# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 1

hit wæs geara iu || þætte gotan eastan
of sciþþia || sceldas læddon
þreate geþrungon || þeodlond monig
setton suþweardes || 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 || guþe gelysted
folcgewinnes || fana hwearfode
scir on sceafte || sceotend þohton
italia || ealle gegongan
lindwigende || hi gelæstan swua
efne from muntgiop || oþ þone mæran wearoþ
þær sicilia || sæstreamum in
eglond micel || eþel mærsaþ
þa wæs romana || rice gewunnen
abrocen burga cyst || beadurincum wæs
rom gerymed || rædgot and aleric
foron on þæt fæsten || fleah casere
mid þam æþelingum || ut on grecas
ne meahte þa seo wealaf || wige forstandan
gotan mid guþe || giomonna gestrion
sealdon unwillum || eþelweardas
halige aþas || wæs gehwæþeres waa
þeah wæs magorinca || mod mid grecum
gif hi leodfruman || læstan dorsten
stod þrage on þam || þeod wæs gewunnen
wintra mænigo || oþþæt wyrd gescraf
þæt þe þeodrice || þegnas and eorlas
heran sceoldan || wæs se heretema
criste gecnoden || cyning selfa onfeng
fulluhtþeawum || fægnodon ealle
romwara bearn || and him recene to
friþes wilnedon || he him fæste gehet
þæt hy ealdrihta || ælces mosten
wyrþe gewunigen || on þære welegan byrig
þenden 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 þæt hærlic dæd
eac þam wæs unrim || oþres manes
þæt se gota fremede || godra gehwilcum
þa wæs ricra sum || on rome byrig
ahefen heretoga || hlaforde leof
þenden cynestole || creacas wioldon
þæt wæs rihtwis rinc || næs mid romwarum
sincgeofa sella || siþþan longe
he wæs for weorulde wis || weorþmynþa georn
beorn boca gleaw || boitius
se hæle hatte || se þone hlisan geþah
wæs him on gemynde || mæla gehwilce
yfel and edwit || þæt him elþeodge
cyningas cyþdon || wæs on greacas hold
gemunde þara ara || and ealdrihta
þe his eldran mid him || ahton longe
lufan and lissa || angan þa listum ymbe
þencean þearflice || hu he þider meahte
crecas oncerran || þæt se casere eft
anwald ofer hi || agan moste
sende ærendgewrit || ealdhlafordum
degelice || and hi for drihtne bæd
ealdum treowum || þæt hi æft to him
comen on þa ceastre || lete greca witan
rædan romwarum || rihtes wyrþe
lete þone leodscipe || þa þa lare ongeat
þeodric amuling || and þone þegn oferfeng
heht fæstlice || folcgesiþas
healdon þone hererinc || wæs him hreoh sefa
ege from þam 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 || niþer of dune
feol on þa flore || fela worda spræc
forþoht þearle || ne wende þonan æfre
cuman of þæm clammum || cleopode to drihtne
geomran stemne || gyddode þus