Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/134

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When Philosophy had sung this lay, then she began to discourse again, and spake thus: 'Dost thou think that companionship of a king and the wealth and power he bestows on his darlings can make a man really wealthy or powerful?'

Then I answered, saying, 'Why can they not? For what is more pleasant and better in this life than the service and neighbourhood of a king, as well as wealth and power?'

P. Tell me, then, whether thou hast ever heard of these things abiding with any of our predecessors, or dost thou think any man who has them now will be able to retain them for ever? Thou knowest that all books are full of examples taken from the lives of the men that were before our time, and ever man now living is aware that many a king has lost his power and riches and become poor again. Well-a-day! A fine thing forsooth is wealth, that can preserve neither itself nor its lord, nor ensure the latter from needing further help, nor both from despiteful usage! Is not kingly power your very highest form of happiness? And yet, if a king lacks aught that he desires, his power is thereby lessened and his poverty made greater, for your blessings are always lacking in some respect or other. Yea, kings may rule over many peoples, yet they do not rule all those that they would wish to rule, but are miserable in their mind because they cannot come by all they would