The Consolation of PhilosophyBoethius composed the De Consolatione Philosophiae in the sixth century AD whilst awaiting death under torture, condemned on a charge of treason which he protested was manifestly unjust. Though a convinced Christian, in detailing the true end of life which is the soul's knowledge of God, he consoled himself not with Christian precepts but with the tenets of Greek philosophy. This work dominated the intellectual world of the Middle Ages; writers as diverse as Thomas Aquinas, Jean de Meun, and Dante were inspired by it. In England it was rendered in to Old English by Alfred the Great, into Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer, and later Queen Elizabeth I made her own translation. The circumstances of composition, the heroic demeanour of the author, and the 'Menippean' texture of part prose, part verse have combined to exercise a fascination over students of philosophy and literature ever since. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Contents
viii | |
xi | |
Summary of the Treatise | li |
Note on the Text | liii |
Select Bibliography | liv |
A Chronology of Boethius Life and Times | lviii |
THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY | 1 |
Explanatory Notes | 115 |
166 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Ammonius argument Aristotle Aristotle’s attain Augustine’s blessings Boethius Book Cassiodorus cause Chadwick Chapter Christian Cicero claim commentary condemnation confined Consolatio Philosophiae Consolation of Philosophy Courcelle death define definition dialogue divine doctrine earlier earth echoes eternal evil existence eyes fame Fate fierce figure final find fire first five fixed fleeting follows foreknowledge Fortune Fortune’s future events gaze Georgics Gibson God’s Gorgias grasp Greek Gruber heaven highest Horace human imagination influence judgement king knowledge Latin man’s Martianus Capella men’s mind nature nature’s necessity Neoplatonism Neoplatonist O’Daly Odoacer Odysseus office Ostrogoths outcome Ovid person Phaedo Plato pleasure Plotinus poem poetry possessions praetorian prefect prisoner prisoner’s Proclus Providence punishment Ravenna reason reflect regard replied Roman Roman senate Rome seek senate Seneca Sharples Socrates sought soul stars Stoic sufficiency Symmachus theme Theoderic things Tractate tradition translation treatise true happiness truth verses Virgil virtue wicked wretched