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THE GREEKS ARE LIKE HYDRA.
Ȝe waken for wikkednesse · & wirchen but ille.
ye commit murder Ȝe speden for to spille men · & spouce-breche fonden;
788adultery, Ȝour is lechurie luf · & liben wiþ stalþe.
and theft. To robbe men of hure riht · ful redy ben alle.
Ȝe ben glotounius gle · glad for to haunte,
& han no mesure on molde · of mete ne of drynke.
792ȜE ben to þe helle-hond · holliche i-like,
Ye are like Cerberus. Tri-cerberus þe tenful · of wham i tolde haue;
Foure hedus ben on him · þat haþ but on wombe.
& so it fareþ by ȝou folk · þat fillen ȝou siluen;
796For alle þe godus þat ȝe geten · of gomus vp-on erþe
Seruen for to sustaine · ȝour vnsely wombe.
There is an adder in hall called Hydra, Also ȝoure docturus sain · in sawus ful olde,
Þat an addre is in helle · þat yydra is called,
800 To cache is couaitous · corsede soulus;
never glutted. & fonde he fewe oþur fale · fule is he neuere.
Ye are like him. Þanne mow ȝe ludus of lif · be likned him tille;
For ȝe ben couaitouse kid · & kunne nouht blinne,
804But euere wenden to winne · wordliche godus,
& al is burnus aboute · ȝoure body for to fede.
Alle þe foliuus, folk · þat ȝe fain[1] wirchen,
Ben purchas of penance · whan ȝe parte hennus.
808 To bale were ye þanne[2] bore · for bannede werkus,
Ye were born to morrow." Þat schullen schamly be schent · & schapen to paine.
Þus dindimus þe dere king · enditeþ his sonde,
& god by-secheþ to saue · þe soueraine prinse."—
812When Alexander heard this, Whan emperour alixandre · wiþ erene hit hirde,
& tendede þe tiþinge · þat y told haue,
he was wroth. He was wroþ, for þe writ · of wrong gan a-lose
His godus þat he held · to gyen þe peple.
ye commit murder Ȝe speden for to spille men · & spouce-breche fonden;
788adultery, Ȝour is lechurie luf · & liben wiþ stalþe.
and theft. To robbe men of hure riht · ful redy ben alle.
Ȝe ben glotounius gle · glad for to haunte,
& han no mesure on molde · of mete ne of drynke.
792ȜE ben to þe helle-hond · holliche i-like,
Ye are like Cerberus. Tri-cerberus þe tenful · of wham i tolde haue;
Foure hedus ben on him · þat haþ but on wombe.
& so it fareþ by ȝou folk · þat fillen ȝou siluen;
796For alle þe godus þat ȝe geten · of gomus vp-on erþe
Seruen for to sustaine · ȝour vnsely wombe.
There is an adder in hall called Hydra, Also ȝoure docturus sain · in sawus ful olde,
Þat an addre is in helle · þat yydra is called,
800 To cache is couaitous · corsede soulus;
never glutted. & fonde he fewe oþur fale · fule is he neuere.
Ye are like him. Þanne mow ȝe ludus of lif · be likned him tille;
For ȝe ben couaitouse kid · & kunne nouht blinne,
804But euere wenden to winne · wordliche godus,
& al is burnus aboute · ȝoure body for to fede.
Alle þe foliuus, folk · þat ȝe fain[1] wirchen,
Ben purchas of penance · whan ȝe parte hennus.
808 To bale were ye þanne[2] bore · for bannede werkus,
Ye were born to morrow." Þat schullen schamly be schent · & schapen to paine.
Þus dindimus þe dere king · enditeþ his sonde,
& god by-secheþ to saue · þe soueraine prinse."—
812When Alexander heard this, Whan emperour alixandre · wiþ erene hit hirde,
& tendede þe tiþinge · þat y told haue,
he was wroth. He was wroþ, for þe writ · of wrong gan a-lose
His godus þat he held · to gyen þe peple.
Tu enim vigilans penas paris, vtpote [ed. vtpute] furta, fornicationes, et adulteria que committis. Dicunt enim quod in inferno semper sitiunt habitantes et minime possunt satiari, Et tu tantam habens cupidinem acquirendi vt numquam possis diuitiis recreari, Deinde omnia que in inferno esse dixerunt in te sine dubio commorantur. Heu ibi misero, qui debes post mortem tuam innumerabilia tormenta sustinere!--Relata epistola Alexandro, iratus ext
