The Consolation of PhilosophyBoethius was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric, and an exceptional Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, it was to the Greek philosophers that he turned. THE CONSOLATION was written in the period leading up to his brutal execution. It is a dialogue of alternating prose and verse between the ailing prisoner and his 'nurse' Philosophy. Her instruction on the nature of fortune and happiness, good and evil, fate and free will, restore his health and bring him to enlightenment. THE CONSOLATION was extremely popular throughout medieval Europe and his ideas were influential on the thought of Chaucer and Dante. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
able actions Ages agree argument Aristotle beauty become believe body Boethius Boethius’s Book bring called cause chance Christian Classics clear comes consider Consolation death desire divine doubt earth Emperor eternal evil existence eyes fact false fame famous Fate follows foreknowledge fortune freedom future give Greek hand happen happiness hold human impossible Italy kind king knowledge known lacking light living London look matter means mind moves nature necessary necessity never objects once opinion Penguin perfect philosophy Plato pleasure poem possession present Providence punishment reason receive remains reward Roman Rome rule seek seems Senate senses soul stars suffer sure Theodoric things thought translated true truth turn universe virtue whole wicked