The Meters of Boethius · late 9th or early 10th century
Meter 3
Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1900)
Ah ! it is fearful and fathomless deep,
The mirky pit where the mind toileth,
When the blasts of tempests beat against it
Of worldly afflictions ; then in its fighting
Its own true light it leaveth behind it,
And in woe forgetteth the weal eternal.
It dasheth onward into this world’s darkness,
Weary with sorrows. So hath it now
This soul befallen, for now it nought knoweth
Of good before God, but great grief
From the world unfriendly ; it wanteth comfort.
Cite this text
MLA
Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius, Meter 3. Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius/3/.
Chicago
Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius, Meter 3. Translated by Walter John Sedgefield, King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius/3/.