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The Consolation of Philosophy

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)

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Preface & Proem (Kirsten Ferreri)
Bk1: Song I: Boethius' Complaint, and section I (Alex Patterson)
Bk1: Song II: His Depondency, and section II (Alex Patterson)
Bk 1: Song III: The Mists Dispelled, and section III (Ben Douglas)
Bk 1: Song IV: Nothing Can Subdue Virtue, and section IV (David Barnes)
Bk 1: Song V: Boethius' Prayer, and section V (Carl Manchester)
Bk 1: Song VI: All Things Have Their Needful Order, and section VI (Carl Manchester)
Bk 1: Song VII: The Perturbations of Passion (Hugh McGuire)
Bk 2: Section I, and Song I: Fortune's Malice (Hugh McGuire)
Bk 2: Section II, and Song II: Man's Covetousness (Hugh McGuire)
Bk 2: Section III, and Song III: All Passes (Cori Samuel)
Bk 2: Section IV, and Song IV: The Golden Mean (Kirsten Ferreri)
Bk 2: Section V, and Song V: The Former Age (David Barnes)
Bk 2: Section VI, and Song VI: Nero's Infamy (Mark Owen)
Bk 2: Section VII, and Song VII: Glory May Not Last (Kirsten Ferreri)
Bk 2: Section VIII, and Song VIII: Love Is Lord of All (Kirsten Ferreri)
Bk 3: Section I, and Song I: The Thorns of Error (hugh mac)
Bk 3: Section II, and Song II: The Bent of Nature (Gesine)
Bk 3: Section III, and Song III: The Insatiableness of Avarice (hugh mac)
Bk 3: Section IV, and Song IV: Disgrace of Honours Conferred by a Tyrant (hugh mac)
Bk 3: Section V, and Song V: Self-Mastery (hugh mac)
Bk 3: Section VI, and Song VI: True Nobility (hugh mac)
Bk 3: Section VII, and Song VII: Pleasure's Sting (Maddie)
Bk 3: Section VIII, and Song VIII: Human Folly (Maddie)
Bk 3: Section IX, and Song IX: Invocation (Cyril Law, Jr.)
Bk 3: Section X, and Song X: The True Light (Cyril Law, Jr.)
Bk 3: Section XI, and Song XI: Reminiscence (Ben Douglas)
Bk 3: Section XII, and Song XII: Orpheus and Eurydice (D.E. Wittkower)
Bk 4: Section I, and Song I: The Soul's Flight (Cori Samuel)
Bk 4: Section II, and Song II: The Bondage of Passion (hugh mac)
Bk 4: Section III, and Song III: Circe's Cup (Susie G.)
Bk 4: Section IV, and Song IV: The Unreasonableness of Hatred (Cori Samuel)
Bk 4: Section V, and Song V: Wonder and Ignorance (David Barnes)
Bk 4: Section VI, and Song VI: The Universal Aim (David Barnes)
Bk 4: Section VII, and Song VII: The Hero's Path (Ben Douglas)
Bk 5: Section I, and Song I: Chance (Andrew Miller)
Bk 5: Section II, and Song II: The True Sun (hugh mac)
Bk 5: Section III, and Song III: Truth's Paradoxes (Stan Still)
Bk 5: Section IV, and Song IV: A Psychological Fallacy (ML Cohen)
Bk 5: Section V, and Song V: The Upward Look (Mark Owen)
Bk 5: Section VI & Epilogue (Cori Samuel)
The audiobook The Consolation of Philosophy falls under the genres of , . It is written by , .