoda twa; 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, folcgewinnes. Fana hwearfode scir on sceafte. Sceotend þohton Italia ealle gegongan, lindwigende. Hi gelæstan swua efne from Muntgiop oð þone mæran wearoð

þær Sicilia sæstreamum in, eglond micel, eðel mærsað. ða wæs Romana rice gewunnen, abrocen burga cyst, beadurincum wæs Rom gerymed. Rædgot and Aleric 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, 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 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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, 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: