Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/296



To all earth-dwellers,    whatever they earn

By their life-works. He should love, that is,

All true men    most tenderly,

And spare the wicked,    as we have said.

The man himself    he must love in mind,

And all his vices    view with hatred,

And cut them away    as best he can.

XXVIII
What man that learning    on earth lacks

Does marvel not    at the moving clouds,

The swift heavens,    the stars' wheeling,

How never ceasing    they spin around

The mass of earth? Which of mankind

No wonder shows    at these shining bodies,

How that some of them    a lesser space

Of course revolve,    and others run

In longer circle? One of these lights

Is by world-men    the Waggon Shafts called.

This a shorter course    and journey keeps,

A smaller circle    than other stars,

For it turns about    the heavenly axle

At the northern end,    nigh revolving.

On this same axle    all is circling,

The spacious heavens    are swiftly speeding,

Southward rushing,    swift, untiring.

What earthly mortal    does not marvel,