Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/298



At all such things    sorely wonders,

But marvels not    that men and beasts,

Every creature,    keep up anger

Great and useless,    each against other,

Never ceasing? It is a strange thing

That men do not marvel    how often amid the clouds

The thunder sounds,    then for a space

Lies silent;    and likewise how

Waves and sea-shore    are warring ever,

The wind and billows. Who wonders at this,

Or at another thing also,    why ice is able

To come from water? When the sun shines

Hot in splendour,    soon it hastens,

The wondrous ice-pool,    once more to its kind,

Even to water. No wonder seems

To any of mortals    what he may see

Day by day;    but the crazy people

What they see but seldom    sooner marvel,

Though to the minds    of men of wisdom

It seem much less    matter of wonder.

To unsteadfast men    it ever seems

No part of the ancient    early creation,

What they see seldom;    but still they think,

World-men hold    that by chance it happens,

Newly befalls,    if to any before

It has not appeared    a pity 'tis so!

But if any of them    ever becomes

So lusting for knowledge    that he begins to learn

Wise ways many,    and the Warden of Life

From his mind clears    the mountain of folly