The Consolation of Philosophy

The Consolation of Philosophy - Paperback

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The Consolation of Philosophy
  • The Consolation of Philosophy
The Consolation of Philosophy - Paperback

The Consolation of Philosophy - Paperback

by Boethius , P. G. Walsh
$16.15
$16.15
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Book Overview

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.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
ISBN9780199540549
Author Boethius , P. G. Walsh
PublisherOxford University Press
GenrePhilosophy
FormatPaperback
PublishedOctober 2008
LanguageENG- English
Pages240
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

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Nonfiction Philosophy

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By Boethius
About Boethius
Boethius (ca. 480-524 CE) was a Roman philosopher and statesman who lived under the rule of the Ostrogoths after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Accused of treason, he was imprisoned around 523 and tortured and executed in 524. He wrote The Consolation of Philosophy while in prison awaiting his fate. Philip Freeman is the author of more than thirty books on the ancient world, including Julian: Rome's Last Pagan Emperor and Searching for Sappho: The Lost Songs and World of the First Woman Poet. His other books include six previous volumes in Princeton's Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series, How to Tell a Story, How to Think about God, How to Be a Friend, How to Grow Old, How to Run a Country, and How to Win an Election. He holds the Fletcher Jones Chair in Humanities at Pepperdine University.
About P. G. Walsh
P. G. Walsh has translated four previous classical works for OWC: Apuleius, The Golden Ass; Petronius, Satyricon; Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy; and Cicero, The Nature of the Gods

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