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St. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
V/VI Centuries
The goal of Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was simple. He wanted to
translate from Greek into Latin the works of Aristotle and of Plato. He
wished to write commentary on the thought of Aristotle and to prove that
the two philosophers shared a common vision. To that end, he translated
and commented on the
Organon, Eisagoge, Kategoriai, Peri hermeneis, and
Analytica protera. He wrote two
commentaries on the syllogism, and he used
Aristotle's categories to refute the Arians. His most famous work is
The
Consolation of Philosophy,
which he wrote in prison and which has caused
many since the Middle Ages to consider St. Boethius a Neoplatonist, rather
than a Christian.
St. Boethius was born c 470 to a Roman family that had been Christian
since
the time of Constantine. Boethius' father was consul in 487 and died
shortly after that. A family friend raised Boethius. In 510, Boethius
became consul under Theodoric. In 520, Theodoric appointed him the head of
governement and court services; in 522, the two sons of Boethius became
co-consuls. Boethius, however, was accused of treason against Theodoric
(an Arian) and of sacrilege and magic. Boethius was martyred (or unjustly
executed) in 524 at Pavia.
Karen Rae Keck
- ABOUT:
- WORKS:
-
The Consolation of Philosophy: The
imprisoned philosopher is taught to see Providence in
the ever-spinning wheel of Fortuna. Cooper translation.
--- University
of Virginia
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