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The Consolation of Philosophy

Boethius

  • Essays
  • Book language: English
  • 133 pages

The Consolation of Philosophy is a philosophical dialogue in prose and verse by Boethius, composed in prison while he awaited execution. Lady Philosophy visits him and discusses fortune, happiness, suffering, providence, and free will. Its reflections on adversity and inner freedom still invite careful listening.

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Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

ὄμως δὲ και ἐν τούτοις διαλάμπει τὸ καλὸν,

ἐπειδὰν φέρῃ τις εὐκόλως πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας

ἀτυχίας, μη δι᾿ ἀναλγησίαν, ἀλλὰ γεννάδας

ὤν καὶ μεγαλόψυχος.

[Greek: homôs de kai en toutois dialampei to kalon, epeidan pherê tis eukolôs pollas kai megalas atychias, mê di analgêsian, alla gennadas ôn kai megalopsychos.]

Aristotle's 'Ethics,' I., xi. 12.

Diptych representing Narius Manlius Boethius, father of Anicius

Manlius Severinus Boethius. The inscription in full would run thus:—

NARIVS MANLIVS BOETHIVS VIR CLARISSIMVS ET INLVSTRIS

EXPRAEFECTVS PRAETORIO PRAEFECTVS VRBIS ET COMES

CONSVL ORDINARIVS ET PARTICIVS (For description vid. Preface, p. vi)

Diptych representing Narius Manlius Boethius, father of Anicius Manlius

Severinus Boethius. The inscription in full would run thus:—

NARƗ΄Ǫ MANLƗ΄Ǫ BOETHIVS VƗǡ CƯĵǡƗǪǪƗƽ΄Ǫ ET INL΄ǪǵǡƗǪ

EXPǡĵŧżŧŕǵ΄Ǫ PǡĵŧǵLjǡƗLj Pǡĵŧżŧŕǵ΄Ǫ VǡœƗS Eǵ

CLjƽŧǪ CLjƿǪ΄Ư ORDƗƿĵǡƗ΄Ǫ ET PARTICƗ΄Ǫ

(For description vid. Preface, p. vi)

THE CONSOLATION OF

PHILOSOPHY OF BOETHIUS.

Translated into English Prose and Verse

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Contents

  1. THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY OF BOETHIUS.
  2. Translated into English Prose and Verse
  3. H.R. JAMES, M.A., CH. CH. OXFORD.
  4. PREFACE.
  5. PROEM.
  6. INDEX
  7. VERSE INTERLUDES.
  8. BOOK I. THE SORROWS OF BOETHIUS.
  9. BOOK I.
  10. BOOK II. THE VANITY OF FORTUNE'S GIFTS
  11. BOOK II.
  12. BOOK III. TRUE HAPPINESS AND FALSE.
  13. BOOK III.
  14. BOOK IV. GOOD AND ILL FORTUNE.
  15. BOOK IV.
  16. BOOK V. FREE WILL AND GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE.
  17. BOOK V.
  18. EPILOGUE.
  19. REFERENCES TO QUOTATIONS IN THE TEXT.
  20. THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

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