Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/267

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XV

Though the unrighteous evil monarch,

Nero the king, decked him anew

In fairest raiment in wondrous fashion,

With gold adorned, and goodly jewels,

Yet through the world by all men of wisdom

In the days of his life he was loathed and scorned,

Filled with all sin. This foe of men

To all his darlings dealt high favours

Yet I cannot conceive how they could hold

Themselves anything the better. Though for a season

He chose them without virtue, this most witless king,

Yet no wise man worshipped them the more.

Though the man of folly make himself king,

How can he reckon, the man of right reason,

That he is anything better, or even so seems?

XVI

He that seeks power must first strive

That he may of himself in his mind within

Lordship compass, lest he may be ever

To his sinful ways utterly subject.

From out of his spirit let him speedily pluck

The manifold cares that carry no profit;

Let him cease a while his mournful sighing