Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/268



For his evil fortune;    though all be his,

This world of ours,    wherever begirdled

By ocean-waters,    to him only given,

As far away    as in the west

Outermost lies    an isle in ocean,

Where never is night    known in summer,

Nor is the day    in winter divided,

Into times parted,    Tile (Thule) men call it--

Though that a man    be sole master

Of all this island,    and from thence onward

Even to the Indies    out in the east

Yes, though all this    be his own to govern,

How is his might    any the more,

If of himself    control he has not,

Nor of his thoughts,    nor thoroughly strive

Well to beware    in word and in deed

Of all the sins    of which we were speaking?

XVII
All earth-dwellers    one origin had,

All men of the land,    one like beginning;

From one pair only    all proceeded,

From a man and woman,    within the world

And to this day even    all men alike,

The base and the high ones,    are born in the world.

Nor is that a marvel,    for all men know

That there is one God    of all world-creatures,

Lord of mankind,    Father and Maker.