Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/267



XV
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 anything 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 anything better,    or even so seems?

XVI
He that seeks power    must first strive

That he may of himself    in his mind within

Lordship compass,    lest he may be ever

To his sinful ways    utterly subject.

From out of his spirit    let him speedily pluck

The manifold cares    that carry no profit;

Let him cease a while    his mournful sighing