Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/256



Do you gainsay    that God Almighty

Could most readily    wrest his power

From the boastful scourge,    and strip him bare

Of all dominion    through the might eternal,

Or utterly curb    the course of his sins?

Oh, that He would only,    as He easily might,

All such felony    fain forbid him!

Oh, 'twas no light yoke    which that lord planted,

A grievous annoy,    on the necks of his thanes,

Of all his lieges    that in his lifetime

Over this brittle world    were fated to bide

He with the gore    of guiltless men

Fouled his sword-blade,    full many's the time.

Thus we see clearly,    as we have often said,

That dominion    can do no good

If he that has gained it    have no good will.

X
If any living man    longs for glory,

And fame without gain    would fain have for his own,

Then with my words    would I beseech him

On all sides about him    far out to spy,

Clearly to look,    south, east, and west,

And consider how broad    with the clouds all about

Is the vault of the sky. So may the wise man

Easily deem    this earth of ours

By the side of that other    wondrously small,

Though to the witless    wide it seems,