The Consolation of Philosophy

Description

Translated with an introduction by Victor Watts. Written in prison before his brutal execution in AD 524, Boethius' "The Consolation of Philosophy" is a conversation between the ailing prisoner and his "nurse" Philosophy, whose instruction restores him to health and brings him to enlightenment. Boethius was an eminent public figure who had risen to great political heights in the court of King Theodoric when he was implicated in conspiracy and condemned to death. Although a Christian, it was to the pagan Greek philosophers that he turned for inspiration following his abrupt fall from grace. With great clarity of thought and philosophical brilliance, Boethius adopted the classical model of the dialogue to debate the vagaries of Fortune, and to explore the nature of happiness, good and evil, fate and free will. Victor Watts's translation makes "The Consolation of Philosophy" accessible to the modern reader while losing nothing of its poetic artistry and breadth of vision. This edition includes an introduction discussing Boethius' life and writings, a bibliography, glossary and notes. PREFACE viii INTRODUCTION xi I. Introductory xi II. Boethius' Life and Writings xiii III. "The Consolation of Philosophy" xxii IV. The Christianity of Boethius xxxii V. The Text xxxv "The Consolation of Philosophy" BOOK I 3 BOOK II 22 BOOK III 47 BOOK IV 85 BOOK V 116 BIBLIOGRAPHY 139 GLOSSARY I43