Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

Our first book discussion will focus on a classic of philosophical literature: Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy.

Boethius composed De Consolatione Philosophiae in the sixth century CE, while awaiting death by torture, condemned on a charge of plotting against Gothic rule, which he protested as manifestly unjust. Though a Christian, detailing the true end of life as the soul's knowledge of God, Boethius consoles himself with the tenets of Greek philosophy, not with Christian precepts.

Written in a form called Meippean Satire that alternates between prose and verse, Boethius' work often consists of a story told by Ovid or Horace to illustrate the philosophy being expounded. The Consolation of Philosophy dominated the intellectual world of the Middle Ages; it inspired writers as diverse as Thomas Aquinas and Dante. In England it was rendered into Old English by Alfred the Great, into Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer, and later Queen Elizabeth I made her own translation. The circumstances of composition, the heroic demeanor of the author, and the Meippean texture of part prose, part verse have been a fascination for students of philosophy, literature, and religion ever since.

We'll be using this edition of the book, though any other one will do as well! https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780199540549

Free online version: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Consolation_of_Philosophy_(James)

Please note that meetup time is Eastern Standard Time (New York). The event may be recorded, so that others may benefit from our discussion after the video gets posted online.

At the beginning of the meeting, please turn off your audio, but keep the video on. This makes for less background noise and a more human interaction (we see each other!).

When you'd like to ask a question, raise your hand using Zoom's tool. When I call on you, turn on your mic and ask the question. Please remember to then turn your mic back off.

Also, during the event I will be busy and not able to monitor the chat, so see above if you'd like to ask a question.