University of Virginia Library

9

Hwæt, we ealle witon hwelce ærleste
ge neah ge feor Neron worhte,
Romwara cyning, þa his rice wæs
hehst under heofonum, to hryre monegum.
Wælhreowes gewed wæs ful wide cuð,
unrihthæmed, arleasta fela,
man and morðor, misdæda worn,
unrihtwises inwidþoncas.
He het him to gamene geara forbærnan
Romana burig, sio his rices wæs
ealles eðelstol. He for unsnyttrum
wolde fandian gif þæt fyr meahte
lixan swa leohte and swa longe eac,
read rasettan, swa he Romane
secgan geherde þæt on sume tide
Troia burg ofertogen hæfde
lega leohtost, lengest burne
hama under hefonum. Næs þæt herlic dæd,
þæt hine swelces gamenes gilpan lyste,
þa he ne earnade elles wuhte,
buton þæt he wolde ofer werðiode
his anes huru anwald cyðan.
Eac hit gesælde æt sumum cierre
ðæt se ilca het ealle acwellan
þa ricostan Romana witan
and þa æþelestan eorlgebyrdum
þe he on þæm folce gefrigen hæfde,
and on uppan agene broðor
and his modor mid meca ecgum,
billum ofbeatan. He his bryde ofslog
self mid sweorde, and he symle wæs
micle þe bliðra on breostcofan
þonne he swylces morðres mæst gefremede.
Nalles sorgode hwæðer siððan a
mihtig drihten ametan wolde
wrece be gewyrhtum wohfremmendum,
ac he on ferðe fægn facnes and searuwa
wælriow wunode. Wiold emne swa þeah
ealles þisses mæran middangeardes,
swa swa lyft and lagu land ymbclyppað,
garsecg embegyrt gumena rice,
secgea sitlu, suð, east and west,
oð ða norðmestan næssan on eorðan;
eall þæt Nerone nede oððe lustum,
heaðorinca gehwilc, heran sceolde.
He hæfde him to gamene, þonne he on gylp astag,
hu he eorðcyningas yrmde and cwelmde.
Wenst ðu þæt se anwald eaðe ne meahte
godes ælmihtiges þone gelpscaðan
rice berædan and bereafian
his anwaldes ðurh þa ecan meaht,
oððe him his yfeles elles gestioran?
Eala, gif he wolde, ðæt he wel meahte,
þæt unriht him eaðe forbiodan!
Eawla, þæt se hlaford hefig gioc slepte
sware on þa swyran sinra ðegena,
ealra ðara hæleða þe on his tidum
geond þas lænan worold liban sceoldon.
He on unscyldgum eorla blode
his sweord selede swiðe gelome;
ðær wæs swiðe sweotol, þæt we sædon oft,
þæt se anwald ne deð awiht godes
gif se wel nele þe his geweald hafað.