While Consolation of Philosophy is a lesser known philosophical masterpiece in our eclipsed intellectual moment, it is a work admired and consulted for hundreds of years and with great influential power over figures as impressive as Thomas Aquinas, Dante Alighieri, Lorenzo Valla in his Dialogue on Free Will (who disagreed with Boethius) and C.S. Lewis (who examined this work in his own, The Discarded Image).
Simply, the work is a conversation between imprisoned Boethius and "Lady Philosophy." In addition to listening to Boethius’s story the reader also get Philosophy’s story as she speaks about her commander “Wisdom” and the never ending woes of “doing battle forever against proud stupidity.” However, this classic is not about mere whining, but about Boethius coming to his real “senses.” As a follower of Philosophy, he should in fact know better. This philosophically literary book represents the best of what a Liberal Arts education can produce and it can assist in producing the best human soul that has received a Liberal Arts education.
When lady Philosophy enters she acts as Boethius’s guide to assist him on an internal journey he must take. The conversation, rich in meaning, progresses in layers, moving from the particular of Boethius’s life to some of the most important abstract truths ever explored. Philosophy instructs Boethius as she moves him from where he is to where he needs to be in a correct spiritual condition.
Unlike most philosophical tomes that are thick with the specialized language of that discipline, but Boethius work is composed in Menippian parallels “alternating poetry and prose—to create a kind of parallel dialogue between discourses of literary and logical inquiry.”
This is a contemplative piece worthy of reading and re-reading throughout our life for many reasons. It is a work that was borne from personal hardships Boethius experienced and it is from his particular situation in life that he addresses issues central to the human condition.
The argument from beginning to end of this work is that all human happiness, all real worth, all genuine reason for existing, resides within the “One and the Good”. All human pursuits and the various quests for meaning is an attempt (often failed attempt) at moving toward happiness and truth.
Slavitt's prose translation is accessible and makes frequent use of colloquialisms. Compared to more literal translations (Green, Walsh, Relihan) it trades literalness for literary power. For those new to Boethius, this is a great place to start, but one should also read a literal version. If one has read the more literal translations, the Slavitt work should be enjoyed for his ability to communicate much of the tone and rich emotional power of this work.
Consolation is an exemplary work of spiritual psychology, rich theological reflection, and exemplary exercise in the Delphic admonition “Know Thyself”. It is a work that anyone must read if they are going to speak intelligently (even in descent) about the nature of God, happiness, suffering, providence, chance, fate, fortune, wisdom, virtue, and free-will. Many readers may find something in Boethius they already know, but did not know that a particular version of the idea was initiated by Boethius.
Boethius quotes or alludes to or manifests poetic parallels Virgil, Ovid, Seneca, Parmenides, Zeno, Plato’s Timaeus and Gorgias, Stoics, Epicureans, Basil, Aristotle’s Physics, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and the Bible.
Rare is the philosophical mind that is also at home with the poets in both form and content. Possibly, the history of Western Philosophy might have many more followers if the philosophers were more informed and influenced by the poets.
“Homer sings of how Phoebus’ light
‘sees all things and hears all things,’
but his rays are not strong enough to pierce
to the inmost depths of earth and sea.
But this is not so for the great Creator,
whose gaze does deeper, unobstructed
by matter’s opacity or night’s
utter blackness. Instead, he sees
what is, what was, and what is to come
in an instant’s insight—only his,
who is the true and only sun.”
“Oh, there is freedom,” she replied, “for otherwise there could not be any rational nature. Rational beings must possess freedom of the will. Those beings that are rational have the faculty of judgment by which reason operates and decides everything.”
Rarely does a reviewer comment on the actual book itself, but this little treasure seems to warrant a remark. Books of all shapes and sizes can be enjoyed, but it does seem that a book that fits, almost perfectly in both hands merits a unique type of pleasure. This view may be highly subjective, but when you read this book see, just see if something else is not going on with the feel and diminuititave look of this elegant volume.
A most fitting end of this review would provide the reader with the words of a great poetic philosopher (Dante) giving honor to Boethius by means of the greatest Medieval philosopher
Thomas Aquinas is instructing Dante about the souls he sees there and Boethius is the eighth—
Now if your mind will follow upon my praise,
your eyes proceeding on from light to light,
you’ll thirst to know about the eighth. Because
He saw all that was good, now delight
shimmers that spirit who made manifest
how the world cheats—to all who hear him right.
The flesh whence he was driven lies at rest
in the crypts of Ciel d’Oro; but he came
from martyrdom and exile to this peace.” (Paradise X:115-129, Trans. Esolen)
Simply, the work is a conversation between imprisoned Boethius and "Lady Philosophy." In addition to listening to Boethius’s story the reader also get Philosophy’s story as she speaks about her commander “Wisdom” and the never ending woes of “doing battle forever against proud stupidity.” However, this classic is not about mere whining, but about Boethius coming to his real “senses.” As a follower of Philosophy, he should in fact know better. This philosophically literary book represents the best of what a Liberal Arts education can produce and it can assist in producing the best human soul that has received a Liberal Arts education.
When lady Philosophy enters she acts as Boethius’s guide to assist him on an internal journey he must take. The conversation, rich in meaning, progresses in layers, moving from the particular of Boethius’s life to some of the most important abstract truths ever explored. Philosophy instructs Boethius as she moves him from where he is to where he needs to be in a correct spiritual condition.
Unlike most philosophical tomes that are thick with the specialized language of that discipline, but Boethius work is composed in Menippian parallels “alternating poetry and prose—to create a kind of parallel dialogue between discourses of literary and logical inquiry.”
This is a contemplative piece worthy of reading and re-reading throughout our life for many reasons. It is a work that was borne from personal hardships Boethius experienced and it is from his particular situation in life that he addresses issues central to the human condition.
The argument from beginning to end of this work is that all human happiness, all real worth, all genuine reason for existing, resides within the “One and the Good”. All human pursuits and the various quests for meaning is an attempt (often failed attempt) at moving toward happiness and truth.
Slavitt's prose translation is accessible and makes frequent use of colloquialisms. Compared to more literal translations (Green, Walsh, Relihan) it trades literalness for literary power. For those new to Boethius, this is a great place to start, but one should also read a literal version. If one has read the more literal translations, the Slavitt work should be enjoyed for his ability to communicate much of the tone and rich emotional power of this work.
Consolation is an exemplary work of spiritual psychology, rich theological reflection, and exemplary exercise in the Delphic admonition “Know Thyself”. It is a work that anyone must read if they are going to speak intelligently (even in descent) about the nature of God, happiness, suffering, providence, chance, fate, fortune, wisdom, virtue, and free-will. Many readers may find something in Boethius they already know, but did not know that a particular version of the idea was initiated by Boethius.
Boethius quotes or alludes to or manifests poetic parallels Virgil, Ovid, Seneca, Parmenides, Zeno, Plato’s Timaeus and Gorgias, Stoics, Epicureans, Basil, Aristotle’s Physics, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and the Bible.
Rare is the philosophical mind that is also at home with the poets in both form and content. Possibly, the history of Western Philosophy might have many more followers if the philosophers were more informed and influenced by the poets.
“Homer sings of how Phoebus’ light
‘sees all things and hears all things,’
but his rays are not strong enough to pierce
to the inmost depths of earth and sea.
But this is not so for the great Creator,
whose gaze does deeper, unobstructed
by matter’s opacity or night’s
utter blackness. Instead, he sees
what is, what was, and what is to come
in an instant’s insight—only his,
who is the true and only sun.”
“Oh, there is freedom,” she replied, “for otherwise there could not be any rational nature. Rational beings must possess freedom of the will. Those beings that are rational have the faculty of judgment by which reason operates and decides everything.”
Rarely does a reviewer comment on the actual book itself, but this little treasure seems to warrant a remark. Books of all shapes and sizes can be enjoyed, but it does seem that a book that fits, almost perfectly in both hands merits a unique type of pleasure. This view may be highly subjective, but when you read this book see, just see if something else is not going on with the feel and diminuititave look of this elegant volume.
A most fitting end of this review would provide the reader with the words of a great poetic philosopher (Dante) giving honor to Boethius by means of the greatest Medieval philosopher
Thomas Aquinas is instructing Dante about the souls he sees there and Boethius is the eighth—
Now if your mind will follow upon my praise,
your eyes proceeding on from light to light,
you’ll thirst to know about the eighth. Because
He saw all that was good, now delight
shimmers that spirit who made manifest
how the world cheats—to all who hear him right.
The flesh whence he was driven lies at rest
in the crypts of Ciel d’Oro; but he came
from martyrdom and exile to this peace.” (Paradise X:115-129, Trans. Esolen)
