Chapter V

1 _Concerning the land of Russ_. 4 _The dividing up of it_. 6 _Confusion ariseth_. 10 _All men are equal_. 11 _Concerning Tino, the King of the Greeks_. 16 _Jon smiteth him_. 10 _He getteth him thence_. 22 _Willi speaketh unto the nations_. 24 _His lamentation in secret_.

Now it came to pass in the land of Russ that all the people cried out against the king _because_ of his tyranny.

2 And they did come upon him suddenly, and they did _take_ him. And they cast him into prison, so that he no longer ruled _over_ them.

3 And they straightway set _about_ it for to make all men equal throughout the land. Yea, rich _and_ poor, the wise man _and_ the fool, the workers _and_ the sluggards, the good men _and_ the evil. All these did they strive to make equal together.

4 ¶ And they did divide the land into pieces, being a piece _unto_ each one of them. And the money that was in the treasury, that also did they share _amongst_ them.

5 Nevertheless, there were some, being the nimble _ones_, that did profit by it exceedingly. And every man's hand, it was turned against his neighbour, for they feared very dreadfully lest _he had_ too much.

6 ¶ And a legion of devils broke loose _amongst_ the people, and they did contend together concerning the equal division of power, so that it was _a time_ of confusion, no man knowing what he would get _of it_.

7 Verily, it was like unto a cauldron of boiling broth wherein the meat _cometh_ up according to the seething of it; and whosoever did clutch _at_ a piece, he adventured to find it too hot.

8 And some did make peace, and some did make war; and some did borrow money, but none did repay it _unto_ the lenders.

9 And every man in the land, _he was_ equal unto his fellows; and more so was it _so_ with them that did rightly choose the leader to be over them.

10 ¶ Yea, the wise of an high estate, they were brought _down_ very low; and the foolish of low degree, they were lifted up higher than _these_.

11 ¶ Now there was one amongst the kings of Eur, and his name, it was Tino, the king of the Greeks. And Sophia, that was sister unto Willi, the king of Hu, she had _taken_ him to husband. Yea, verily, _she had_ taken him.

12 And Tino was a crafty man and artful. And whensoever he did speak, behold, there was oil _upon_ his words, so that afterwards he could slide them both this way and _also_ that way, as did him most advantage.

13 Verily, he was as full of lies as the hide of a dog is full of fleas; and he was _for ever_ scheming for to hurt the people of En.

14 And after he had continued in his evil ways _for_ a long time, then did all the peoples that were joined together against the men of Hu cry out in a loud voice, saying with one accord, Is there no one _amongst_ all our brethren that will rid us of this turbulent beast?

15 And there was one, amongst them, a _certain_ man, and his name, it was Jon. And he straightway set sail in a boat, and on the third day he came to Athens.

16 ¶ And _after_ he was arrived there, he did make his way into the presence of Tino, that was the king, and he did smite him _one_.

17 Yea, he lifted up his foot against him, and did catch him _with_ a lusty stroke.

18 And he commanded his servants that they should bring him a caravan for to carry Tino thence. And Sophia did he put _into_ it also, and Tino's oxen, and his ass, and everything _that was_ his.

19 ¶ And after it was ready, then did Tino get him thence. And he departed into a far country, even unto _that_ place where his caravan now resteth.

20 And _he did_ leave his second born for to rule in his stead, thinking in his heart, This one, he shall keep warm _the seat_ for me.

21 Now when word was brought unto Willi _concerning_ Tino, that was his brother, and _concerning_ all the things that had happened unto him, then waxed he very wroth.

22 ¶ And he spake unto all the nations of the earth, crying out in a loud voice, and saying, Who _shall_ lay hands on the king? And who lay hands on the Lord's anointed?

23 Verily, the time draweth nigh when I will vanquish mine enemies utterly, and Tino, he shall go up _again_ unto that place from whence _he hath_ come down.

24 ¶ And after he had spoken these _words_ unto all the nations of the earth, then did he repair unto the secret chamber of his palace. And he called unto him certain of his servants; and Mud, that was his son, him _also_ did he call unto him.

25 And he put on sackcloth and ashes and did raise his voice in lamentation over Tino, and over Sophia, _that was_ his wife, saying, How are the mighty fallen, and _those_ of an high estate cast down from their high places!

26 I am disturbed _because_ of thee, my Tino, for thou wert more unto me than a brother. Very pleasant hast thou been unto me, and wonderful thy ways _towards_ me.

27 Thine heart, _it was_ deeper than water, and thy tongue as subtil as the smile of a woman _that_ knoweth.

28 The ball of _thine_ eye was a full moon that ripeneth corn, and thy teeth stood _out_ like sentinels of ivory without the gate of Paradise.

29 Thou _hast_ fallen very low, my Tino; very low hast thou fallen indeed, for thou liest with thy face in the dust, neither is there any help _in_ thee.

30 How are the mighty fallen, and _those_ of an high estate cast down from their high places!