THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY OF BOETHIUS.
PREFACE.
PROEM.
INDEX OF VERSE INTERLUDES
BOOK I. THE SORROWS OF BOETHIUS.
SONG I. BOETHIUS' COMPLAINT.
SONG II. HIS DESPONDENCY.
SONG III. THE MISTS DISPELLED.
SONG IV. NOTHING CAN SUBDUE VIRTUE.
SONG V. BOETHIUS' PRAYER.
SONG VI. ALL THINGS HAVE THEIR NEEDFUL ORDER.
SONG VII. THE PERTURBATIONS OF PASSION.
BOOK II. THE VANITY OF FORTUNE'S GIFTS.
SONG I. FORTUNE'S MALICE.
SONG II. MAN'S COVETOUSNESS.
SONG III. ALL PASSES.
SONG IV. THE GOLDEN MEAN.
SONG V. THE FORMER AGE.
SONG VI. NERO'S INFAMY.
SONG VII. GLORY MAY NOT LAST.
SONG VIII. LOVE IS LORD OF ALL.
BOOK III. TRUE HAPPINESS AND FALSE.
SONG I. THE THORNS OF ERROR.
SONG II. THE BENT OF NATURE.
SONG III. THE INSATIABLENESS OF AVARICE.
SONG IV. DISGRACE OF HONOURS CONFERRED BY A...
SONG V. SELF-MASTERY.
SONG VI. TRUE NOBILITY.
SONG VII. PLEASURE'S STING.
SONG VIII. HUMAN FOLLY.
SONG IX.[I] INVOCATION.
SONG X. THE TRUE LIGHT.
SONG XI. REMINISCENCE.[J]
SONG XII. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.
BOOK IV. GOOD AND ILL FORTUNE.
SONG I. THE SOUL'S FLIGHT.
SONG II. THE BONDAGE OF PASSION.
SONG III. CIRCE'S CUP.
SONG IV. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF HATRED.
SONG V. WONDER AND IGNORANCE.
SONG VI. THE UNIVERSAL AIM.
SONG VII. THE HERO'S PATH.
BOOK V. FREE WILL AND GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE.
SONG I. CHANCE.
SONG II. THE TRUE SUN.
SONG III. TRUTH'S PARADOXES.
SONG IV. A PSYCHOLOGICAL FALLACY.[R]
SONG V. THE UPWARD LOOK.
EPILOGUE.
REFERENCES TO QUOTATIONS IN THE TEXT.
Sources
Alas! in what abyss his mind
Is plunged, how wildly tossed!
Still, still towards the outer night
She sinks, her true light lost,
As oft as, lashed tumultuously
By earth-born blasts, care's waves rise high.
Yet once he ranged the open heavens,
The sun's bright pathway tracked;
Watched how the cold moon waxed and waned;
Nor rested, till there lacked
To his wide ken no star that steers
Amid the maze of circling spheres.
The causes why the blusterous winds
Vex ocean's tranquil face,
Whose hand doth turn the stable globe,
Or why his even race
From out the ruddy east the sun
Unto the western waves doth run:
What is it tempers cunningly
The placid hours of spring,
So that it blossoms with the rose
For earth's engarlanding:
Who loads the year's maturer prime
With clustered grapes in autumn time:
All this he knew--thus ever strove
Deep Nature's lore to guess.
Now, reft of reason's light, he lies,
And bonds his neck oppress;
While by the heavy load constrained,
His eyes to this dull earth are chained.
II.
'But the time,' said she, 'calls rather for healing than for lamentation.' Then, with her eyes bent full upon me, 'Art thou that man,' she cries, 'who, erstwhile fed with the milk and reared upon the nourishment which is mine to give, had grown up to the full vigour of a manly spirit? And yet I had bestowed such armour on thee as would have proved an invincible defence, hadst thou not first cast it away. Dost thou know me? Why art thou silent? Is it shame or amazement that hath struck thee dumb? Would it were shame; but, as I see, a stupor hath seized upon thee.' Then, when she saw me not only answering nothing, but mute and utterly incapable of speech, she gently touched my breast with her hand, and said: 'There is no danger; these are the symptoms of lethargy, the usual sickness of deluded minds. For awhile he has forgotten himself; he will easily recover his memory, if only he first recognises me. And that he may do so, let me now wipe his eyes that are clouded with a mist of mortal things.' Thereat, with a fold of her robe, she dried my eyes all swimming with tears.
THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY OF BOETHIUS.
PREFACE.
PROEM.
INDEX OF VERSE INTERLUDES
BOOK I. THE SORROWS OF BOETHIUS.
SONG I. BOETHIUS' COMPLAINT.
SONG II. HIS DESPONDENCY.
SONG III. THE MISTS DISPELLED.
SONG IV. NOTHING CAN SUBDUE VIRTUE.
SONG V. BOETHIUS' PRAYER.
SONG VI. ALL THINGS HAVE THEIR NEEDFUL ORDER.
SONG VII. THE PERTURBATIONS OF PASSION.
BOOK II. THE VANITY OF FORTUNE'S GIFTS.
SONG I. FORTUNE'S MALICE.
SONG II. MAN'S COVETOUSNESS.
SONG III. ALL PASSES.
SONG IV. THE GOLDEN MEAN.
SONG V. THE FORMER AGE.
SONG VI. NERO'S INFAMY.
SONG VII. GLORY MAY NOT LAST.
SONG VIII. LOVE IS LORD OF ALL.
BOOK III. TRUE HAPPINESS AND FALSE.
SONG I. THE THORNS OF ERROR.
SONG II. THE BENT OF NATURE.
SONG III. THE INSATIABLENESS OF AVARICE.
SONG IV. DISGRACE OF HONOURS CONFERRED BY A...
SONG V. SELF-MASTERY.
SONG VI. TRUE NOBILITY.
SONG VII. PLEASURE'S STING.
SONG VIII. HUMAN FOLLY.
SONG IX.[I] INVOCATION.
SONG X. THE TRUE LIGHT.
SONG XI. REMINISCENCE.[J]
SONG XII. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.
BOOK IV. GOOD AND ILL FORTUNE.
SONG I. THE SOUL'S FLIGHT.
SONG II. THE BONDAGE OF PASSION.
SONG III. CIRCE'S CUP.
SONG IV. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF HATRED.
SONG V. WONDER AND IGNORANCE.
SONG VI. THE UNIVERSAL AIM.
SONG VII. THE HERO'S PATH.
BOOK V. FREE WILL AND GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE.
SONG I. CHANCE.
SONG II. THE TRUE SUN.
SONG III. TRUTH'S PARADOXES.
SONG IV. A PSYCHOLOGICAL FALLACY.[R]
SONG V. THE UPWARD LOOK.
EPILOGUE.
REFERENCES TO QUOTATIONS IN THE TEXT.
Sources
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