ὄμως δὲ και ἐν τούτοις διαλάμπει τὸ καλὸν,
ἐπειδὰν φέρῃ τις εὐκόλως πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας
ἀτυχίας, μη δι᾿ ἀναλγησίαν, ἀλλὰ γεννάδας
ὤν καὶ μεγαλόψυχος.
[Greek: homôs de kai en toutois dialampei to kalon,
epeidan pherê tis eukolôs pollas kai megalas
atychias, mê di analgêsian, alla gennadas
ôn kai megalopsychos.]
Aristotle's 'Ethics,' I., xi. 12.
Diptych representing Narius Manlius Boethius, father ofAnicius Manlius Severinus Boethius. The inscription in full would runthus:—
NARivs MANLivs BOETHIVS Vir Clarissimvs ET INLvstris
EXPraefectvs Praetorio Praefectvs VrbiS Et
Comes Consvl ORDinarivs ET PARTICivs
(For description vid. Preface, p. vi)
THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY OF BOETHIUS.
Translated into English Prose and Verse
by
H.R. JAMES, M.A.,
CH. CH. OXFORD.
Quantumlibet igitur sæviant mali, sapienti tamen corona non decidet, non arescet.
Melioribus animum conformaveris, nihil opus est judice præmium deferente, tu te ipse excellentioribus addidisti; studium ad pejora deflexeris, extra ne quæsieris ultorem, tu te ipse in deteriora trusisti.
LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1897.
PREFACE.
The book called 'The Consolation of Philosophy' was throughout theMiddle Ages, and down to the beginnings of the modern epoch in thesixteenth century, the scholar's familiar companion. Few books haveexercised a wider influence in their time. It has been translated intoevery European tongue, and into English nearly a dozen times, from KingAlfred's paraphrase to the translations of Lord Preston, Causton,Ridpath, and Duncan, in the eighteenth century. The belief that whatonce pleased so widely must still have some charm is my excuse forattempting the present translation. The great work of Boethius, with itsalternate prose and verse, skilfully fitted together like dialogue andchorus in a Greek play, is unique in literature, and has a patheticinterest from the time and circumstances of its composition. It oughtnot to be forgotten. Those who can go to the original will find theirreward. There may be room also for a new translation in English after aninterval of close on a hundred years.
Some of the editions contain a reproduction of a bust purporting torepresent Boethius. Lord Preston's translation, for example, has such aportrait, which it refers to an original in marble at Rome. This I havebeen unable to trace, and suspect that it is apocryphal. The HopeCollection at Oxford contains a completely different portrait in aprint, which gives no authority. I have ventured to use as afrontisp