Description

Boethius composed De Consolation Philosophiae in the sixth century A.D. while awaiting death by torture, condemned on a charge of plotting against Gothic rule, which he protested as manifestly unjust. Though a Christian, Boethius details the true end of life as the soul's knowledge of God, and consoles himself with the tenets of Greek philosophy, not with Christian precepts. Written in a form called Meippean Satire that alternates between prose and verse, Boethius' work often consists of a story told by Ovid or Horace to illustrate the philosophy being expounded. The Consolation of Philosophy dominated the intellectual world of the Middle Ages; it inspired writers as diverse Thomas Aquinas, Jean de Meun, and Dante. In England it was rendered into 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 demeanor of the author, and the Meippean texture of part prose, part verse have been a fascination for students of philosophy, literature, and religion ever since.

Reviews

"An excellent introduction and overview of this important thinker's thought and legacy."-Calvin Theological Journal

"Characterized by the deftness and precision we expect from a translation by Walsh, this book on Boethius does not disappoint. A seasoned translator, Walsh renders the philosopher-statesman delightfully accessible to his present day reader, both neophyte and specialist. The introduction provides essential background on the turbulent times--religious and political--of sixth century Italy, enabling the reader to comprehend the christological controversies which divided Rome and Constantinople during Boethius' political career....Translated by Aldred the Great, Chaucer, and Elizabeth I, The Consolation , has again found a happy rendition at the hands of Walsh."--Religious Studies Review

Product Details

240 pages; ISBN13: 978-0-19-283883-4ISBN10: 0-19-283883-0

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