The Meters of Boethius · late 9th or early 10th century
Meter 15
Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1900)
Though the unrighteous evil monarch,
Nero the king, decked him anew
In fairest raiment in wondrous fashion,
With gold adorned, and goodly jewels,
Yet through the world by all men of wisdom
In the days of his life he was loathed and scorned,
Filled with all sin. This foe of men
To all his darlings dealt high favours ;
Yet I cannot conceive how they could hold
Themselves aught the better. Though for a season
He chose them without virtue, this most witless king,
Yet no wise man worshipped them the more.
Though the man of folly make himself king,
How can he reckon, the man of right reason,
That he is aught better, or even so seemeth ?
Cite this text
MLA
Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius, Meter 15. Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius/15/.
Chicago
Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius, Meter 15. Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius/15/.