The Consolation of Philosophy

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 480 - 525)
Translated by H. R. James (1862 - 1931)

Consolation of Philosophy (Latin: Consolatio Philosophiae) is a philosophical work by Boethius written in about the year 524 AD. It has been described as the single most important and influential work in the West in medieval and early Renaissance Christianity, and is also the last great work that can be called Classical.

Consolation of Philosophy was written during Boethius' one year imprisonment while awaiting trial, and eventual horrific execution, for the crime of treason by Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great. Boethius was at the very heights of power in Rome and was brought down by treachery. It was from this experience he was inspired to write a philosophical book from prison reflecting on how a lord's favor could change so quickly and why friends would turn against him. It has been described as “by far the most interesting example of prison literature the world has ever seen.”

The Consolation of Philosophy stands, by its note of fatalism and its affinities with the Christian doctrine of humility, midway between the heathen philosophy of Seneca the Younger and the later Christian philosophy of consolation represented by Thomas Aquinas.

The book is heavily influenced by Plato and his dialogues (as was Boethius himself). (Summary from Wikipedia)

Genre(s): *Non-fiction, Philosophy

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Preface & Proem Kirsten Ferreri
00:07:21
Play 02 Bk1: Song I: Boethius' Complaint, and section I Alex Patterson
00:04:58
Play 03 Bk1: Song II: His Depondency, and section II Alex Patterson
00:02:53
Play 04 Bk 1: Song III: The Mists Dispelled, and section III Ben Douglas
00:04:08
Play 05 Bk 1: Song IV: Nothing Can Subdue Virtue, and section IV David Barnes
00:16:21
Play 06 Bk 1: Song V: Boethius' Prayer, and section V Carl Manchester
00:06:26
Play 07 Bk 1: Song VI: All Things Have Their Needful Order, and section VI Carl Manchester
00:05:53
Play 08 Bk 1: Song VII: The Perturbations of Passion Hugh McGuire
00:01:23
Play 09 Bk 2: Section I, and Song I: Fortune's Malice Hugh McGuire
00:06:18
Play 10 Bk 2: Section II, and Song II: Man's Covetousness Hugh McGuire
00:05:15
Play 11 Bk 2: Section III, and Song III: All Passes Cori Samuel
00:05:41
Play 12 Bk 2: Section IV, and Song IV: The Golden Mean Kirsten Ferreri
00:08:25
Play 13 Bk 2: Section V, and Song V: The Former Age David Barnes
00:11:34
Play 14 Bk 2: Section VI, and Song VI: Nero's Infamy Mark Owen
00:06:51
Play 15 Bk 2: Section VII, and Song VII: Glory May Not Last Kirsten Ferreri
00:07:09
Play 16 Bk 2: Section VIII, and Song VIII: Love Is Lord of All Kirsten Ferreri
00:03:40
Play 17 Bk 3: Section I, and Song I: The Thorns of Error hugh mac
00:02:43
Play 18 Bk 3: Section II, and Song II: The Bent of Nature Gesine
00:09:19
Play 19 Bk 3: Section III, and Song III: The Insatiableness of Avarice hugh mac
00:05:21
Play 20 Bk 3: Section IV, and Song IV: Disgrace of Honours Conferred by a Tyrant hugh mac
00:04:28
Play 21 Bk 3: Section V, and Song V: Self-Mastery hugh mac
00:03:47
Play 22 Bk 3: Section VI, and Song VI: True Nobility hugh mac
00:03:15
Play 23 Bk 3: Section VII, and Song VII: Pleasure's Sting Maddie
00:02:27
Play 24 Bk 3: Section VIII, and Song VIII: Human Folly Maddie
00:05:05
Play 25 Bk 3: Section IX, and Song IX: Invocation Cyril Law, Jr.
00:12:07
Play 26 Bk 3: Section X, and Song X: The True Light Cyril Law, Jr.
00:13:43
Play 27 Bk 3: Section XI, and Song XI: Reminiscence Ben Douglas
00:09:56
Play 28 Bk 3: Section XII, and Song XII: Orpheus and Eurydice D.E. Wittkower
00:12:37
Play 29 Bk 4: Section I, and Song I: The Soul's Flight Cori Samuel
00:05:52
Play 30 Bk 4: Section II, and Song II: The Bondage of Passion hugh mac
00:10:49
Play 31 Bk 4: Section III, and Song III: Circe's Cup Susie G.
00:08:29
Play 32 Bk 4: Section IV, and Song IV: The Unreasonableness of Hatred Cori Samuel
00:14:01
Play 33 Bk 4: Section V, and Song V: Wonder and Ignorance David Barnes
00:04:05
Play 34 Bk 4: Section VI, and Song VI: The Universal Aim David Barnes
00:21:02
Play 35 Bk 4: Section VII, and Song VII: The Hero's Path Ben Douglas
00:05:21
Play 36 Bk 5: Section I, and Song I: Chance Andrew Miller
00:07:21
Play 37 Bk 5: Section II, and Song II: The True Sun hugh mac
00:03:12
Play 38 Bk 5: Section III, and Song III: Truth's Paradoxes Stan Still
00:11:04
Play 39 Bk 5: Section IV, and Song IV: A Psychological Fallacy ML Cohen
00:10:49
Play 40 Bk 5: Section V, and Song V: The Upward Look Mark Owen
00:06:20
Play 41 Bk 5: Section VI & Epilogue Cori Samuel
00:15:35