M226 Consol Philosophy

by
Boethius

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

M226 Consol Philosophy

by Boethius

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 3,433 ratings · 211 reviews

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 precept...more

Hardcover

Published March 12th 1943 by Modern Library (first published 524)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 15, 2012 Mark Adderley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medieval-literature, philosophy

Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? And why does He allow bad people to get away with doing bad things?

In 524, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was executed, most likely by strangulation, on a charge of treason. Whilst languishing in prison, he wrote a book that was to become one of the most influential philosophical tracts of the next thousand years, The Consolation of Philosophy.

Boethius is himself the narrator of the book. He speculates on being visited, in his pl...more Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? And why does He allow bad people to get away with doing bad things?

In 524, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was executed, most likely by strangulation, on a charge of treason. Whilst languishing in prison, he wrote a book that was to become one of the most influential philosophical tracts of the next thousand years, The Consolation of Philosophy.

Boethius is himself the narrator of the book. He speculates on being visited, in his plight, by Dame Philosophy, who explains to him patiently why his experiences reflect the existence of a good and benevolent God. The world is not ruled by chaotic forces, reward and punishment are not random--it's just that his limited human perception cannot fully understand the situation.

Philosophy begins by proving by meticulous reasoning that God is not only good, but the source of goodness. People are good in so far as they participate in divine goodness; they are evil in so far as they reject it. To be human is to accept good; to reject it makes one subhuman. The evil therefore only appear to be triumphant in the world. In fact, their own evil is their punishment.

The reason the bad seem to be rewarded is that they are favoured by Fortune, the force that rewards and punishes within the world. It is better, Philosophy argues, to follow Providence, the force that sees to it that God's plan is followed, no matter how men mar it.

Philosophy finishes up by reconciling God's foreknowledge of events with Man's free will. Foreseeing a thing does not necessitate that one has influenced it at all--God's foreknowledge merely enables him to see what will happen. He foresees because, from the perspective of eternity, all events, past, present, and future and simultaneously present to Him.

Understanding these concepts helps with understanding at least Dante Alighieri and Geoffrey Chaucer more fully; but they are also helpful in one's day-to-day life. Why does a benevolent God allow bad things to happen in His world? Boethius' answer is a rational one, an answer which does not depend on revealed truth (i.e., the Bible). It is therefore a satisfactory answer to that question for someone who doesn't believe in revealed truth.

Looking over the other reviews here, it seems that one thing people find negative about it is that it's personal--Boethius wrote it to console himself about the situation he was in. It's important to recall that this doesn't disqualify his ideas. That's really an ad hominem argument, and you should evaluate the quality of his thought independently of the circumstances under which they were written. That having been said, there's a poignancy to the situation that, I think, adds an edge to the philosophy. It's no mere abstraction, but a way of thinking that can really make a difference to folk. In short, if you want to understand the Middle Ages and the world in which you live, The Consolation of Philosophy is a cornerstone text.
(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Sep 16, 2008 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: students of the Dark Ages

Shelves: religion-philosophy, christian_life

One of the most influential books of the Middle Ages, bridging the passing of classical culture and rise of Medieval Europe.

Invaluable aid to understanding the worldview of Medieval man. For a scholarly analysis of what and how, refer to C. S. Lewis's The Discarded Image ISBN 0521477352.

Paradoxically, another complementary text is Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization, (ISBN 0385418493) covering the same period when Boethius' influence was greatest (though Cahill offers Augustine as...more

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Fil Correia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, philosophy, religion

Confused at how to rate this one.

As a work of late Antiquity literature it is a masterpiece (beautifully translated by Mr. Slavitt) and I am happy to have read it, specially the first three books, which deal with human happiness and how to achieve it. Readers of self-help books (self-help, pffft!) would be better off reading this than the vacuous, laughable books of our time.

As a theological work, it is less than convincing. Books IV and V remind me of Augustine's 'The City Of God', circular re...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 18, 2011 Jan-Maat added it · review of another edition

Shelves: italy, medieval-history, classical-and-late-antiquity, thinking, religion, 6th-century

Written by Boethius while under arrest for allegedly plotting against the Ostrogothic King.

Boethius writes out conversations, interspersed with poems, between himself and a Christian personification of Philosophy who encourages him to reject concerns with the world and concentrate on the eternal instead. While cursing his evil fortune, Philosophy appears and upbraids Boethius for abandoning her and devoting himself to worldly concerns instead of learning and Christianity. As the dialogues progre...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 04, 2011 Jacob Aitken added it · review of another edition

The Lady Philosophy appeared to Boethius in a vision while Boethius was in prison for political crimes. This book, while highly entertaining, set the stage for medieval philosophy. Among others, St Thomas Aquinas would be in constant conversation with Boethius.

The first section contains a fiery retort by Boethius concerning his imprisonment.

Eventually he and Lady Philosophy get into a discussion concerning true happiness (which St Thomas would essentially copy several centuries later). They de...more

like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Nicholas Armstrong rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For a philosophical treatise, I rather enjoyed the Consolation. I'm not religious, and I'm hardly spiritual, but this book provided an interesting way of looking at both of those things. It's alarming and inspiring as well to see such an advanced mind at so early a period in history. Boethius was a later Socrates. He had been diluted by in the ignorance of his day, but he was imprisoned wrongly and reflected on it in meaningful ways.

For someone interested in exploring religious or spiritual idea...more

like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, religion

This is an interesting book. I like the combination of prose and poetry. I do not regret the fact I read it, but I can't give this a good recommendation.

The argumentation is pretty absurd though in many areas, enough so that it is hard to take much of the book seriously. I mean, in Book 4, it is argued that wicked men are necessarily powerless and unhappy, and that the reason why people of common sense would deny such a claim is due to their lack of grasp of the true nature of things. The proble...more

like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Alfred Searls rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Are you interested in the nature of time, or parallel universes? Do you find yourself wondering about the unknowable nature of the cosmos? If so then this medieval treatise on philosophy, life and the nature of God is just the book for you. No, seriously, I’m not joking … you’ll see. But for now let us begin at the beginning. It is AD524 and the Roman philosopher and civil servant Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius is under house arrest on charges of treason. The charges are almost certainly mor...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 18, 2011 Sophia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had to read this book for both PHL100Y1Y, Introduction to Philosophy, and ENG150Y1Y, The Literary Tradition.

I still don't understand it. I mean, sure, I get the premise, but I feel like the arguments don't work as a system in my mind; all I can remember is that he didn't realise true happiness, and that the evil are weak, and to trust in God, which made Lady Philosophy look more like Lady Religion.

Of course, it made me question whether "us mortals can never understand the universe" is actually...more

like · see review

Nov 06, 2011 Chad Warner rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Chad by: The Tolkien Professor

Shelves: non-fiction, christian

In this work from 524 AD, Lady Philosophy (philosophy personified) leads the imprisoned author, Boethius, through discussions about fortune, happiness, justice, predestination, and free will. Through logical reasoning, they make deductions that build throughout their conversation. They often refer to the philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Lady Philosophy and Boethius believe in a monotheistic God similar to that of Christianity, although there’s no explicit mention of Christianity.

T...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2011 Nick D rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Boethius is the great murder mystery of Late Antiquity -- accomplished scholar and bureaucrat at the court of Theodoric, the Ostrogothic king of Italy. We know who killed him (or at least ordered it -- Theodoric-- and, although there are various versions of how he died, we know it was in prison at the hand's of the king's men. But we don't know motive--there are some vague references to accusations about association with a less-than-loyal fellow Senator--but the evidence, if it ever existed, had...more

like · see review

Mar 10, 2011 Jesse Broussard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: world-class, non-fiction, poetry, classic

How absolutely delightful: an honest use for Philosophy. Never again will I agree with Edward de Vere that there was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently: here is a man who endured a dungeon and finally an unjust death. Here is yet another example of the proof that "Wisdom infinite must form the best" world; if it took the torment of Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius to create his magnum opus, which of us would deny that, if he must die, as he must, this method of his...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 14, 2010 Rowland Bismark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A work considered a combination of Menippean satire and apocalyptic dialogue, the Consolation of Philosophy is a philosophical work similar in structure to a classical Greek dialogue (such as the Dialogues of Plato) but with a more personal, religious, and mystical significance. Boethius wrote the Consolation of Philosophy while in prison awaiting his execution, and, while it is controlled in style and emotion, the personal nature of the philosophical quest is evident. The work is comprised of f...more A work considered a combination of Menippean satire and apocalyptic dialogue, the Consolation of Philosophy is a philosophical work similar in structure to a classical Greek dialogue (such as the Dialogues of Plato) but with a more personal, religious, and mystical significance. Boethius wrote the Consolation of Philosophy while in prison awaiting his execution, and, while it is controlled in style and emotion, the personal nature of the philosophical quest is evident. The work is comprised of five Books, the majority of which consists of a dialogue between Boethius and the earthly incarnation of Philosophy. Lady Philosophy appears to Boethius in prison, and shows him the way to true comfort in philosophical inquiry.

The book is prosimetrical, meaning that it is written in both verse and prose. The thirty-nine poems, of varying length, are interspersed throughout the Books, and are hymns of praise and musings on philosophy. The poems vary in quality, but a few are of the highest order of Latin verse. The poems often serve to sum up the overall meaning or point of each Book.

A dialogue that discusses the merits of philosophy and its practical application is a Latin form called a consolatio. This old Greek and Latin literary form was a popular branch of the genre of diatribe. All the schools of philosophy used the consolatio form to justify their points of view. Readers tended to understand consolatio as moral or philosophical medications, able to assuage moral, philosophical, or spiritual ailments.

When Lady Philosophy first visits Boethius in Book I, she finds the disgraced Roman official trying to write poetry to assuage his grief. He is accompanied by the Muses of Poetry, whom she sends away. She immediately begins to lecture Boethius on the folly of placing his trust and hope in earthly honors, comforts, and pleasures. This includes even a too-strong attachment to his own physical life. She reminds him that he is a spiritual being in addition to a corporeal one, and that the spiritual truths and pursuits are the only ones which give any real or lasting happiness. She perceives that Boethius is "ill" - preoccupied with his fear and too attached to earthly things - so she begins her "cure" slowly, by asking him questions about what he truly believes about God and the nature of humankind.

Throughout the work, Lady Philosophy and Boethius agree that the universe (a product of God) is full of good, and evil is therefore without substance. Though the products of God are good, ultimate good is not to be found in earthly things, for all of these soon pass away. All earthly good, Boethius argues, is an illusion and the only reality worth knowing is that of the mind and spiritual and philosophical pursuits.
This work has been translated by many scholars throughout history. It had particular influence on the Middle Ages, and was considered necessary reading for all educated people. The philosophy is wholly orthodox with Boethius's Christianity, but the proofs within it are mostly logical. Certain arguments, such as free will and Providence, are very famous and are referred to by other authors, especially Christian writers of the medieval Europe.(less)

like · see review

Dec 26, 2009 Trevor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve meant to read this for a very long time, probably since I found out that the title of The Consolations of Philosophy, another book I quite enjoyed, was borrowed from this one. In case you don’t know the background, I’ll be quick. The writer was leading a perfectly satisfactory life (in fact, even better than satisfactory) when one day everything went seriously yuck (in case you need a theme song to understand this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyAJWh... – you can’t say I don’t try to provi...more

11 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2009 Jim Coughenour rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: poetryforliving, thinkingcap

"It is a sad business, and I am prompted to sing."

Boethius, an imperial official in the waning days of Rome, wrote this book to console himself when he was a political prisoner under Theodoric the Ostrogoth – so it isn't exactly a book you'd expect to be brimming with relevance. However, for readers living through their own middle ages, it definitely proffers a kind of curious comfort. Boethius begins with a poem recounting how in his "salad days" he was rich and "whimsical Fortune smiled for a...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 18, 2009 Oakshaman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The One and the Good

_Here you find the unequivocal declaration that not riches, not high position, not fame, not physical pleasure are worth pursuing in-and-of themselves. Such things are of value only if they are obtained in the pursuit of the highest Good. This highest Good is demonstrated to be God. Moreover, Boethius points out that when evil men succeed in obtaining such goals over the righteous, then they cease to truly be men- they are beasts and subhuman. This is a refreshing reminder i...more

like · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Kendra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Kendra by: Martha

Shelves: classics, mfa-recommendations, nonfiction

Boethius. There's nothing more terrifying to me than a book of philosophy written by a philosopher who pretends he's actually talking to Philosophy, personified, while in prison. I really, reallydislike books of philosophy--and I'm not quite sure how I can get away with this dislike, seeing as how it's pretty much impossible to get through life without constructing one's own. Chalk it up to a childish preference for learning about the external world by climbing trees over sitting in a darkened...more

like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Ben rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this book, particularly given the circumstances under which it was written. I read it while researching the question of God's relationship to time since Boethius attempts to place God outside of time in order to reconcile divine foreknowledge and human freedom. I found his thoughts and arguments interested from a historical perspective on the topic. However, his arguments do not follow given modern understandings of necessity and possibility. There are other ways to reconcile G...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2011 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Philosophy comes to Boethius personified as a woman reprimanding him for his despair. Though reminiscent of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, the stoicism espoused is ultimately rooted in a faith that life is not subject to chance and a God that ”watches over His creation.” pg. 50.

Though concise and compelling, The Consolation of Philosophy is merely a shadow of the Greek philosophic tradition from which it is inspired. The imitation of Platonic dialogues is simply that. An imitation. Boethius sta...more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2011 Briynne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was another book that’s been on my mental “rather old things which peak my curiosity” shelf, and it was well worth finally getting around to. I ran across this originally in the form a passage from King Alfred’s translation of Boethius into Old English (in my trusty Cambridge Old English Reader, which I hope to be finishing and reviewing here sometime soon) – the translation was horrible and nonsensical and involved a lot of gibberish about a wagonwheel, but the editors’ introduction went o...more This was another book that’s been on my mental “rather old things which peak my curiosity” shelf, and it was well worth finally getting around to. I ran across this originally in the form a passage from King Alfred’s translation of Boethius into Old English (in my trusty Cambridge Old English Reader, which I hope to be finishing and reviewing here sometime soon) – the translation was horrible and nonsensical and involved a lot of gibberish about a wagonwheel, but the editors’ introduction went on and on about how important and influential the original had been in the Middle Ages, so I was intrigued. This translation came across, thankfully, as being much less interpretive and quite a bit more elegant than old Al’s rendering of it.

The basic crux of the book is that Boethius was an important Roman patrician figure in the court of the barbarian emperor Theodoric; he was unjustly thrown in prison and wrote this book while awaiting execution. It isn’t the cri de coeur that one might expect given the situation, but instead bears a lot of similarity in feel to the Socratic dialogues, and is designed as a conversation between himself and a female personification of Philosophy. The opening sections of the book were the most accessible to me, and were surprisingly modern in content. Boethius begins by attempting to find the definition of happiness and in so doing, he makes some observations that feel very contemporary.

One of my favorite quotes from the early part of the book is this: "…it is a true saying that they want most who possess most, and, conversely, they want very little who measure their abundance by nature's requirements, not by the superfluity of vain display. Have ye no good of your own implanted within you, that ye seek your good in things external and separate?" It makes me want to apologize for my materialism, moderate as it might be in comparison to what I see around me sometimes. He also has some lovely things to say about inner beauty and the misled ideas people have about inborn nobility; Boethius argues that nobility is defined by actions and not birth, and that a noble bloodline is really only useful for shaming people into living up to their ancestors. I thought that was a powerful thing for someone in his position to say, since so much of his privilege and status must have been owed to his family.

However, to my mind Boethius puts forth a wrong-headed theory of what constitutes the idea of happiness. He feels that the ultimate good, which is equivalent both to perfect happiness and divinity itself, is composed in men’s minds of wealth, power, reverence, fame, and pleasure. Of course he argues that happiness cannot actually be achieved through any of these things, except through the Divine which encompasses all of them in one, but the argument remains that these are the ultimate forms of human fulfillment. What nonsense. I don’t aspire to be reverenced; I am very honestly content in being treated with garden-variety civility. Nor do I wish to be the boss of anyone other than myself, be fabulously wealthy, go on a bender of self-indulgence, or see my face splashed across a tabloid. I think he would have had a more difficult time arguing the pitfalls of more sincere forms of happiness like the peace of a clear conscience, being useful to other people, and living a simple and private life outside the public eye.

And that brings me to my next point, which is that the dialectical form is little more than a sort of intellectual bullying. Time and time again in the piece, the figure of Boethius has only one role in the dialogue – to fawningly agree with every assertion of Philosophy in absolute terms. “Yes, that cannot possibly be denied,” “It would be impossible to think otherwise,” “Your conclusion is so well reasoned I cannot have a thought in my head except to agree with you,” ad nauseam. It’s probably the American in me, but I don’t think there is anything, said by anyone, that cannot be contested. I kept thinking, “of course it can be argued - that doesn’t even make sense!” as I read the dialogues. But that’s just not how these classical writers seem to roll. I’m not bothered that I didn’t agree with many of the conclusions in this book, but it would have been satisfying for Boethius to play the role of devil’s advocate a little bit more. Contested arguments have so much spirit and fun, even if they are between the author and himself.

There’s a great bit in the middle of the book dealing with Fortune. This is something that Boethius is obviously personally concerned with – he went from having everything imaginable to having nothing at all. He feels innocent and rather hard done by. So, it’s fascinating to hear him explain this phenomenon to himself without any cossetting at all. He argues that Fortune is, by very definition, fickle. If you expect her to treat you any differently, you are a fool, and deserve exactly what’s coming to you. A wiser person understands the nature of Fortune, and expects her to withdraw her gifts at her own will and pays them little mind. That’s a valuable lesson, but one that is almost impossibly difficult to actually accept. I know I feel stupidly entitled to my good luck, as probably all of us do.

In the latter half of the book, things started to get a bit dense and tricky for me. I understood what was happening, but it wasn’t intellectually skipping along like the earlier part. Boethius raises a lot of old favorites (or maybe not so old when he was writing?) from theology. He argues for a rational explanation of the existence of evil in a world controlled by a perfectly good God. He also tries to come up with a satisfying answer to the question that’s plagued people since the time of the minor prophets and beyond - "Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?." I wasn’t wholly convinced by his logic that wickedness is its own punishment and virtue its own reward, but I also acknowledge that it’s probably just about the most satisfying answer out there. Finally, there is a discussion concerning the question that if God foresees the future, does that mean that the future is predetermined and free will is set at naught? Boethius argues that no, seeing something isn’t the same as compelling it and mixes it with some interesting speculation about the nature of Divine intelligence.

To sum up, this was a moving glimpse inside the mind of a remarkable man. The work is decidedly pious, but not at all religious. There is a distinct lack of Christian flavor considering how popular it became with medieval monks, but I think Boethius made a wise decision to use Philosophy and not religion as his medium for expressing his ideas. Regardless of how devout he may have been, overtly religious arguments have a tendency to make discussion moot very quickly. Lovely and worthwhile if you are so inclined.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 17, 2009 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i read this book in college and in tandem with chaucer's canterbury tales. this is a compelling book written by an imprisoned, sixth-century, roman philosopher during his imprisonment. the consolation of philosophy is a dialogue between boethius and the muses, an attempt to console himself before being put to death. ostrogothic king theodoric the great who had appointed boethius to be head of government and court services, accused boethius of treason for allegedly conspiring with justin I of the...more

like · see review

Mar 29, 2013 Anthony J. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of the best experiences available to any reader with a proclivity towards introspection and philosophical reasoning. It is a powerful work of thought-inducing logic. Its victory is its expert balance of two seemingly contradictory goals: it is simultaneously concise and all-encompassing, wasting no words on superfluous descriptions or verbose redundancies while still managing to present well-reasoned explanations of such varied but connected topics as free will, happiness, the nature...more

like · see review

Sep 30, 2009 Brad rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

I listened to this as an audiobook. (from librivox.org - free, volunteer driven, public domain audiobooks)

The book itself: I rather enjoyed this text. Boethius' use of Platonic dialogue as the vehicle for is philosophical points, intermixed with solid classical poetry (that served to reinforce/illuminate points just made) was refreshing and interesting.

That he is exploring themes of justice and free will make the book still relevant philosophically. Also, he spends much time on the good way to...more

like · see review

Sep 25, 2012 Gary Patella rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Boethius tried to show why good is always the better choice and evil always the worse choice. He tried doing this purely with philosophy and eliminating religion. Unfortunately, pretty much every argument used stems from the premise that God definitely exists. This is stated at the beginning, and every argument following builds upon that premise.

So Boethius' attempt, in this regard, is a complete and utter failure. Despite his efforts to make it otherwise, this winds up being The Consolation of...more

like · see review

May 08, 2013 Ryan Tindall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is everything that philosophy should be. Rational and poetic, pious and questioning, faithful to God and reason amongst its doubts.

Boethius gives an updated account of Job's conundrum and provides a graceful and articulate defense of the Romano-Christian philosophy and theology, along with the virtue ethics and politics of the sagest of ancients in the very days before Europe plunged into its years of barbarism, starting with the end of Boethius' life itself. It is philosophy in its t...more

like · see review

Sep 28, 2011 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I purchased this book while in High School in the 60's for $1.50 with a copyright of 1962..I still have it in excellent condition SANS any pages pulled apart,etc.That SHOULD say how much I adore this writing.

Boethius writes this book from prison in a conversation style between himself and Lady Philosophy.She consoles him by discussing the transitory nature of FAME & Wealth & the ultimate "superiority of things of the mind,which she calls the "one true good".She contends that HAPPINESS co...more

like · see review

Jan 13, 2008 Mat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: ailing cows, among others

i know, i know. I really shouldn't like this book so much but it was my absolute favorite in college. my best friend and i would take it down to the calves, screaming with grief because they had just been weaned, and read it to them in hopes it would help them see past their pain. I think it worked some of the time! That's how good this book is.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 18, 2013 Michael Murphy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

He is perhaps best known to the modern reader, as the Philosopher that Ignatius O'Riley champions in John Kennedy Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces"
Often styled as "the last of the Romans", regarded by tradition as a Christian martyr, born at Rome in 480; died at Pavia in 524 or 525. Descended from a consular family, he was left an orphan at an early age and was educated by the pious and noble-minded Symmachus, whose daughter, Rusticana, he married. As early as 507 he was known as a learned man, an...more

like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Garth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazing book! Much like Paradise Lost. Long quiet evenings are made for something like this wonderful journey. Pretty highbrow stuff, not for the weak of spirit. Owing heavily to the styles of Plato and Socrates, Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy is a deep investigation into the nature of wisdom and the physical world. Making use of fiction, dialogue, and other Platonic conventions, Boethius s envisioned discussions with Philosophy personified take the reader on a journey of philosophical inq...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2011 Roger Burk rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Boethius was a Christian and Neoplatonist philosopher, and also a high functionary in the court of Theoderic, the Ostrogothic king of Italy in the sixth century. He was imprisoned on suspicion of conspiracy (apparently under easy conditions) and wrote this book while in prison. It is a dialogue in prose and verse between Boethius, lamenting his poor turn of fortune, and personified Philosophy, who tries to convince him that there is really no such thing as evil, that wicked men are really powerl...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
On the Southern L...: Boethius and the Consolation of Philosophy	1	11	Mar 06, 2012 04:03pm

combine
Other Editions (83)

More editions...

Genres

Philosophy

375 users

Classics

80 users

Non Fiction

62 users

Religion

28 users

Historical Fiction > Medieval

25 users

Religion > Theology

14 users

History

11 users

Literature

11 users

Literature > Ancient

9 users

Poetry

9 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Enneads
by Plotinus
Pensées
by Blaise Pascal
On Christian Doctrine
by Augustine of Hippo
On the Good Life
by Marcus Tullius Cicero
The Major Works
by St. Anselm of Canterbury

About Boethius

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly called Boethius (ca. 480–524 or 525 AD) was a philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born in Rome to an ancient and prominent family which included emperors Petronius Maximus and Olybrius and many consuls. His father, Flavius Manlius Boethius, was consul in 487 after Odoacer deposed the last Western Roman Emperor. Boethius, of the noble Anicia fam...more

More about Boethius...

Books by Boethius

Theological Tractates. the Consolation of Philosophy

Cicero: On Fate (De fato)/Boethius: The consolation of philosophy (Philosophiae consolationis) IV. 5-7, V

Fortune's Prisoner: The Poems of The Consolation of Philosophy

The Consolation of Philosophy, with The Imitation of Christ and Religio Medici

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Consolation o...

3 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Consolation of Phi...

“Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.” — 37 people liked it

“Nunc fluens facit tempus,
nunc stans facit aeternitatum.

(The now that passes produces time, the now that remains produces eternity.)” — 13 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: M226 Consol Philosophy
avg rating	preview: M226 Consol Philosophy Goodreads rating: 3.89 (3433 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3182098-m226-consol-philosophy?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]/assets/nocover/111x148.png[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3182098-m226-consol-philosophy?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]M226 Consol Philosophy by Boethius[/url]

M226 Consol Philosophy

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website