The Consolation of Philosophy

by Boethius

For although things subject to fortune seldom keep touch in staying, yet the end of life is a certain death, even of that fortune which remaineth. Wherefore, what matter is it whether thou by dying leavest it, or it forsaketh thee by flying?

When Phoebus with his rosy team Showeth his lightsome beam, The dull and darkened stars retire Yielding to greater fire.

An everlasting law is made, That all things born shall fade.”

For in all adversity of fortune it is the most unhappy kind of misfortune to have been happy.”

For if this vain name of casual felicity moveth thee, let us make accompt with how many and how great things thou aboundest. Wherefore, if that which in all thy revenues of fortune thou esteemest most precious doth still by God’s providence remain safe and untouched, canst thou, retaining the best, justly complain of misfortune?

Wherefore, since the greatest care that mortal men have is to save their lives, O happy man that thou art, if thou knowest thine own wealth, who still hast remaining those things which no man doubteth to be dearer than life itself?

For who hath so entire happiness that he is not in some part offended with the condition of his estate?

The nature of human felicity is doubtful and uncertain, and is neither ever wholly obtained, or never lasteth always.

those which are most happy are most sensible,{22}

every little cross overthrows them, so small are the occasions which take from the most fortunate the height of their happiness.

nothing is miserable but what is thought so,

contrariwise, every estate is happy if he that bears it be content.

O mortal men, why seek you for your felicity abroad, which is placed within yourselves?

if thou enjoyest thyself, thou shalt possess that which neither thou wilt ever wish to lose nor fortune can take away.

If blessedness be the chiefest good of nature endued with reason, and that is not the chiefest good which may by any means be taken away, because that which cannot be taken away is better,

the instability of fortune cannot aspire to the obtaining of blessedness.

the souls of men are in no wise mortal, and since it is clear that casual felicity is ended by the body’s death, there is no doubt, if this can cause blessedness, but that all mankind falleth into misery by death.

if the gifts of fortune were not brittle and momentary, what is there in them which can either ever be made your own, or, well weighed and considered, seemeth not vile and of no accompt?

And if a man cannot have that which is given to another, then money is precious when, bestowed upon others, by the use of liberality it is not possessed any longer.

O scant and poor riches, which neither can be wholly possessed of many, and come to none without the impoverishment of others!

For what is there wanting life and members that may justly seem beautiful to a nature not only endued with life but also with reason? Which, though by their maker’s workmanship and their own variety they have some part of basest beauty, yet it is so far inferior to your excellency that it did in no sort deserve your admiration.

Fortune will never make those things thine which by the appointment of Nature belong not to thee.

For Nature is contented with little and with the smallest things,

By all which is manifestly proved that none of these goods which thou accountest thine, are thine indeed. And if there is nothing in these worthy to be desired, why art thou either glad when thou hast them or sorry when thou losest them?

Have you no proper and inward good, that you seek your goods in those things which are outward and separated from you?

Is the condition of things so changed that a living creature, deservedly accounted divine for the gift of reason, seemeth to have no other excellency than the possession of a little household stuff

All other creatures are content with that they have of their own; and you, who in your mind carry the likeness of God, are content to take the ornaments of your excellent nature from the most base and vile things...

you debase your dignity under every meanest creature. For if it be manifest that the good of everything is more precious than that whose good it is, since you judge the vilest things that can be to be your goods, you deject yourselves under them in your...

for this is the condition of man’s nature, that then only it surpasseth other things when it knoweth itself, and it is worse than beasts when it is without that knowledge. For in other living creatures the i...

riches have often hurt their possessors, since every lewdest companion, who are consequently most desirous of that which is not their own, think themselves most worthy to possess alone all the gold and jewels in the world.

O excellent happiness of mortal riches, which, when thou hast gotten, thou hast lost thy safety!

virtues are not honoured by dignities, but dignities by virtue.

Now, how can any man exercise jurisdiction upon anybody except upon their bodies, and that which is inferior to their bodies, I mean their fortunes?

Power

Wherefore thinkest thou the power of that man to be anything worth, who cannot hinder another from doing that to him which he can do to another?

if dignities and power had any natural and proper good in them, they would never be bestowed upon the worst men, for one opposite useth not to accompany another; nature refuseth to have contraries joined.

For the nature of everything doth that which is proper unto it, and is not mixed with contrary effects but repelleth all opposites. But neither can riches extinguish unsatiable avarice, nor power make him master of himself whom vicious lusts keep chained in strongest fetters.

in miscalling things that are otherwise, you take a pleasure which is easily refuted by the effect of the things themselves.

Wherefore, by right, these things are not to be called riches, this is not to be called power, that is not to be called dignity. Lastly, we may conclude the same of all fortunes in which it is manifest there is nothing to be desired, nothing naturally good, which neither are always bestowed upon good men, nor do make them good whom they are bestowed upon.

the compass of the whole earth compared to the scope of heaven is no bigger than a pin’s point, which is as much as to say that, if it be conferred with the greatness of the celestial sphere, it hath no bigness at all.

not only the Fame of particular men but even of cities can hardly come.

the customs and laws of diverse nations do so much differ the one from the other, that the same thing which some commend as laudable, others condemn as deserving punishment. So that if a man be delighted with the praise of fame, it is no way convenient for him to be named in many countries. Wherefore, every man must be content with that glory which he may have at home, and that noble immortality of fame must be comprehended within the compass of one nation.

Now, how many, most famous while they lived, are altogether forgotten for want of writers! Though what do writings themselves avail which perish, as well as their authors, by continuance and obscurity of time?

But you imagine that you make yourselves immortal when you cast your eyes upon future fame. Whereas, if thou weighest attentively the infinite spaces of eternity, what cause has...

if we compare the stay of one moment with ten thousand years, since both be limited, they have some proportion, though it be but very small. But this number of years, how oft so ever it be m...

For limited things may in some sort be compared among themselves, but that which is infinite admitteth no com...

the fame of never so long time, if it be compared with everlasting eternity, seemeth n...

if a guiltless mind freed from earthly imprisonment goeth forthwith to heaven, will she not despise all earthly traffic who, enjoying heaven, rejoiceth to see herself exempted from earthly affairs?

For I think that Fortune, when she is opposite, is more profitable to men than when she is favourable. For in prosperity, by a show of happiness and seeming to caress, she is ever false, but in adversity when she showeth herself inconstant by changing, she is ever true.

prosperity with her flatterings withdraweth men from true goodness, adversity recalleth and reclaimeth them many times by force{33} to true happiness.

the remedies which remain are of that sort that they are bitter to the taste, but being inwardly received wax sweet.