The Consolation of Philosophy

by Boethius

by reflecting of the contrary thou mayest discover the type of perfect blessedness.

“All men’s thoughts, which are turmoiled with manifold cares, take indeed divers courses, but yet endeavour to attain the same end of happiness, which is that good which, being once obtained, nothing can be further desired.

Which is the chiefest of all goods, and containeth in itself whatsoever is good, and if it wanted anything it could not be the chiefest, because there would something remain besides it which might be wished for.

blessedness is an estate replenished with al...

So that some, esteeming it their greatest good to want nothing, labour by all means to abound with riches; others, deeming that to be good which is most deserving of honour, hunt after preferments, to be respected by their fellow-citizens.

Some interchange the ends and means of these things one with the other, wanting now riches for the sake of power and pleasure, now power for the sake of wealth and fame.

friendship, that most sacred thing, is rather to be attributed to virtue than to fortune.

Other things for the most part are desired either for power or pleasure.

strength and greatness give ability; beauty and swiftness, fame; and health yieldeth pleasure. By all which we manifestly s...

that which every man seeketh most after, is by him esteemed...

he esteemeth that estate happy which he preferreth ...

Epicurus only considering, consequently took pleasure for his chiefest good, because all the rest seemed to delight the mind.

But nothing can cause happiness so much as the plentiful possession of all that is good, needing the help of none, but is sufficient of itself.

the most excellent is also most famous.

How the first reins of all things guided are By powerful Nature as the chiefest cause, And how she keeps, with a foreseeing care, The spacious world in order by her laws,

the intention of nature leadeth you to the true good, and manifold error withdraweth you from it.

though want may be somewhat relieved by wealth, yet it cannot altogether be taken away. For if ever gaping and craving it be satiated by riches, there must needs always remain something to be satiated.

Wherefore if riches can neither remove wants, and cause some themselves, why imagine you that they can cause sufficiency?

unworthiness would less appear if they were never advanced to any honours.

we cannot for their honours account them worthy of respect whom we judge unworthy of the honours themselves.

virtue hath a proper dignity of her own, which she presently endueth her possessors withal.

dignities make the wicked to be despised the more by laying them open to the view of the world. But the dignities go not scot-free, for wicked men do as much for them, defiling them with their own infection.

Wherefore if dignities cannot make us respected, if they be easily defiled with the infection of the wicked, if their worth decays by change of times, if diversities of nations make them contemptible, what beauty have they in themselves, or can they afford to others, worth the desiring?

both former and present times are full of examples that many kings have changed their happiness with misery.

O excellent power, which is not sufficient to uphold itself! And if this strength of kingdoms be the author of blessedness, doth it not diminish happiness and bring misery, when it is in any way defective?

though some empires extend themselves far, there will still remain many nations out of their dominions. Now, where the power endeth which maketh them happy, there entereth the contrary which maketh them miserable, so that all kings must needs have less happiness than misery.

Power

What power is this, then, which cannot expel nor avoid biting cares and pricking fears?

Thinkest thou him mighty whom thou seest desire that which he cannot do? Thinkest thou him mighty who dareth not go without his guard; who feareth others more than they fear him; who cannot seem mighty, except his servants please?

But their very greatness drawing them to their destruction, neither of them could compass that which they desired. Wherefore what power is this that the possessors fear, which when thou wilt have, thou art not secure, and when thou wilt leave, thou canst not avoid?

Are we the better for those friends which love us not for our virtue but for our prosperity? But whom prosperity maketh our friend, adversity will make our enemy. And what plague is able to hurt us more than a familiar enemy?

Who would be powerful, must His own affections check,

As for glory, how deceitful it is oftentimes, and dishonest!

there must needs be many nations to which the fame of one man cannot arrive, it cometh to pass that he whom thou esteemeth glorious, in the greater part of the world seemeth to have no glory at all. And here now I think popular glory not worth the speaking of, which neither proceedeth from judgment, nor ever hath any firmness.

if praising causeth fame, they must necessarily be famous who are praised.

The general race of men from a like birth is born. All things one Father have, Who doth them all adorn,

whosoever will remember his lusts shall understand that the end of pleasure is sadness.

All pleasure hath this property, She woundeth those who have her most. And, like unto the angry bee Who hath her pleasant honey lost, She flies away with nimble wing And in our hearts doth leave her sting.

Lady Pleasure

Wherefore there is no doubt but that these ways to happiness are only certain by-paths, which can never bring any man thither whither they promise to lead him.

Wilt thou endeavour to gather money? But thou shalt take it away from him who hath it.

Wilt thou excel in dignities? Thou shalt crouch to the giver, and thou who desirest to surpass others in honour shalt beco...

Wishest thou for power? Thou shalt be in danger of thy sub...

Seekest thou for glory? But, drawn into many dangers, thou sh...

Wilt thou live a voluptuous life? But who would not despise and neglect the service of so vile an...

esteem the goods of the body as much as you will, so that you acknowledge this, that whatsoever you admire may be dissolved with the burning of an ague of three days.

these goods, which can neither perform that they promise, nor are perfect by having all that is good, do neither, as so many paths, lead men to happiness, nor make men happy of themselves.

“The reason is manifest, for that which is simple and undivided of itself, is divided by men’s error, and is translated from true and perfect to false and unperfect.

if any power in any respect be weak, in this it must necessarily stand in need of the help of others.”

sufficiency, power, fame, respect, pleasure have indeed divers names, but differ not in substance.”

“This then, which is one and simple by nature, man’s wickedness divideth, and while he endeavoureth to obtain part of that which hath no parts, he neither getteth a part, which is none, nor the whole, which he seeketh not after.”

“He who seeketh after riches,” quoth she, “to avoid want, taketh no thought for power, he had rather be base and obscure, he depriveth himself even of many natural pleasures that he may not lose the money which he hath gotten. But by this means he attaineth not to sufficiency, whom power forsaketh, w...