Books by Boethius

The classical and Christian worlds meet in Boethius (c. 480-524 CE), the last writer of purely literary Latin from antiquity. His Tractates examine the Trinity and incarnation in Aristotelian terms. His Consolation of Philosophy, a dialogue between himself and Philosophy, is theistic in tone but draws on Greek, especially Neoplatonist, sources.

Born in the late 5th century AD, Boethius was a Roman statesman and philosopher who would come into the service of the Ostrogothic ruler of Italy, Theodoric the Great. Ultimately he would rise to the position of magister officiorum, the head of all the government and court services. In 523 AD he would find himself accused of treasonous correspondence with Justin I, a charge that would land him in prison and ultimately lead to his execution. During Boethius's year-long imprisonment leading up to his execution he wrote "The Consolation of Philosophy," a work that would become regarded as one of the most important and influential works from medieval times. "The Consolation of Philosophy" is a classical exposition of human nature as Boethius reflects on the treacherous betrayal that led to his fall from favor with his lord. In it he ponders the universal question of Theodicy, or why a benevolent and all powerful God allows evil to manifest in the world, and on the transitory nature of fortune. Meant to provide himself with some solace in the face of his fated execution, Boethius' "The Consolation of Philosophy" is a work that has provided spiritual guidance to those in despair ever since its first appearance. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

The Old English Boethius is an Old English translation / adaptation of the sixth-century Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius, dating from between c. 880 and 950. Boethius's work is prosimetrical, alternating between prose and verse, and one of the two surviving manuscripts of the Old English translation renders the poems as Old English alliterative verse: these verse translations are known as the Metres of Boethius. NOTE: While Introduction and notes are in modern English, and a glossary is also included, the book does not contain a translation into modern English of the text of Consolation of Philosophy.

Boethius (c 480-c 525) was a Christian philosopher and author of many translations and works of philosophy. "On Interpretation" is the second part of the "Organon", as Aristotle's collected works on logic are known; it deals comprehensively with the relationship between logic and language. This title presents a translation of this work.

Bryn Mawr Commentaries provide clear, concise, accurate, and consistent support for students making the transition from introductory and intermediate texts to the direct experience of ancient Greek and Latin literature. They assume that the student will know the basics of grammar and vocabulary and then provide the specific grammatical and lexical notes that a student requires to begin the task of interpretation.

Composed while its author was imprisoned, this book remains one of Western literature's most eloquent meditations on the transitory nature of earthly belongings, and the superiority of things of the mind. Slavitt's translation captures Boethius's energy and passion. Seth Lerer places Boethius's life and achievement in context in his introduction.

One of the most influential texts to come out of the late Middle Ages.

Boethius composed the "Consolatio Philosophiae" in the 6th century AD whilst awaiting death. He had been condemned on a charge of treason which he protested was unjust. Though a convinced Christian, he consoled himself not with Christian precepts but with the tenets of Greek philosophy.