[gothic-l] Boethius: Meter 1 (l. 1-53) OE.

[M. Carver]

As you may know, Boethius here mentions the Goths.
I thought the Old English might be more useful than the latin
should anyone wish to construct a translation. In any event,
it makes for interesting "historial" reading.

Matþaius


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;
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.


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