Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/242

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178
The Lays of Boethius

Two tribes triumphanttrumped to the south.
The Goths in greatnessgrew year by year;
Akin to the clansmenkings were there twain,
Raedgod and Aleric;they ruled in power.
O'er Jove's mountaincame many a Goth
Gorged with glory,greedy to wrestle
In light with foemen.The banner flashing
Fluttered on the staff.Freely the hemes
All Italy overwere eager to roam,
The wielders of hidden,bearing onward
E'en from Jove's mounton to ocean,
Where in sea-streamsSicily lieth,
That mighty island,most famous of lands.
Rudely the Roman rulewas shattered;
The shieldmen sackedthe glorious city;
Rome was ravaged;Raedgod and Aleric
Carried the fortress.Away fled the Caesar,
Aye, and his princes,off to the Greeks.
The luckless left ones,losing the combat,
To the Gothic foemengave up all,
Unwilling forfeitedtheir fathers' treasures,
Their holy allegiance;hard was the loss!
The hearts of the heroesheld with the Greeks,
If they durst followthe folk's foemen.
Thus things stood;the folk was stressed
Many I winter,till Weird appointed
That Theodoricthe thanes and nobles
Should lord it over.This leader of them
Was claimed by Christ,the king himself
Brought to babptism;a blessed day

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