[Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}.]]
[Sidenote: Various are the shapes of created beings. Some creep
along the ground and trace the dust in furrows as they go;]
++ÞE bestes passen by þe erþes by ful dyuerse figures 4956
for so{m}me of hem han hir bodies strauȝt {and}
crepe{n} in þe dust {and} drawen after he{m} a t{ra}is or a
forghe contynued. þat is to sein as addres or snakes.
[Sidenote: others with nimble wings float through the air;]
and oþer bestes by [the] wandryng lyȝtnesse of hir 4960
wenges beten þe wyndes {and} ouer-swymme{n} þe spaces
of þe longe eyer by moist flee[y]nge.
[Sidenote: some with their feet impress the ground, or tread
lightly o’er the meads, or seek the shady grove.]
and oþer bestes
gladen hem to diggen her traas or her stappes i{n} þe
erþe wiþ hir goynge or wiþ her feet. or to gone eyþe[r] 4964
by þe grene feldes or [elles] to walken vnder þe wodes.
[Sidenote: Though we see an endless variety of forms, yet all are
prone; to the earth they bend their looks, increasing the
heaviness of their dull sense.]
{and} al be it so þ{a}t þou seest þat þei
alle discorden by [[pg 171]]
dyuerse formes. algate hir{e} [faces] enclini[n]g heuieþ hir{e}
dulle wittes.
[Sidenote: Man alone doth raise aloft his noble head; light and
erect he spurns the earth.]
Onlyche þe lynage of man heueþ heyest hys 4968
heyȝe heued {and} stondeþ lyȝt wiþ hys vpryȝt body {and}
byholdeþ þe erþe vndir hym.
[Sidenote: Thou art admonished by this figure then, unless by
sense deceived, that whilst taught by thy lofty mien to look
above, thou shouldst elevate thy mind lest it sink below its
proper level.]
[and] but-ȝif þou erþely man
wexest yuel oute of þi witte. þis figure amonesteþ þe þ{a}t
axest þe heuene wiþ þi ryȝt[e] visage. {and} hast areised 4972
þi forhede to beren vp on heye þi corage so þat þi þouȝt
ne be nat yheuied ne put lowe vndir foot. sen þat þi
body is so heye areised.
[Linenotes:
4957 _somme_--som
4959 _forghe contynued_--forwh Ikonntynued
_addres_--nadris
4960 [_the_]--from C.
4963 _hem_--hem self
_stappes_--steppis
4964 _or to gone_--{and} to gon
_eyþe[r]_--eyther
4965 [_elles_]--from C.
4967 [_faces_]--from C.
_algate_--algates
_enclini[n]g_--enclynyd
4968 _Onlyche_--Oonly
_heyest_--heyeste
4970 _erþe_--erthes
4971 _oute_--owt
_witte_--wit
4972 _ryȝt[e]_--ryhte
_hast_--MS. haþe, C. hast
4973 _forhede_--foreheuyd
_on heye_--a heygh
4974 _foot sen_--foote syn]
[Headnote:
DEFINITION OF ETERNITY.]