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. Wælhreowes gewed wæs ful wide cuð, unrihthæmed, arleasta fela, man and morðor, misdæda worn, unrihtwises inwidþoncas. He het him to gamene geara forbærnan 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

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, 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 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, 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 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, 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, 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 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! 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 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.