Chapter XV: Appendix: To Introduction (1)

The last of the ancients, and one who forms a link between the classical period of literature and that of the middle ages, in which he was a favourite author, is Boethius, a man of fine genius, and interesting both from his character and his death. It is well known that after filling the dignities of Consul and Senator in the court of Theodoric, he fell a victim to the jealousy of a sovereign, from whose memory, in many respects glorious, the stain of that blood has never been effaced. The _Consolation of Philosophy_, the chief work of Boethius, was written in his prison. Few books are more striking from the circumstances of their production. Last of the classic writers, in style not impure, though displaying too lavishly that poetic exuberance which had distinguished the two or three preceding centuries, in elevation of sentiment equal to any of the philosophers, and mingling a Christian sanctity with their lessons, he speaks from his prison in the swan-like tones of dying eloquence. The philosophy that consoled him in bonds, was soon required in the sufferings of a cruel death. Quenched in his blood, the lamp he had trimmed with a skilful hand gave no more light; the language of Tully and Virgil soon ceased to be spoken; and many ages were to pass away, before learned diligence restored its purity, and the union of genius with imitation taught a few modern writers to surpass in eloquence the Latinity of Boethius. --(Hallam’s _Literature of Europe_, i. 2, 4th ed. 1854.)

The Senator Boethius is the last of the Romans whom Cato or Tully could have acknowledged for their countryman. As a wealthy orphan, he inherited the patrimony and honours of the Anician family, a name ambitiously assumed by the kings and emperors of the age; and the appellation of Manlius asserted his genuine or fabulous descent from a race of consuls and dictators, who had repulsed the Gauls from the Capitol, and sacrificed their sons to the discipline of the Republic. In the youth of Boethius the studies of Rome were not totally abandoned; a Virgil is now extant, corrected by the hand of a consul; and the professors of grammar, rhetoric, and jurisprudence, were maintained in their privileges and pensions by the liberality of the Goths. But the erudition of the Latin language was insufficient to satiate his ardent curiosity; and Boethius is said to have employed eighteen laborious years in the schools of Athens, which were supported by the zeal, the learning, and the diligence of Proclus and his disciples. The reason and piety of their Roman pupil were fortunately saved from the contagion of mystery and magic, which polluted the groves of the Academy, but he imbibed the spirit, and imitated the method, of his dead and living masters, who attempted to reconcile the strong and subtle sense of Aristotle with the devout contemplation and sublime fancy of Plato. After his return to Rome, and his marriage with the daughter of his friend, the patrician Symmachus, Boethius still continued, in a palace of ivory and [glass] to prosecute the same studies. The Church was edified by his profound defence of the orthodox creed against the Arian, the Eutychian, and the Nestorian heresies; and the Catholic unity was explained or exposed in a formal treatise by the _indifference_ of three distinct though consubstantial persons. For the benefit of his Latin readers, his genius submitted to teach the first elements of the arts and sciences of Greece. The geometry of Euclid, the music of Pythagoras, the arithmetic of Nicomachus, the mechanics of Archimedes, the astronomy of Ptolemy, the theology of Plato, and the logic of Aristotle, with the commentary of Porphyry, were translated and illustrated by the indefatigable pen of the Roman senator. And he alone was esteemed capable of describing the wonders of art, a sun-dial, a water-clock, or a sphere which represented the motions of the planets. From these abstruse speculations, Boethius stooped, or, to speak more truly, he rose to the social duties of public and private life: the indigent were relieved by his liberality; and his eloquence, which flattery might compare to the voice of Demosthenes or Cicero, was uniformly exerted in the cause of innocence and humanity. Such conspicuous merit was felt and rewarded by a discerning prince: the dignity of Boethius was adorned with the titles of consul and patrician, and his talents were usefully employed in the important station of master of the offices. Notwithstanding the equal claims of the East and West, his two sons were created, in their tender youth, the consuls of the same year. On the memorable day of their inauguration, they proceeded in solemn pomp from their palace to the forum amidst the applause of the senate and people; and their joyful father, the true Consul of Rome, after pronouncing an oration in the praise of his royal benefactor, distributed a triumphal largess in the games of the circus. Prosperous in his fame and fortunes, in his public honours and private alliances, in the cultivation of science and the consciousness of virtue, Boethius might have been styled happy, if that precarious epithet could be safely applied before the last term of the life of man.

A philosopher, liberal of his wealth and parsimonious of his time, might be insensible to the common allurements of ambition, the thirst of gold and employment. And some credit may be due to the asseveration of Boethius, that he had reluctantly obeyed the divine Plato, who enjoins every virtuous citizen to rescue the state from the usurpation of vice and ignorance. For the integrity of his public conduct he appeals to the memory of his country. His authority had restrained the pride and oppression of the royal officers, and his eloquence had delivered Paulianus from the dogs of the palace. He had always pitied, and often relieved, the distress of the provincials, whose fortunes were exhausted by public and private rapine; and Boethius alone had courage to oppose the tyranny of the Barbarians, elated by conquest, excited by avarice, and, as he complains, encouraged by impunity. In these honourable contests his spirit soared above the consideration of danger, and perhaps of prudence; and we may learn from the example of Cato, that a character of pure and inflexible virtue is the most apt to be misled by prejudice, to be heated by enthusiasm, and to confound private enmities with public justice. The disciple of Plato might exaggerate the infirmities of nature, and the imperfections of society; and the mildest form of a Gothic kingdom, even the weight of allegiance and gratitude, must be insupportable to the free spirit of a Roman patriot. But the favour and fidelity of Boethius declined in just proportion with the public happiness; and an unworthy colleague was imposed to divide and control the power of the master of the offices. In the last gloomy season of Theodoric, he indignantly felt that he was a slave; but as his master had only power over his life, he stood without arms and without fear against the face of an angry Barbarian, who had been provoked to believe that the safety of the senate was incompatible with his own. The Senator Albinus was accused and already convicted on the presumption of _hoping_, as it was said, the liberty of Rome.

“If Albinus be criminal,” exclaimed the orator, “the senate and myself are all guilty of the same crime. If we are innocent, Albinus is equally entitled to the protection of the laws.” These laws might not have punished the simple and barren wish of an unattainable blessing; but they would have shown less indulgence to the rash confession of Boethius, that, had he known of a conspiracy, the tyrant never should. The advocate of Albinus was soon involved in the danger and perhaps the guilt of his client; their signature (which they denied as a forgery) was affixed to the original address, inviting the emperor to deliver Italy from the Goths; and three witnesses of honourable rank, perhaps of infamous reputation, attested the treasonable designs of the Roman patrician. Yet his innocence must be presumed, since he was deprived by Theodoric of the means of justification, and rigorously confined in the tower of Pavia, while the senate, at the distance of five hundred miles, pronounced a sentence of confiscation and death against the most illustrious of its members. At the command of the Barbarians, the occult science of a philosopher was stigmatized with the names of sacrilege and magic. A devout and dutiful attachment to the senate was condemned as criminal by the trembling voices of the senators themselves; and their ingratitude deserved the wish or prediction of Boethius, that, after him, none should be found guilty of the same offence.

While Boethius, oppressed with fetters, expected each moment the sentence or the stroke of death, he composed in the tower of Pavia the _Consolation of Philosophy_; a golden volume not unworthy of the leisure of Plato or Tully, but which claims incomparable merit from the barbarism of the times and the situation of the author. The celestial guide, whom he had so long invoked at Rome and Athens, now condescended to illumine his dungeon, to revive his courage, and to pour into his wounds her salutary balm. She taught him to compare his long prosperity and his recent distress, and to conceive new hopes from the inconstancy of fortune. Reason had informed him of the precarious condition of her gifts; experience had satisfied him of their real value; he had enjoyed them without guilt; he might resign them without a sigh, and calmly disdain the impotent malice of his enemies, who had left him happiness, since they had left him virtue. From the earth, Boethius ascended to heaven in search of the SUPREME GOOD; explored the metaphysical labyrinth of chance and destiny, of prescience and free-will, of time and eternity; and generously attempted to reconcile the perfect attributes of the Deity with the apparent disorders of his moral and physical government. Such topics of consolation, so obvious, so vague, or so abstruse, are ineffectual to subdue the feelings of human nature. Yet the sense of misfortune may be diverted by the labour of thought; and the sage who could artfully combine in the same work the various riches of philosophy, poetry, and eloquence, must already have possessed the intrepid calmness which he affected to seek. Suspense, the worst of evils, was at length determined by the ministers of death, who executed, and perhaps exceeded, the inhuman mandate of Theodoric. A strong cord was fastened round the head of Boethius, and forcibly tightened till his eyes almost started from their sockets; and some mercy may be discovered in the milder torture of beating him with clubs till he expired. But his genius survived to diffuse a ray of knowledge over the darkest ages of the Latin world; the writings of the philosopher were translated by the most glorious of the English kings, and the third emperor of the name of Otho removed to a more honourable tomb the bones of a Catholic saint, who, from his Arian persecutors, had acquired the honours of martyrdom and the fame of miracles. In the last hours of Boethius, he derived some comfort from the safety of his two sons, of his wife, and of his father-in-law, the venerable Symmachus. But the grief of Symmachus was indiscreet, and perhaps disrespectful; he had presumed to lament, he might dare to revenge, the death of an injured friend. He was dragged in chains from Rome to the palace of Ravenna; and the suspicions of Theodoric could only be appeased by the blood of an innocent and aged senator.--Gibbon’s _Decline and Fall_, 1838, vol. vii. p. 45-52 (without the notes).

INDEX

_(Giving the first line of each Metre, the first words of each Prose, and the corresponding page of the translation)._

Book Metre Prose Page

I 1 -- Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi 4
„ -- 1 Hæc dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem 5
„ 2 -- Heu, quam præcipiti mersa profundo 7
„ -- 2 Sed medicinæ, inquit, potius tempus est 8
„ 3 -- Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebræ 9
„ -- 3 Haud aliter tristitiæ nebulis dissolutis,
hausi cœlum 10
„ 4 -- Quisquis composito serenus ævo 12
„ -- 4 Sentisne, inquit, hæc, atque animo
illabuntur tuo? 13
„ 5 -- O stelliferi conditor orbis 21
„ -- 5 Hæc ubi continuato dolore delatravi 23
„ 6 -- Cum Phœbi radiis grave 25
„ -- 6 Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis
rogationibus 26
„ 7 -- Nubibus atris 29
II -- 1 Posthæc paulisper obticuit 29
„ 1 -- Hæc cum superba verterit vices dextra 33
„ -- 2 Vellem autem pauca tecum fortunæ ipsius 33
„ 2 -- Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus 35
„ -- 3 His igitur si pro se tecum fortuna
loqueretur 36
„ 3 -- Cum polo Phœbus roseis quadrigis 39
„ -- 4 Tum ego, Vera, inquam, commemoras 39
„ 4 -- Quisquis volet perennem 44
„ -- 5 Sed quoniam rationum jam in te mearum
fomenta 45
„ 5 -- Felix nimium prior ætas 50
„ -- 6 Quid autem de dignitatibus, potentiaque
disseram 51
„ 6 -- Novimus quantas dederit ruinas 55
„ -- 7 Tum ego, Scis, inquam, ipsa 56
„ 7 -- Quicumque solam mente præcipiti petit 60
„ -- 8 Sed ne me inexorabile contra fortunam 61
„ 8 -- Quod mundus stabili fide 62
III -- 1 Jam cantum illa finierat 63
„ 1 -- Qui serere ingenuum volet agrum 64
„ -- 2 Tum defixo paululum visu 64
„ 2 -- Quantas rerum flectat habenas 68
„ -- 3 Vos quoque, o terrena animalia 69
„ 3 -- Quamvis fluente dives auri gurgite 71
„ -- 4 Sed dignitates honorabilem reverendumque 72
„ 4 -- Quamvis se Tyrio superbus ostro 74
„ -- 5 An vero regna regumque familiaritas
efficere potentem valent? 75
„ 5 -- Qui se volet esse potentem 77
„ -- 6 Gloria vero quam fallax sæpe,
quam turpis est! 77
„ 6 -- Omne hominum genus in terris 78
„ -- 7 Quid autem de corporis voluptatibus loquar? 79
„ 7 -- Habet omnis hoc voluptas 80
„ -- 8 Nihil igitur dubium est, quin 80
„ 8 -- Eheu, quam miseros tramite devio 81
„ -- 9 Hactenus mendacis formam felicitatis
ostendisse 82
„ 9 -- O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas 87
„ -- 10 Quoniam igitur quæ sit imperfecti 88
„ 10 -- Huc omnes pariter venite capti 94
„ -- 11 Assentior, inquam. 95
„ 11 -- Quisquis profunda mente vestigat verum 100
„ -- 12 Tum ego, Platoni, inquam, vehementer
assentior 101
„ 12 -- Felix qui potuit boni 106
IV -- 1 Hæc cum Philosophia, dignitate 108
„ 1 -- Sunt etenim pennæ volucres mihi 110
„ -- 2 Tum ego, Papæ, inquam, ut magna promittis! 112
„ 2 -- Quos vides sedere celso 118
„ -- 3 Videsne igitur quanto in cœno probra
volvantur 119
„ 3 -- Vela Neritii ducis 122
„ -- 4 Tum ego, Fateor, inquam, nec injuria
dici video 123
„ 4 -- Quid tantos juvat excitare motus 130
„ -- 5 Hic ego, Video, inquam, quæ sit vel
felicitas 131
„ 5 -- Si quis Arcturi sidera nescit 132
„ -- 6 Ita est, inquam. 133
„ 6 -- Si vis celsi jura tonantis 143
„ -- 7 Jamne igitur vides, quid hæc omnia
quæ diximus, consequatur? 144
„ 7 -- Bella bis quinis operatus annis 147
V -- 1 Dixerat, orationisque cursum ad alia quædam 149
„ 1 -- Rupis Achæmeniæ scopulis, ubi versa
sequentum 151
„ -- 2 Animadverto, inquam, idque uti tu dicis,
ita esse consentio. 152
„ 2 -- Puro clarum lumine Phœbum 153
„ -- 3 Tum ego, En, inquam, difficiliori rursus
ambiguitate confundor. 154
„ 3 -- Quænam discors fœdera rerum 159
„ -- 4 Tum illa, Vetus, inquit, hæc est de
Providentia querela 161
„ 4 -- Quondam porticus attulit 166
„ -- 5 Quod si in corporibus sentiendis, quamvis 168
„ 5 -- Quam variis terras animalia permeant
figuris! 170
„ -- 6 Quoniam igitur, uti paulo ante
monstratum est 171

Appendix.--Ætas Prima 180
„ Balades de Vilage sanz Peinture 182

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

++[I]NCIPIT TABULA LIBRI BOICII DE CONSOLAC{I}O{N}E PHILOSOPHIE.

[_Additional MS. 10,340, fol. 3._]

[Sidenote: [fol. 3.]]

LIBER PRIMUS.

1 Carmina qui quondam studio flore{n}te p{er}egi.
2 Hic dum mecum tacitus.
3 Heu q{ua}m precipiti.
4 Set medicine inquit tempus.
5 Tunc me discussa.
6 Haut[C-1] aliter tristicie.
7 Quisquis composito.
8 Sentis ne inquit.
9 O stelliferi conditor orbis.
10 Hic ubi continuato dolore.
11 Cum phebi radijs.
12 Primu{m} igit{ur} pateris rogac{i}o{n}ib{us}.
13 Nubib{us} atris condita.

EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS.

LIBER SECUNDUS.

1 Postea paulisper[C-2] conticuit.
2 Hec cum superba.
3 Uellem autem pauca.
4 Si quantas rapidis.
5 His igitur si {et} pro se.
6 Cum primo polo.
7 Tunc ego uera inq{ua}m.
8 Contraq{ue}.
9 Quisq{ui}s ualet p{er}hennem cantus.
10 Set cum racionu{m} iam in te.
11 Felix i{n} miru{m} iam prior etas.
12 Quid au{tem} de dignitatib{us}.
13 Nouim{us} quantos dederat.
14 Tu{m} ego scis inq{ua}m.
15 Quicu{n}q{ue} solam mente.
16 Set ne me inexorabile.
17 Q{uo}d mu{n}dus stabile fide.

EXPLICIT LIBER S{E}C{UN}DUS.

LIBER TERCIUS.

1 Iam tantu{m} illa.
2 Qui serere ingeniu{m}.
3 Tunc defixo paululu{m}.
4 Quantas reru{m} flectat.
5 Uos quoq{ue} terrena a{n}i{m}alia.
6 Qua{m}uis fluenter diues.
7 Set dignitatib{us}.
8 Qua{m}uis se tirio.
9 An uero regna.
10 Qui se ualet esse potentem.
11 Gloria uero q{uam} fallax.
12 Omne hominu{m} genus in terris.
13 Quid au{tem} de corporib{us}.
14 Habet hoc uoluptas.
15 Nichil igit{ur} dubiu{m} est.
16 Heu q{ue} miseros tramite.
17 Hacten{us} me{n}dacio forma{m}.
18 O qui p{er}petua.
19 Q{uonia}m igit{ur} qui scit.
20 Nunc omnes pariter.
21 Assencior inq{ua}m cuncta.
22 Quisq{ue} profunda.
23 Tunc ego platoni inq{ua}m.
24 Felix qui poterit.

EXPLICIT LIBER T{ER}CIUS.

LIBER QUARTUS.

1 Hec cum philosophia.
2 Sunt eteni{m} penne.
3 Tunc ego pape inq{uam}.
4 Quos uides sedere celsos.
5 Uides ne igitur quanto.
6 U[e]la naricij ducis.
7 Tunc ego fateor inq{ua}m.
8 Quid tantos iuuat.
9 Huic ego uideo inq{ua}m.
10 Si quis arcturi[C-3] sydera.
11 Ita est inq{ua}m.
12 Si uis celsi iura.
13 Iam ne igit{ur} uides.
14 Bella bis quinis.

EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS.

INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS.

1 Dixerat orac{i}onis q{ue} cursu{m}.
2 Rupis achemenie.
3 Animaduerto inq{ua}m.
4 Puro claru{m} lumine.
5 Tamen ego en inq{ua}m.
6 Que nam discors.
7 Tamen illa uetus.
8 Quonda{m} porticus attulit.
9 Quod si i{n} corporib{us}.
10 Qua{m} uarijs figuris.
11 Quonia{m} igit{ur} uti paulo ante.

EXPLICIT LIBER QUI{N}TUS {ET} ULTIMUS.

[Footnote C-1: MS. hanc.]

[Footnote C-2: MS. luper.]

[Footnote C-3: MS. arituri.]

[[pg 4]]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS DEPLORES HIS MISFORTUNES.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 3 _b_.]]

*LIBER PRIMUS.

INCIPIT LIBER BOICII DE CO{N}SOLAC{I}O{N}E PHILOSOPHIE.

Car{m}i{n}a qui q{u}onda{m} studio flore{n}te p{er}egi.

[Sidenote: [The fyrste Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Boethius deplores his misfortunes in the following
pathetic elegy.]

++Allas I wepyng am constreined to bygynne vers of
sorouful matere. ¶ Þat whilom in florysching
studie made delitable ditees. For loo rendyng muses
of poetes enditen to me þinges to be writen. and drery 4
v{er}s of wrecchednes weten my face wiþ v{er}ray teers.
¶ At þe leest no drede ne myȝt[e] ouer-come þo muses.
þat þei ne were{n} felawes {and} folweden my wey. þat is
to seyne when I was exiled.

[Sidenote: ypalage antithesis]

þei þat weren glorie of 8
my youȝth whilom weleful {and} grene co{n}forten now þe
sorouful werdes of me olde man.

[Sidenote: Laments his immature old age.]

for elde is comen vnwarly
vpon me hasted by þe harmes þat I haue. {and}
sorou haþ comau{n}ded his age to be in me. ¶ Heeres 12
hore ben schad ouertymelyche vpon myne heued. and
þe slak[e] skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body.

[Sidenote: Death turns a deaf ear to the wretched.]

þilk[e]
deeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þat
ben swete (.i. mirie.) but comeþ to wrecches often 16
yclepid.

[Linenotes:
1 _of_--MS. of of.
2 _florysching_--floryssynge
3 _rendyng_--rendynge
4 _be_--ben
5 _wrecchednes_--wrecchednesse
_teers_--teeres
6 _leest_--leeste
_myȝt[e] ouer-come_--myhte ouercomen
8 _seyne when_--seyn whan
9 _youȝth_--MS. þoȝt, C. yowthe
10 _sorouful werdes_--sorful wierdes [i. fata]
12 _sorou_--sorwe
_haþ_--MS. haþe
_be_--ben
13 _hore_--hoore
_ben_--arn
_myne_--myn
14 _slak[e]_--slake
_vpon_--of
_emty_--emptyd
_þilk[e]_--thilke
15 _welful_--weleful
_comeþ not_--comth nat
16 _.i. mirie_--omitted]

¶ Allas allas wiþ how deef an eere deeþ cruel
to{ur}neþ awey fro wrecches {and} naieþ to closen wepyng
eyen.

[Sidenote: When Fortune was favourable Death came near Boethius,
but in his adversity life is unpleasantly protracted.]

¶ While fortune vnfeiþful fauored[e] me 20
wiþ lyȝte goodes (.s. temp{or}els.) þe sorouful houre þat
is to seyne þe deeþ had[de] almost dreynt myne heued.
¶ But now for fortune clowdy haþ chaunged hir disceyuable
chere to me warde. myn vnpitouse lijf draweþ 24
a long vnagreable dwellynges in me.

[Sidenote: Why did his friends call him happy? He stood not firm
that hath thus fallen.]

¶ O ȝe my
frendes what or wherto auaunted[e] ȝe me to be weleful: [[pg 5]]
for he þat haþ fallen stood not i{n} stedfast degree.

[Linenotes:
19 _tourneþ_--torneth
_naieþ_--nayteth
_wepyng_--wepynge
20 _While_--Whil
_fauored[e]_--fauorede
21 _lyȝte_--lyhte
_.s. temporels_--omitted
_sorouful houre_--sorwful howr{e}
22 _seyne_--seyn
_had[de]_--hadde
_myne_--myn
23 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_chaunged hir disceyuable_--chaungyd hyre deceyuable
24 _vnpitouse lijf_--vnpietous lyf]

[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY APPEARS TO BOETHIUS.]

HIC DUM MECUM TACITUS.

[Sidenote: [The firste p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: Philosophy appears to Boethius, like a beautiful woman,
and of great age.]

++IN þe mene while þat I stille recorded[e] þise þinges 28
wiþ my self. {and} markede my wepli compleynte wiþ
office of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue þe heyȝt of my
heued a woman of ful greet reuerence by semblaunt
hir eyen brennyng {and} clere seing ouer þe comune 32
myȝt of men. wiþ a lijfly colo{ur} {and} wiþ swiche vigoure
{and} strenkeþ þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid. ¶ Al
were it so þat sche was ful of so greet age. þat men ne
wolde not trowe i{n} no manere þat sche were of oure 36
elde.

[Sidenote: Her height could not be determined, for there were
times when she raised her head higher than the heavens.]

þe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement. for
su{m}tyme sche constreyned[e] {and} schronk hir selue{n}
lyche to þe comune mesure of men. {and} su{m}tyme it
semed[e] þat sche touched[e] þe heuene wiþ þe heyȝte 40
of hir heued. and when sche hef hir heued heyer sche
p{er}ced[e] þe selue heuene. so þat þe syȝt of men lokyng
was i{n} ydel.

[Sidenote: Her clothes were finely wrought and indissoluble, but
dark and dusky, like old besmoked images.]

¶ Hir cloþes weren maked of ryȝt delye
þredes {and} subtil crafte of p{er}durable matere. þe wyche 44
cloþes sche hadde wouen wiþ hir owen hondes: as I
knew wel aftir by hir selfe. declaryng {and} schewyng
to me þe beaute. þe wiche cloþes a derkenes of a forleten
and dispised elde had[de] duskid {and} dirkid as 48
it is wo{n}t to dirken by-smoked ymages.

[Sidenote: On the lower hem of her garment was the letter Π
and on the upper Θ.]

¶ In þe neþerest[e]
hem or bordure of þese cloþes me{n} redden [[pg 6]]
ywouen in swiche a gregkysche .P. þat signifieþ þe lijf
actif. And abouen þ{a}t l{ett}re in þe heyȝest[e] bordure 52
a grekysche T. þat signifieþ þe lijf contemplatif.

[Linenotes:
26 _auaunted[e]_--auauntede
_be_--ben
27 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_not_--nat
_stedfast_--stidefast
28 _In þe mene_--omitted
_recorded[e]_--recordede
30 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh
_stondyng above_--MS. studiyng aboue, C. stondinge abouen
_heyȝt_--heyhte
_my_--myn
31 _greet_--gret
32 _brennyng_--brennynge
_clere seing_--cleer seynge
33 _swiche_--swych
34 _strenkeþ_--strengthe
_it----emptid_--it myhte nat ben emted
_Al_--alle
36 _wolde----trowe_--wolden nat trowen
37 _iugement_--Iuggement
38 _sumtyme_--somtyme
_constreyned[e]_--constreynede
_schronk_--MS. schronke, C. shronk
39 _lyche_--lyk
40 _semed[e]_--semede
_touched[e]_--towchede
41 _when_--whan
_hef_--MS. heued, C. hef
_heyer_--hyere
42 _perced[e]_--percede
_syȝt_--syhte
_lokyng_--lookynge
44 _crafte_--craft
45 _wouen_--MS. wonnen, C. wouen
_owen hondes_--owne handes
46 _knew_--MS. knewe, C. knewh
_selfe declaryng_--self declarynge
_schewyng_--shewynge
47 _derkenes_--dirknesse
_forleten_--forletyn
48 _dispised_--despised
_had[de] duskid_--hadde dusked
_dirkid_--derked
49 _by-smoked_--the smokede
_neþerest[e]_--nethereste
50 _þese_--thise
51 _swiche_--omitted
_gregkysche_--grekyssh{e}
_signifieþ_--syngnifieth
52 _heyȝest[e]_--heyeste]

[Headnote:
A DESCRIPTION OF PHILOSOPHY.]

[Sidenote: Between the letters were steps like a ladder.]

¶ And by-twene þese two l{ett}res þere weren seien degrees
nobly wrouȝt in manere of laddres. By wyche
degrees men myȝt[en] clymbe fro þe neþemast[e] l{ett}re 56
to þe ouermast[e].

[Sidenote: Philosophy’s garments were tattered and torn, and
pieces had been carried violently off.]

¶ Naþeles hondes of su{m} men
hadde korue þ{a}t cloþe by vyolence {and} by strenkeþ.
¶ And eueryche man of hem hadde born away syche
peces as he myȝte geet[e].

[Sidenote: In her right hand she bore her books, and in her left a
sceptre.]

¶ And forsoþe þis forsaide 60
woman ber bookes in hir ryȝt honde. {and} in hir lefte
honde sche ber a ceptre. ¶ And when sche sauȝ þese
poetical muses ap{ro}chen aboute my bedde. {and} endytyng
wordes to my wepynges. sche was a lytel ameued 64
and glowed[e] wiþ cruel eyen.

[Sidenote: Philosophy bids the Muses leave Boethius, as they only
increase his sorrow with their sweet venom.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 4.]]

¶ Who q{uo}d sche haþ
suffred ap{ro}chen to þis seek[e] man þise comune strumpetis
of siche a place þat *men clepen þe theatr{e}.
¶ Þe wyche only ne asswagen not his sorowes. wiþ no 68
remedies. but þei wolde fede {and} norysche hem wiþ
swete venym. ¶ Forsoþe þise ben þo þat wiþ þornes
{and} prykkynges of talentȝ or affecciou{n}s wiche þat
ben no þing frutefiyng nor p{ro}fitable destroyen þe 72
cornes plenteuouse of frutes of reson.

[Sidenote: They may accustom the mind to bear grief, but cannot
free it from its malady.]

¶ For þei
holden þe hertes of men i{n} usage. but þei ne delyuere
not folk fro maladye. but if ȝe muses hadde wiþdrawen
fro me wiþ ȝoure flateries. any vnkonnyng
{and} vnp{ro}fitable [[pg 7]]
man as men ben wont to fynde comunely amonges 77
þe peple. I wolde wene suffre þe lasse greuously.

[Linenotes:
54 _by-twene þese_--bytwixen thise
_þere_--ther
_seien_--seyn
55 _nobly wrouȝt_--nobely ywroght
_wyche_--whiche
56 _myȝt[en] clymbe_--myhten clymbyn
_neþemast[e]_--nethereste
57 _ouermast[e]_--vppereste
_sum_--some
58 _hadde korue_--hadden koruen
_cloþe_--cloth
_strenkeþ_--strengthe
59 _born_--MS. borne, C. born
_away syche_--awey swiche
60 _geet[e]_--geten
_forsaide_--forseide
61 _ber_--MS. bere, C. bar
_bookes_--smale bookes
_honde_--hand
_lefte honde_--left hand
62 _ber_--MS. bere, C. baar
_sauȝ þese_--say thise
63 _bedde_--bed
_endytyng_--enditynge
64 _ameued_--amoued
65 _glowed[e]_--glowede
_haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath
66 _seek[e]_--sike
_þise_--the
_strumpetis_--strompetes
67 _siche_--swich
_clepen_--clepyn
68 _only ne_--nat oonly ne
_not his_--nat hise
_no_--none
69 _wolde fede_--wolden feeden
_norysche hem_--noryssyn hym
72 _ben_--ne ben
_frutefiyng_--fructefiynge
73 _cornes plenteuouse_--corn plentyuos
74 _þe_ and _ne_--both omitted
75 _not_--nat
_if ȝe_--MS. if þe, C. yif ye
_hadde_--hadden
76 _vnkonnyng_--vnkunnynge
78 _peple_--poeple]

[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY REBUKES THE MUSES.]

[Sidenote: Philosophy is deeply grieved, because they have not
seduced one of the profane, but one who has been brought up in
Eleatic and Academic studies.]

¶ For-why in syche an vnp{ro}fitable man myne ententes
weren no þing endamaged. ¶ But ȝe wiþdrawen me 80
þis man þat haþ ben norysched in studies or scoles of
Eleaticis {and} of achademicis in grece.

[Sidenote: She bids the syrens begone.]

¶ But goþ now
raþer awey ȝe meremaydenes wyche ben swete til it
be at þe laste. {and} suffreþ þis man to be cured {and} 84
heled by myne muses. þat is to say by notful sciences.

[Sidenote: Blushing for shame they pass the threshold.]

¶ And þus þis compaygnie of muses I-blamed casten
wroþely þe chere adou{n}ward to þe erþe {and} schewyng
by redenesse hir schame þei passeden sorowfuly þe 88
þreschefolde. ¶ And I of whom þe syȝt plonged i{n}
teres was derked so þat I ne myȝt[e] not knowe what
þat woman was of so i{m}perial auctorite.

[Sidenote: Boethius is astonished at the presence of the august
dame.]

¶ I wex al
a-besid {and} astoned. {and} caste my syȝt adoune in to þe 92
erþe. {and} bygan stille forto abide what sche wolde don
afterwarde. ¶ Þo come sche nere {and} sette hir doun
vpon þe vterrest[e] corner of my bedde.

[Sidenote: Philosophy expresses her concern for Boethius.]

{and} sche byholdyng
my chere þat was cast to þe erþe heuy {and} 96
greuous of wepyng. co{m}pleinede wiþ þise wordes þ{a}t I
schal sey þe p{er}t{ur}bac{i}ou{n} of my þouȝt.

[Linenotes:
79 _syche_--swhiche
_myne_--myn
80 _weren_--ne weeren
_ȝe_--ye
81 _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath
_ben_--be
_scoles_--schooles
82 _goþ_--MS. goþe, C. goth
83 _wyche_--whiche þat
85 _say_--seyn
_notful_--noteful
86 _I-blamed_--Iblamyd
87 _wroþely_--wrothly
_adounward_--downward
88 _redenesse_--rednesse
_sorowfuly_--sorwfully
89 _þreschefolde_--thresshfold
_syȝt_--syhte
90 _derked_--dyrked
_myȝt[e]----knowe_--myhte nat knowen
91 _wex_--wax
92 _a-besid_--abaysshed
_caste_--cast
_adoune in to_--down to
93 _don_--MS. done
95 _vterrest[e] corner_--vttereste corner{e}
_bedde_--bed
97 _compleinede_--compley[n]de
98 _sey_--seyen]

[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY ADDRESSES BOETHIUS.]

HEU Q{UAM} PRECIPITI MERSA PROFUNDO.

[Sidenote: [The 2de Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Drowned in the depth of cares the mind loses its proper
clearness.]

++Allas how þe þouȝt of man dreint in ouer þrowyng
depnesse dulleþ {and} forletiþ hys p{ro}pre clerenesse. 100
myntynge to gone in to foreyne derknesses as
ofte as hys anoious bisines wexiþ wiþ-oute{n} mesure.
þ{a}t is dryuen to {and} fro wiþ worldly wyndes. [[pg 8]]

[Sidenote: Man in his freedom knew each region of the sky, the
motions of the planets, and was wont to investigate the causes of
storms, the nature and properties of the seasons, and the hidden
causes of nature.]

¶ Þis
man þat su{m}tyme was fre to who{m} þe heuene was open 104
{and} knowen {and} was wont to gone in heuenelyche
paþes. {and} sauȝ þe lyȝtnesse of þe rede sunne. {and} sauȝ
þe sterres of þe colde moone. {and} wyche sterre i{n}
heuene vseþ wandryng risorses yflit by dyuerse speres. 108
¶ Þis man ouer comere hadde co{m}p{re}hendid al þis by
noumbre. of accountyng in astronomye. ¶ And ouer
þis he was wont to seche þe causes whennes þe sounyng
wy{n}des moeuen {and} bisien þe smoþe water of þe 112
see. {and} what spirit turneþ þe stable heuene. {and}
whi þe sterre ryseþ oute of þe reede eest. to falle
in þe westren wawes. and what attempriþ þe lusty
houres of þe fyrste somer sesou{n} þat hiȝteþ {and} apparaileþ 116
þe erþe wiþ rosene floures. ¶ And who
makeþ þat plenteuouse autu{m}pne in fulle ȝeres fletiþ
wiþ heuy grapes. ¶ And eke þis ma{n} was wont to
telle þe dyuerses causes of nature þat weren yhid. 120

[Sidenote: But now, alas, he is constrained to keep his face to
the ground.]

¶ Allas now lieþ he emptid of lyȝt of hys þouȝt. {and}
hys nekke is p{re}ssid wiþ heuy cheynes {and} bereþ his
chere enclined adoune for þe greet[e] weyȝt. and is
constreyned to loke on foule erþe. 124

[Linenotes:
101 _gone_--goon
102 _bisines_--bysynesse
_outen_--owte
103 _worldly_--wordely
104 _sumtyme_--whilom
105 _gone_--goon
106 _paþes_--paathes
_sauȝ_--sawh
_lyȝtnesse_--lythnesse
_sunne_--sonne
_sauȝ_--MS. sue, C. sawgh
107 _wyche_--which
108 _risorses_--recourses
111 _seche_--seken
_sounyng_--sownynge
114 _ryseþ oute_--aryseth owt
_falle_--fallen
115 _westren_--westrene
116 _fyrste_--fyrst
119 _eke_--ek
120 _dyuerses_--diuerse
_yhid_--MS. yhidde
121 _lieþ_--lith
_emptid_--emted
123 _adoune_--adown
_greet[e] weyȝt_--grete weyhte
124 _loke----foule_--looken on the fool]

[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY ENLIGHTENS BOETHIUS.]

SET MEDICINE INQUIT TEMPUS.

[Sidenote: [The ij^de p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: More need of medicine than of complaint.]

++Bvt tyme is now q{uo}d sche of medicine more þen of
compleynte. ¶ Forsoþe þen sche entendyng to
me warde wiþ al þe lokyng of hir eyen saide.

[Sidenote: Philosophy addresses Boethius.]

¶ Art
not þou he q{uo}d sche þat su{m}tyme I-norschid wiþ my 128
mylke {and} fostre[d] wiþ my meetes were ascaped {and}
comen to corage of a p{er}fit man. ¶ Certys I ȝaf þe
syche armures þat ȝif þou þi self ne haddest first caste [[pg 9]]
hem away. þei schulden haue defendid þe in sykernesse 132
þat may not be ouer-comen. ¶ Knowest þou me not.

[Sidenote: She fears his silence proceeds from shame rather than
from stupidity.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 4 _b_.]]

*Why art þou stille. is it for schame or for astonynge.
It were me leuer þat it were for schame. but it semeþ
me þat astony{n}ge haþ opp{re}ssed þe.

[Sidenote: She finds him, however, in a lethargy, the distemper of
a disordered mind.]

¶ And whan 136
sche say me not oonly stille. but wiþ-outen office of
tonge {and} al doumbe. sche leide hir honde softely vpon
my brest {and} seide. ¶ Here nis no p{er}il q{uod} sche.
¶ He is fallen in to a litargie. whiche þat is a comune 140
sekenes to hertes þat ben desceiued. ¶ He haþ a litel
forȝeten hym self. but certis he schal lyȝtly reme{m}bren
hym self. ¶ Ȝif so be þat he haþ knowe{n} me or now.

[Sidenote: To make his recovery an easy matter, she wipes his
eyes, which were darkened by the clouds of mortal things, and
dries up his tears.]

{and} þat he may so done I wil wipe a litel hys eyen. 144
þat ben derked by þe cloude of mortel þinges ¶ Þise
wordes seide sche. and wiþ þe lappe of hir garment
yplitid in a frounce sche dried[e] myn eyen þat were
ful of þe wawes of my wepynges. 148

[Linenotes:
125, 126 _þen_--than
127 _al_--alle
_saide_--seyde
128 _sumtyme_--whilom
_I-norschid_--MS. I-norschide, C. noryssed
129 _fostre[d]_--fostered
_my_--myne
130 _Certys_--Certes
_ȝaf_, yaf
131 _syche_--swiche
_ȝif_--yif
_caste_--C. cast
132 _away_--awey
_schulden haue_--sholden han
133 _not be_--nat ben
_Knowest þou_--knowestow
134 _art þou_--artow
136 _haþ_--MS. haþe
138 _tonge_--tunge
_doumbe_--dowmb
_honde_--hand
139 _Here_--her
140 _litargie whiche_--litarge which
141 _sekenes_--sykenesse
141, 143 _haþ_--MS. haþe
144 _done_--doon
_wil wipe_--wol wypen
146 _garment_--garnement
147 _dried[e]_--dryede
_were_--weeren
148 _ful_--fulle]

[Headnote:
BOETHIUS RECOGNIZES HIS PHYSICIAN.]

TUNC ME DISCUSSA.

[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Her touch dispels the darkness of his soul, just as the
heavy vapours, that darken the skies and obscure the sunlight, are
chased away by the north wind, causing the return of the hidden
day, when the sun smites our wondering sight with his sudden
light.]

++Þus when þat nyȝt was discussed {and} chased awey.
derknesses forleften me. {and} to myn eyen repeyre
aȝeyne her firste strenkeþ. and ryȝt by ensample as
þe sonne is hid when þe sterres ben clustred. þat is to 152
sey whe{n} sterres ben couered wiþ cloudes by a swifte
wynde þat hyȝt chorus. {and} þat þe firmame{n}t stont
derked by wete ploungy cloudes. and þat þe sterres not
apperen vpo{n} heuene. ¶ So þat þe nyȝt semeþ sprad 156
vpo{n} erþe. ¶ Yif þan þe wynde þat hyȝt borias
sent out of þe kaues of þe contre of Trace betiþ þis [[pg 10]]
nyȝt. þat is to seyn chasiþ it away {and} descouereþ þe
closed day. ¶ Þan schineþ pheb{us} yshaken wiþ 160
sodeyne lyȝt {and} smyteþ wiþ hys bemes i{n} m{er}uely{n}g
eyen.

[Linenotes:
149 _when_--whan
150 _myn_--myne
_repeyre_--repeyrede
151 _aȝeyne_--omitted
_her firste_--hir fyrst
152 _hid_--MS. hidde, C. hid
_when_--whan
153 _sey_--seyn
_when_--whan
154 _hyȝt_--heyhte
_chorus_--MS. thorus
_stont_--MS. stonde, C. stant
157 _þan_--thanne
_wynde_--wynd
_hyȝt_--hyhte
158 _sent_--isent
160 _þan_--thanne
161 _sodeyne_--sodeyn]

[Headnote:
THE TRIALS OF PHILOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHERS.]

HAUT[1] ALITER TRISTICIE.

[Footnote 1: MS. hanc.]

[Sidenote: [The 3^de p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: The clouds of sorrow being dispelled, Boethius
recollects the features of his Physician, whom he discovers to be
Philosophy.]

++Ryȝt so {and} none oþer wyse þe cloudes of sorowe
dissolued {and} don awey. ¶ I took heuene. {and} 164
receyuede mynde to knowe þe face of my fyciscien.
¶ So þat I sette myne eyen on hir {and} festned[e] my
lokyng. I byholde my norice philosophie. in whos
houses I hadde conuersed {and} haunted fro my ȝouþe. 168
{and} I seide þus.

[Sidenote: He addresses her.]

¶ O þou maistresse of alle uertues
descendid fro þe souereyne sete. Whi art þou comen
in to þis solitarie place of myn exil. ¶ Art þou comen
for þ{o}u art mad coupable wiþ me of fals[e] blames. 172

[Sidenote: She expresses her concern for him, and tells him that
she is willing to share his misfortunes.]

¶ O q{uod} sche my norry scholde I forsake þe now. and
scholde I not parte wiþ þe by comune trauaille þe charge
þat þou hast suffred for envie of my name. ¶ Certis
it nar[e] not leueful ne sittyng to philosophie to leten 176
wiþ-outen compaignie þe wey of hym þat is i{n}nocent.

[Sidenote: She fears not any accusation, as if it were a new
thing.]

¶ Scholde I þan redoute my blame {and} agrisen as þouȝ
þer were byfallen a newe þing. q. d. non. ¶ For
trowest þou þat philosophi be now alþerfirst assailed 180
i{n} p{er}ils by folk of wicked[e] maneres.

[Sidenote: For before the age of Plato she contended against
folly, and by her help Socrates triumphed over an unjust death.]

¶ Haue I not
stryuen wiþ ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore þe
age of my plato aȝeins þe foolhardines of foly {and}
eke þe same plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates 184
deserued[e] victorie of vnryȝtful deeþ in my presence.

[Sidenote: Of the inheritance of Socrates the rout of Epicureans
and Stoics wanted to get a part.]

¶ Þe heritage of wyche socrates. þe h{er}itage is to seyne
þe doctrine of þe whiche soc{ra}tes in hys oppiniou{n} of [[pg 11]]
felicite þat I clepe welfulnesse ¶ Whan þat þe people 188
of epicuriens {and} stoyciens {and} many oþer enforceden
hem to go rauische eueryche man for his part þat is
to seyne. þat to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to þe
defence of his oppiniou{n} þe wordes of socrates. 192

[Sidenote: Philosophy withstood them, whereupon they tore her
robe, and, departing with the shreds, imagined that they had got
possession of her.]

¶ Þei
as in p{ar}tie of hir preye todrowe{n} me criynge {and}
debatyng þer aȝeins. {and} tornen {and} torente{n} my cloþes
þat I hadde woue{n} wiþ myn handes. {and} wiþ þe
cloutes þat þei hadden arased oute of my cloþes. þei 196
wenten awey wenyng þat I hadde gon wiþ he{m} euery
dele.

[Sidenote: Thus, clothed with her spoils, they deceived many.]

In whiche epicuryens {and} stoyciens. for as
myche as þer semed[e] so{m}me traces {and} steppes of
myne habit.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 5.]]

þe folye of men wenyng þo epicuryens 200
{and} stoyciens my *familers p{er}uertede (.s. p{er}sequend{o})
so{m}me þoruȝ þe errour of þe wikked[e] or vnkunnyng[e]
multitude of hem.

[Sidenote: Philosophy adduces examples of wise men, who had
laboured under difficulties on account of being her disciples.]

¶ Þis is to seyne for þei
semeden philosophres: þei weren p{ur}sued to þe deeþ 204
and slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilynge
of anaxogore. ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. ne þe
to{ur}mentȝ of ȝeno for þei [weren] straungers. ¶ Ȝit
myȝtest þou haue knowe{n} þe senectiens {and} þe Canyos 208
{and} þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renou{n} is neyþer ouer
oolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellys
ne brouȝt[e] hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei weren
enfourmed of my maneres. {and} semede{n} moste vnlyke 212
to þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou auȝtest
not to wondre þouȝ þ{a}t I in þe bitter see of þis lijf be
fordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute. [[pg 12]]

[Sidenote: It is the aim of Philosophy to displease the wicked,
who are more to be despised than dreaded, for they have no
leader.]

in þe whiche
te{m}peste þis is my most p{ur}pos þat is to seyn to displese 216
to wikked[e] men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al be
þe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis gouerned
wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by
flityng errour folyly {and} lyȝtly.

[Sidenote: If Philosophy is attacked by the wicked, she retires
within her fortress, leaving the enemy busy among the useless
baggage, and laughing to scorn such hunters of trifles.]

¶ And if þei somtyme 220
maky{n}g an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure
leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i{n} to hys toure.
{and} þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnp{ro}fitable
forto taken. but we þat ben heyȝ abouen syker 224
fro al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed
in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying
folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche
rauiners {and} honters of foulest[e] þinges. 228

[Linenotes:
163 _none oþer_--non oother
_sorowe_--sorwe
165 _knowe_--knowen
166 _myne_--myn
_festned[e]_--fastnede
170 _fro_--from
170, 171 _art þou_--artow
172 _mad_--MS. made, C. maked
_fals[e]_--false
174 _parte_--parten
176 _nar[e]_--nere
_sittyng_--sittinge
178 _þan_--thanne
179 _þing_--thing
_q.d. non_--omitted
180 _trowest þou_--trowestow
_alþerfirst_--alderfirst
181 _wicked[e]_--wikkede
182 _strife_--strif
183 _aȝeins_--ayenis
_foolhardines_--foolhardinesse
_foly_--folie
184 _eke_--ek
185 _deserued[e]_--desseruede
186 _wyche_--the which
_seyne_--seyn
188 _welfulnesse_--welefulnesse
189 _oþer_--oothre
190 _go_--gon
_eueryche_--euerich
191 _seyne_--seyn
_to_--omitted
_eueryche_--euerich
194 _tornen_--_read_ coruen, C. koruen
195 _wouen_--MS. wonne{n}, C. wouen
196 _arased_--arraced
197 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon
198 _dele_--del
199 _myche_--moche
_semed[e]_--semede
{and}--or
200 _myne_--myn
_wenyng_--MS. wevyng, C. weninge
202 _þoruȝ_--thorw
_wikked[e]_--wikkede
_vnkunnyng[e]_--vnkunnynge
203 _seyne_--seyn þ{a}t
204 _semeden_--semede
_pursued_--MS. pursuede, C. pursued
205 _slayn_--MS. slayne, C. slayn
207 [_weren_]--weeren
208 _myȝtest þou haue_--myhtestow han
209 _sorancis_--sorans
_wyche_--which
_is_--nis
210 _oolde_--MS. colde, C. old
211 _brouȝt[e]_--browhte
212 _enfourmed_--MS. vnfourmed, C. enformyd
_my_--myne
_vnlyke_--vnlyk
213 _wicked folk_--wikkede foolk{e}
_auȝtest_--owhtest
214 _wondre_--wondren
_bitter_--bittre
216 _displese_--displesen
217 _wikked[e]_--wikkede
_schrews_--shrewes
218 _oost_--glossed _acies_ in C.
_grete_--gret
219, 222 _leder_--leder{e}
220 _flityng_--fleetynge
_lyȝtly_--lythly
_if_--yif
221 _aȝeynest_--ayenis
222 _to----rycchesse_, to gydere hise rychesses
_toure_--towr
224 _heyȝ_--heye
225 _al_--alle
_ben_--omitted
_stored_--warnestored
226 _syche_--swich
_þat_--omitted
227 _scorne_--schorne
228 _rauiners----þinges_--rauyneres & henteres of fowleste thinges]

[Headnote:
THE AIM OF PHILOSOPHY.]

QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO.

[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: He who hath triumphed over fate, and remained
insensible to the changes of Fortune, shall not be moved by
storms, nor by the fires of Vesuvius, nor by the fiercest
thunderbolts.]

++Who so it be þat is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat
of lyuyng. þat haþ put vnderfote þe prowed[e]
wierdes {and} lokiþ vpryȝt vpon eyþer fortune. he may
holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ¶ Þe rage ne þe manace 232
of þe co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro þe
botme. ne schal not moeue þat man. ne þe vnstable
mountaigne þat hyȝt veseuus. þat wircheþ oute þoruȝ
hys broken[e] chemineys smokyng fires. ¶ Ne þe wey 236
of þonder lyȝt þat is wont to smyte heyȝe toures ne
schal not mouene þat man.

[Sidenote: Fear not the tyrant’s rage.]

¶ Wherto þen wrecches
drede ȝe tyrauntes þat ben wode {and} felownes wiþ-outen
ony strenkeþ.

[Sidenote: He who neither fears nor hopes for anything disarms the
tyrant.]

¶ Hope after no þing ne drede nat. {and} 240
so schalt þou desarmen þe ire of þilke vnmyȝty tyraunt. [[pg 13]]

[Sidenote: He whose heart fails him, yields his arms, and forges
his own fetters.]

¶ But who so þat quakyng dredeþ or desireþ þing þat
nis not stable of his ryȝt. þat man þat so doþ haþ cast
awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place. {and} 244
enlaceþ hym i{n} þe cheyne wiþ whiche he may be
drawen.

[Linenotes:
229 _clere_--cleer
230 _lyuyng_--leuynge
_haþ_--MS. haþe
_vnderfote_--vndir-foot
_prowed[e]_--prowde
231 _may----chiere_--may his cheere holde
232 _manace_--manesses
233 _þe_--þe see
235 _hyȝt_--hihte
_veseuus_--MS. vesenus
_wircheþ_--writith
236 _broken[e]_--brokene
_smokyng_--smokynge
237 _smyte_--smyten
238 _Wherto þen_--wharto thanne
239 _felownes----ony_--felonos withowte any
241 _schalt þou desarmen_--shaltow deseruien
243 _doþ_--MS. doþe, C. doth
_haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath
_cast_--MS. caste, C. cast
244 _schelde_--sheld
_remoeued fro_--remwed from
245 _whiche_--the which
_be_--ben]

[Headnote:
BOETHIUS SPEAKS OF HIS TROUBLES.]

SENTIS NE INQUIT.

[Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: Philosophy seeks to know the malady of Boethius.]

++FElest þou q{uod} sche þise þinges {and} entren þei ouȝt
in þi corage. ¶ Art þou like an asse to þe harpe. 248
Whi wepest þou whi spillest þou teres. ¶ Yif þou
abidest after helpe of þi leche. þe byhoueþ discouere þi
wounde.

[Sidenote: Boethius complains of Fortune’s unrelenting rage.]

¶ Þo .I. þat hadde gadered strenkeþ in my
corage answered[e] {and} seide. {and} nedeþ it ȝitte q{uod} 252
.I. of rehersyng or of amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} scheweþ it not
ynouȝ by hym self þe scharpnes of fortune þat wexeþ
woode aȝeynes me.

[Sidenote: Is not she moved, he asks, with the aspect of his
prison?]

¶ Ne moeueþ it nat þe to seen þe
face or þe man{er}e of þis place (.i. p{r}isou{n}.).

[Sidenote: His library, his habit, and his countenance are all
changed.]

¶ Is þis 256
þe librarie wyche þat þou haddest chosen for a ryȝt
certeyne sege to þe i{n} myne house. ¶ Þere as þou
desputest of[te] wiþ me of þe sciences of þinges touching
diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ¶ Was þan 260
myn habit swiche as it is now. was þan my face or
[Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non.]
my chere swiche as now.

¶ Whan I souȝt[e] wiþ þe
secretys of nature. whan þou enfo{ur}medest my maners
{and} þe resou{n} of al my lijf. to þe ensaumple of þe ordre 264
of heuene.

[Sidenote: Is this, he asks, the reward of his fidelity?]

[Interlinear: ironice]
¶ Is nat þis þe gerdou{n} þat I refere to þe
to whom I haue be obeisaunt. ¶ Certis þou enfo{ur}medist
by þe mouþe of plato þis sentence.

[Sidenote: Plato (de Rep. v.) says that those Commonwealths are
most happy that are governed by philosophers, or by those who
study to be so.]

þat is to
seyne þat co{m}mune þinges or comunabletes weren 268
blysful yif þei þat haden studied al fully to wisdom [[pg 14]]
gouerneden þilke þinges.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 5 _b_.]]

or ellys yif it so by-felle þat
þe gouernours *of co{m}munalites studieden in grete wisdomes.

[Linenotes:
247 _Felest þou_--Felistow
_ouȝt_--awht
248 _art þou_--artow
249 _wepest þou_--wepistow
_spillest þou_--spillestow
252 _answered[e]_--answerede
255 _woode_--wood
257 _wyche_--which
258 _myne house þere_--myn hows ther
259 _desputest of[te]_--desputedest ofte
260 _þan_--thanne
261 _it_ and _þan_--both omitted
261, 262 _swiche_--swich
262 _souȝt[e]_--sowhte
263 _secretys_--secretȝ
_my_--MS. me, C. my
264 _al_--alle
265 _gerdoun_--gerdouns
266 _enfourmedist_--conformedest
267 _mouþe_--mowht
268 _comunabletes_--comunalitees
270 _by-felle_--byfille
271 _in grete wisdomes_--to geten wysdom]

[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHERS TO BE POLITICIANS.]

[Sidenote: The same Plato urged philosophers to take upon them the
management of public affairs, lest it should fall into the hands
of unprincipled citizens.]

¶ Þou saidest eke by þe mouþe of þe same 272
plato þat it was a necessarie cause wyse men to taken
{and} desire þe gou{er}nau{n}ce of comune þi{n}ges. for þat þe
gou{er}nementes of comune citees y-left in þe hondes of
felonous to{ur}mento{ur}s Citiȝenis ne scholde not brynge 276
inne pestile{n}ce {and} destrucc{i}ou{n} to goode folk.

[Sidenote: Boethius declares that he desired to put in practice
(in the management of public affairs) what he had learnt in his
retirement.]

¶ And
þerfore I folowynge þilk auctoritee (.s. platonis). desiryng
to put[te] furþe in execusiou{n} {and} in acte of comune
admi{ni}st{ra}c{i}ou{n} þo þinges þat .I. hadde lerned of þe 280
among my secre restyng whiles. ¶ Þou {and} god þ{a}t
put[te] þee in þe þouȝtis of wise folk ben knowen wiþ
me þat no þing brouȝt[e] me to maistrie or dignite: but
þe comune studie of al goodenes.

[Sidenote: He sought to do good to all, but became involved in
discord with the wicked.]

¶ And þer-of comeþ 284
it þat by-twixen wikked folk {and} me han ben greuouse
discordes. þat ne myȝten not be relesed by p{ra}yeres.

[Sidenote: Consciousness of integrity made him despise the anger
of the most powerful.]

¶ For þis libertee haþ fredom of conscience þat þe wraþþe
of more myȝty folk haþ alwey ben despised of me for 288
saluac{i}ou{n} of ryȝt.

[Sidenote: He opposed Conigastus, and put a stop to the doings of
Triguilla.]

¶ How ofte haue .I. resisted {and}
wiþstonde þilk man þat hyȝt[e] conigaste þat made
alwey assautes aȝeins þe p{ro}pre fortunes of poure feble
folke. ¶ How ofte haue .I. ȝitte put of. or cast out 292
hy{m} trigwille p{ro}uost of þe kynges hous boþe of þe
wronges þat he hadde bygon[ne] to done {and} eke fully
p{er}formed. ¶ How ofte haue I couered {and} defended
by þe auctorite of me put aȝeins p{er}ils.

[Sidenote: He put his authority in peril for the defence of poor
folk.]

þat is to seine put 296
myne auctorite in peril for þe wreched pore folke. þat
þe couetise of straungeres vnpunysched to{ur}mentid alwey [[pg 15]]
wiþ myseses {and} greuaunces oute of noumbre.

[Linenotes:
272 _eke_--ek
275 _comune_--omitted
_y-left_--MS. ylefte, C. yleft
276 _Citiȝenis_--citesenes
_brynge inne_--bryngen in
278 _þerfore_--therfor
_þilk_--thilke
_desiryng_--desired
279 _put[te] furþe_--putten forth
280 _þo_--thilke
282 _put[te]_--putte
283 _brouȝt[e]_--ne browhte
284 _þe_--omitted
_al goodenes_--alle goodnesse
_comeþ_--comth
287, 288 _haþ_--MS. haþe
289 _saluacioun_--sauacioun
290 _þilk_--thilke
_hyȝt[e]_--hyhte
290 _conigaste_--MS. coniugaste
292 _ofte_--ofte ek
_ȝitte_--omitted
294 _bygon[ne]_--bygunne
_done_--don
295 _couered_--MS. couerede, C. couered
296 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
_seine_--seyn
297 _myne_--myn
298 _vnpunysched_--vnpunyssed
299 _myseses_--myseyses]

[Headnote:
BOETHIUS DEFENDS HIS OWN CONDUCT.]

[Sidenote: I never deviated, he says, from the path of justice.]

¶ Neuer man drow me ȝitte fro ryȝt to wro{n}g. When I say þe 300
fortunes {and} þe rychesse of þe people of þe p{ro}uinces
ben harmed eyþer by p{r}iue rauynes or by comune
tributis or cariages.

[Sidenote: I felt for those that were wrongfully oppressed.]

as sory was I as þei þat suffred[e]
þe harme. _Glosa._ ¶ Whan þat theodoric þe kyng of 304
gothes in a dere ȝere hadde hys gerners ful of corne
{and} comaundede þat no ma{n} ne schold[e] bie no corne
til his corne were solde {and} þat at a dere greuous pris.
¶ But I w{i}t{h}stod þat ordinaunce {and} ouer-com it 308
knowy{n}g al þis þe kyng hym self. ¶ Coempciou{n} þat
is to seyn comune achat or bying to-gidere þat were
establissed vpon poeple by swiche a manere imposiciou{n}
as who so bouȝt[e] a busshel corn he most[e] ȝeue þe 312
ky{n}g þe fifte p{ar}t. _Textus._

[Sidenote: I opposed successfully Coemption in Campania.]

¶ Whan it was in þe
soure hungry tyme þere was establissed or cried greuous
{and} inplitable coempciou{n} þat men seyn wel it schulde
greetly to{ur}me{n}tyn {and} endamagen al þe p{ro}uince of 316
co{m}paigne I took strif aȝeins þe p{ro}uost of þe pretorie
for comune p{ro}fit. ¶ And þe kyng knowyng of it I
ouercom it so þat þe coempciou{n} ne was not axed ne
took effect.

[Sidenote: I saved Paulinus out of the hands of the hounds of the
palace (_Palatini canes_).]

¶ Paulyn a counseiller of Rome þe rychesse 320
of þe whyche paulyn þe houndys of þe palays. þat is to
seyn þe officeres wolde han deuoured by hope {and}
couetise ¶ Ȝit drow I hym out of þe Iowes .s. faucib{us}
of hem þat gapede{n}.

[Sidenote: I defended Albinus against Cyprian.]

¶ And for as myche as þe peyne 324
of þe accusac{i}ou{n} aiuged byforn ne scholde not sodeynly
henten ne punischen wrongfuly Albyn a counseiller of
Rome. I put[te] me aȝenis þe hates {and} indignac{i}ou{n}s [[pg 16]]
of þe accuso{ur} Ciprian. ¶ Is it not þan ynought yseyn 328
þat I haue p{ur}chased greet[e] discordes aȝeins my self.

[Sidenote: For the love of justice I forfeited all favour at
Court.]

but I aughte be more asseured aȝenis alle oþer folk þat
for þe loue of ryȝtwisnesse .I. ne reserued[e] neuer no
þing to my self to hem ward of þe kynges halle .s. officers. 332
by þe whiche I were þe more syker. ¶ But þoruȝ þe
same accuso{ur}s accusyng I am co{n}dempned.

[Linenotes:
300 _drow_--MS. drowe, C. weth drowh
_ȝitte_--yit
_wrong_--wronge
301 _rychesse_--richesses
_þe_ (2)--omitted
302 _harmed eyþer_--harmyd or amenused owther
303 _tributis_--tributȝ
_suffred[e]_--suffreden
304 _harme_--harm
305 _ȝere_--yer
_hys_--hise
305, 306, 307 _corne_--corn
306 _schold[e] bie_--sholde byen
308 _But I withstod_--Boece withstood (MS. withstode)
_com_--MS. come, C. com
311 _swiche_--swich
312 _bouȝt[e]_--bowhte
_busshel_--bossel
_most[e] ȝeue_--moste yeue
315 _inplitable_--vnplitable
_seyn_--sayen
319 _ouercom_--MS. ouercome, C. ouer com
320 _counseiller_--consoler
_rychesse_--rychesses
321 _whyche_--which
322 _wolde_--wolden
323 _drow_--MS. drowe, C. drowh
324 _myche_--moche
326 _punischen_--punisse
327 _putt[e]_--putte
328 _yseyn_--MS. yseyne
329 _greet[e]_--grete
330 _aughte be_--owhte be the
_oþer_--oothre
333 _by þe whiche_--by which
_þoruȝ þe_--thorw tho]

[Headnote:
THE ACCUSERS OF BOETHIUS.]

[Sidenote: Boethius makes mention of his accusers, Basilius,
Opilio, Gaudentius, men who had been commanded to leave the city
on account of their many crimes.]

¶ Of þe noumbre of whiche accuso{ur}s one basilius þat somtyme
was chased out of þe kynges seruice. is now co{m}pelled 336
i{n} accusyng of my name for nede of foreine
moneye. ¶ Also opilion {and} Gaudenci{us} han accused
me. al be it so þat þe Iustice regal hadde su{m}tyme demed
hem boþe to go in to exil. for her treccheries {and} fraudes 340
wiþ-outen noumbre. ¶ To whiche iugement þei wolde
not obeye. but defended[e] hem by sykernesse of holy
houses.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 6.]]

*þat is to seyne fledden in to seyntuaries. {and}
whan þis was ap{er}ceiued to þe kyng. he comaunded[e] 344
but þat þei voided[e] þe citee of Rauenne by certeyne
day assigned þat men scholde merken hem on þe forheued
wiþ an hoke of iren {and} chasen hem out of toune.
¶ Now what þing semeþ þe myȝt[e] be lykned to þis 348
cruelte.

[Sidenote: But, on the day this sentence was to be executed, they
accused him, and their testimony against him was accepted.]

For certys þilk same day was receyued þe accusyng
of my name by þilk[e] same accuso{ur}s. ¶ What
may be seid herto. haþ my studie {and} my konnyng
deserued þus. or ellys þe forseide dampnaciou{n} of me. 352
made þat hem ryȝtful accuso{ur}s or no (q.d. no{n}).

[Sidenote: Fortune, if not ashamed at this, might at least blush
for the baseness of the accusers.]

¶ Was not fortune asshamed of þis. [Certes alle hadde
nat fortune ben asshamyd] þat i{n}nocence was accused.
ȝit auȝt[e] sche haue had schame of þe filþe of myn accuso{ur}s. 356