b. Boethius

8/16/2019 b. Boethius

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III. EARLY MEDIEVALTHINKERS

1. ANICIUS MANLIUSSEVERINUS BOETHIUS


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I. BIOGRAPHY1 . Life

* full na e : Anicius Manlius TorquatusSeverinus Boethius * !i"#$ - date: around 489 A.D. - place: Ro e * fa il% - Anicii: a distin!uished Ro an "a il#

- S# achus: a pro inent Ro anconsul $ho adopted Boethius a"ter thedeath o" the latter%s "ather.


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I. BIOGRAPHY - Rusticiana: dau!hter o" S# achus

$ho &eca e Boethius% $i"e &. P'li#i(al Ca"ee" * Theodoric ' (in! o" )stro!oths $ho

conquered Ro e in 489 A.D. - an a&solute #et a *ust ruler $ho ade

Ro e prosperous.

- ai ed to pro ote har on# &et$eenthe +oths and the Ro ans.


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I. BIOGRAPHY&. P'li#i(al Ca"ee" * Boethius as consul and Master o"

,in!%s o""ices - li(e his o$n "ather and "oster "ather

he &eca e consul in 1/ A.D. - attained the hei!ht o" his po$er and

"a e $hen ,in! Theodoric entrusted to

hi one o" the hi!hest positions in the0estern Ro an pire: Master o" the,in!%s )""ices in 23 A.D.


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I. BIOGRAPHY

- corresponded $ith the 5 perial 6ourt in

6onstantinople in order to overthro$Theodoric

- his devotion and concern "or the Ro an

Senate $hich has tradition "or !reatness$hich i!ht &e vie$ed as dislo#alt# toTheodoric.

- alle!ed a!ical contact $ith evil spirits7his interest in athe atics andastrono # "alsel# perceived as concerned


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I. BIOGRAPHY $ith a!ic and "or&idden #steries

e posed Boethius to suspicion andsu&sequent conde nation .* Dea#$

- Theodoric hi sel" ordered hisi prison ent e ile and eventuale ecution in 24 2 A.D. in avia.


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II. PHILOSOPHICAL CONTRIBUTION1. T"an,la#i'n -'" ,

* hi!hl# re!arded as a !reat translator"ro +ree( to ;atin - in +ree( the $ord arche $as a (e#

concept "ro the ti e o" Thales toAristotle.- +ree( to ;atin: arche principiu

- this $ord co &ines t$o i portanteanin!s:


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II. PHILOSOPHICAL CONTRIBUTION* Boethius "or ulated iconic

philosophical ter s -


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II. PHILOSOPHICAL CONTRIBUTIONS - ae#e"ni#a, : interminabilis vitae tota

simul et perfecta possessio 7


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II. PHILOSOPHICAL CONTRIBUTION

* translated various treatises o" Aristotle

- Categories - Topics - De interpretatione - Prior Analytics - Posterior Analytics

* M',# ,i+nifi(an# ('n#"i!u#i'n Boethius%s translations o" Aristotle%s $or(s

on ;o!ic and the De consolatione

philosophiae constitute his osti portant contri&ution to philosoph#.


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III. DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIAE

I. B'' One

> P"',e 1 : portra#al o" philosoph# as a$o an $ith a*estic $isdo

> P"',e 0 : ris( o" li"e o" $isdo


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BOOK I

* P"',e 0 )u#% 'f i,e en


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BOOK I

*P"',e 2 B'e#$iu,3 i,f'"#une a, a

/u!li( 'ffi(ial


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BOOK I*P"',e 2 B'e#$iu, 'n in4u,#i(e in

+'5e"n en# < At grave risk to my position % have

protected the weak from the lies and

avarice of cruel men in power 'o manever corrupted my administration of justice % was as depressed as those whosuffered the losses when % saw thewealth of our citi(ens dissipated either by

private fraud or oppressive taxation .=


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BOOK I*P"',e 2 A((u,a#i'n a+ain,# B'e#$iu,

- < &inally, what am % accused of) Theysay % desired the safety of the Senate*ut how) % am convicted of having

hindered their accuser from givingevidence that the Senate is guilty oftreason .=

- < +hy should % even mention thespurious letters in which % am chargedwith having hoped for Roman liberty ?


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BOOK I*P"',e 6 #$e '"l) i, +'5e"ne) !% a

"a#i'nal /"in(i/le an) n'# !% ($an(e - ;ad# philosoph# tells Boethius that

inspite o" his su""erin! +od !overns the$orld.


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DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIAE

B'' II P"',e 1

*La)% P$il','/$% un)e" ine, #$e "'le'f f'"#une in 'u" life


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BOOK II*P"',e 1 7'"#une ($an+e,


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BOOK II*P"',e 1 /a"a)'8 'f i,f'"#une

- < -eally, the misfortunes which are nowsuch a cause of grief ought to be reasonsfor tran uillity &or now she has desertedyou, and no man can ever be secure untilhe has been forsaken by &ortune .=

- < The double certainty of loss andconse uent misery should prevent both thefear of her threats and the desire of herfavors &inally, once you have submittedyourself to her chains, you ought to take

calmly whatever she can do to you .=


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BOOK II*P"',e 0 P$il','/$% "e in)e)

B'e#$iu, 'f $i, f'" e" f'"#une an)/"',/e"i#% - his second parents $ho adopted hi

are ver# pro inent people acquainted$ith ver# po$er"ul "i!ures - "ortunate to have a !ood "a il# li"e

- his t$o sons &eca e consuls


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BOOK II*P"',e 2 P',i#i5e In,i+$#, 'f La)%

P$il','/$% 'n B'e#$iu,3 Mi,f'"#une 1


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BOOK II

2


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BOOK II> Support "or 2 insi!ht


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BOOK IIP"',e 2 Mi,('n(e/#i'n 'n Pe"fe(#

Ha//ine,,> 9: happiness cannot depend on

things which are uncertain .;

- < %f happiness is the highest good ofrational natures, and if nothing which canbe lost can be a supreme good 0because

it is obviously less good than that whichcannot be lost1, then clearly unstable&ortune cannot pretend to bringhappiness .=


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BOOK IIP"',e 2 Mi,('n(e/#i'n 'n Pe"fe(#

Ha//ine,,* '"#al #$in+, '" ea"#$l% +''), )' n'#

/"'5i)e /e"fe(# $a//ine,,


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BOOK IIP"',e 2 T"ue Ha//ine,, i, i#$in u,

< hy then do men look outsidethemselves for happiness which iswithin! " %s anything more precious to

you than yourself) $ou will agree thatthere is nothing Then if you possessyourself, you have something you willnever want to give up and somethingwhich &ortune cannot take from you .=


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BOOK IIP"',e < Ma#e"ial P',,e,,i'n, a"e n'#

#"ul% !enefi(ial an) e5en $a" fulRea,'n,1=


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BOOK II

Rea,'n,&= E8(e,,i5e /',,e,,i'n 'f

a#e"ial eal#$ i, $a" ful #''ne,elf


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BOOK II

0= I# i, !enefi(ial #' 'ne,elf #' li i#'ne3, a#e"ial +''), #' $a# a"ena#u"all% ne(e,,a"%.


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BOOK IIRea,'n,

2= I# i, a )e+"a)a#i'n 'f 'ne3,$u an )i+ni#% an) a !e#"a%al 'fG')3, ill #' !e en,la5e) !%

a#e"ial +''),


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BOOK II


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BOOK IIRea,'n,

6= Ma#e"ial eal#$ i, u,uall% >$a" ful#' #$',e $' /',,e,,3 i#.


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BOOK II?= T' $a5e '"l)l% eal#$ i, #' l',e

'ne3, ,afe#%. 4 'ow you are fearful of losing your

life. but, if you had walked the road

of life as a poor pilgrim, you couldlaugh in the face of thieves +hat ablessing worldly riches are2 when

you have them, you have lost yoursafety6!

BOOK II


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BOOK IIP"',e 6 P' e" an) H'n'" a, Gif#, 'f

7'"#une* P' e" an) H'n'" a"e n'# +'') in#$e ,el5e,

B'e#$iu,3, A"+u en#,1= 9: if honor and power were bynature good in themselves" theywould never be found in wickedmen .;- < &or opposites are rarely found together,and nature abhors the union ofcontraries !

BOOK II


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BOOK II

-


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BOOK II&=


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BOOK IIC'n(lu,i'n all #$e +if#, 'f 7'"#une a"e

un)e,i"a!le


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BOOK IIP"',e ? 7a e i, /a"'($ial an)

#e /'"a"%* the "a e o" a virtuous an or o" a herois li ited to the &oundar# o" his i ediate

localit# or o" his nation.


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BOOK II* "a e and !lor# is not endless in ti e


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BOOK IIP"',e @ Mi,f'"#une ('ul) !e Benefi(ial

$ile G'') 7'"#une ('ul) !e De(ei#ful*


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BOOK IIMi,f'"#une an) #"ue f"ien),

*


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BOOK IIIP"',e 1 : La)% P$il','/$% ,/ea , 'f

#"ue $a//ine,,P"',e & : -$a# T"ue Ha//ine,, I, * $a//ine,, a, ,u/"e e +'')


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BOOK III

*na#u"al an) uni5e",al )e,i"e f'"

$a//ine,,


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BOOK III* i+n'"an(e a!'u# #"ue $a//ine,,


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BOOK IIIP"',e 0 -eal#$ T"ue Ha//ine,,

*


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BOOK III

* -eal#$ en+en)e", a5a"i(e


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BOOK IIIP"',e 2 H'n'" i, n'# #"ue +'')

* Pu!li( 'ffi(e i, n'# a ,'u"(e 'f #"ue$'n'"


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BOOK III*('""u/# /u!li( 'ffi(ial,

- < /n the contrary, public honorsusually reveal wickedness ratherthan correct it, and so we often

complain that these honors are givento the worst men .= -


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BOOK III*#"ue $'n'" (' e, f"' 5i"#ue n'#

!e,#' e) !% /u!li( 'ffi(e - < +e cannot judge men worthy of respect

on account of the honors given them, ifwe find them unworthy of the honorsthey have received .=

- < &or virtue has its own honor, and thishonor is transferred to those who possessvirtue .=

BOOK III


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BOOK III*C'""u/# 'ffi(ial, )e,e("a#e #$ei" 'ffi(e


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BOOK IIIP"',e < P' e" T"ue Ha//ine,,

*i"'n% 'f /' e" ,'u"(e 'f in,e(u"i#% - < Those who brag of their power want tolive in security, but cannot .=

- < Do you think a person mighty who isalways surrounded by bodyguards, who ismore afraid than those whom heintimidates, who puts himself in thehands of his servants in order to seem

powerful) =


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BOOK III


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rose E: a e F True Gappiness

rose H: Bodil# leasure F True GappinessP"',e @ M'ne% B')il% G''), P' e"H'n'" an) 7a e a"e T"an,ien# an)Li i#e) G''),


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P"',e #$e li i#e) +''), a"e unifie)in #$e /e"fe(#l% ,elf ,uffi(ien#

*


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BOOK IIIP"',e T"ue Ha//ine,, i, Pe"fe(#l%

,elf ,uffi(ien#


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BOOK IIIP"',e 1 G') i, Pe"fe(# Ha//ine,,*,#a"#in+ /'in# /"'5in+ #$e"e i, /e"fe(#

+'') #$"'u+$ i /e"fe(# +''),


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BOOK IIIP"',e 1* G') i, /e"fe(# +'') an) /e"fe(#

$a//ine,, -


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P"',e 11 : +od is )ne and the Jlti ate+oal o" all &ein!s

P"',e 1& G') Rule, #$e Uni5e",e* +od is the i uta&le )ne !overnin!

varieties o" chan!e in the $orld


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BOOK IIIP"',e 1& G')3, Rule

* G') "ule, a(('")in+ #' Hi,+'')ne,,


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P"',e 1 T$e P"'!le 'f E5il


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BOOK IV

P"',e & G'') en a"e /' e"ful e5il en a"eea

*1 ,# a"+u en# : !ood en succeed in

!ainin! the !ood &ut evildoers "ail. - &oth !ood en and evil en desire $hatis !ood

-


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BOOK IV

-


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*& n) a"+u en# !ood en see( thehi!hest !ood or happiness throu!h virtueevil en rel# on illicit pleasures

-


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- < Anyone acting that way loses not only hisstrength but his very being, since toforsake the common goal of all e#istence isto forsake e#istence itself .=

- #$e 5i"#u'u, an


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P"',e 0 T$e G'') a"e al a%, "e a")e)$ile #$e e5il a"e al a%, /uni,$e)

A"+u en#,1= A&solute !ood or Gappiness is al$a#s

achieved !ood en. * < Absolute good, therefore, is set up as a

kind of common pri(e for all humanactivity 'ow this pri(e is always achievedby good men, and further, no one wholacks the good may rightly be calleda good man .=

BOOK IV


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*


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&=Based on the opposition &et$een re$ardand punish ent


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BOOK IV


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> vil en are ore isera&le


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* Bene"it o" punish ent !reat evil to avoidit


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FN.B. hilosoph# ac(no$led!es thatordinar# *ud! ent do not "indphilosophical ar!u ents credi&le.

*"e/l% 'f P$il','/$% <


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BOOK IV


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- < rovidence is the )i5ine "ea,'n i#,elf$hich &elon!s to the ost hi!h ruler o"all thin!s and $hich !overns all thin!s...=

- < Providence embraces all things e ually,however diverse they are, howeverinfinite . =

-


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*7a#e :


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&=lin &et$een rovidence and ate

- < Although the two are differentthings, one depends upon the other,for the process of &ate derives from

the simplicity of Providence . = -


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BOOK IV

-


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0= T$e"e i, )i5ine /"'5i)en(e in,/i#e 'f

e5il an) ,uffe"in+,*


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* ven $ic(ed en do evil "or the sa(e o"

$hat is perceived as !ood.2= 5ronies o" divine providence * hu an *ud! ent a# not coincide $ith

divine vie$ o" order and har on#


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a= +od protects a an $ho lac(s oralstren!th "ro su""erin!s so that he$ould not turn to evil.


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BOOK IV


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(= L)ther en are su&*ected to

trial +od in order either tochec( their e trava!ance or tostren!then their virtues%.

- hence < no one can doubt thatsuch trials are good and just and

beneficial to those who sufferthem .=

BOOK IV


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Di5ine /"'5i)en(e f'" #$e i( e)

* Lthere is !ood purpose "or the prosperit#o" the $ic(ed%


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*


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C'n(lu,i'n rovidence e cludes all evil

< @since 7e carefully preserves everythingwhich 7e made in his own likeness, 7ee#cludes by fatal necessity all evil fromthe bounds of his state Therefore, if youfi# your attention on Providence as thegovernor of all things, you will find thatthe evil which is thought to abound in the

world is really none#istent .=

b. Boethius

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