Fox, Samuel, trans., King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon Version of Boethius De Consolatione Philosophiae (London: H. G. Bohn, 1864). View Source Online

Text name(s): De Consolatione Philosophiae; The Consolation of Philosophy

Number of pages of primary source text: 0

Medieval Author(s): Alfred Boethius, Ancius

Dates: 870 - 900

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): English - Anglo-Saxon / Old English;

Translation: Original language included. English translation.

Translation Comments: facing-page

Geopolitical Region(s): England; Italy;

County/Region:

Apparatus: Glossary Introduction

Comments:

The Consolation of Philosophy was written by Boethius c. 524, while he was unjustly imprisoned for treason and awaiting execution. It takes the form of a dialogue between himself and Lady Philosophy, where she consoles him and they discuss major philosophical questions. The Consolation of Philosophy is often considered one of the most important and influential works ever written in the West. It was extremely popular in the Middle Ages as well, and was often translated into other languages, including this translation into Old English attributed to King Alfred. The translation can be downloaded in PDF format from the York University (Canada) In Parenthesis website.

Introduction Summary:

The preface provides brief information about Boccaccio, about the surviving manuscripts of the work, and how the Anglo-Saxon version differs from the original.

Cataloger: mk