Part 3

I 1 -- Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi 4 „ -- 1 Hæc dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem 5 „ 2 -- Heu, quam præcipiti mersa profundo 7 „ -- 2 Sed medicinæ, inquit, potius tempus est 8 „ 3 -- Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebræ 9 „ -- 3 Haud aliter tristitiæ nebulis dissolutis, hausi cœlum 10 „ 4 -- Quisquis composito serenus ævo 12 „ -- 4 Sentisne, inquit, hæc, atque animo illabuntur tuo? 13 „ 5 -- O stelliferi conditor orbis 21 „ -- 5 Hæc ubi continuato dolore delatravi 23 „ 6 -- Cum Phœbi radiis grave 25 „ -- 6 Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis rogationibus 26 „ 7 -- Nubibus atris 29 II -- 1 Posthæc paulisper obticuit 29 „ 1 -- Hæc cum superba verterit vices dextra 33 „ -- 2 Vellem autem pauca tecum fortunæ ipsius 33 „ 2 -- Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus 35 „ -- 3 His igitur si pro se tecum fortuna loqueretur 36 „ 3 -- Cum polo Phœbus roseis quadrigis 39 „ -- 4 Tum ego, Vera, inquam, commemoras 39 „ 4 -- Quisquis volet perennem 44 „ -- 5 Sed quoniam rationum jam in te mearum fomenta 45 „ 5 -- Felix nimium prior ætas 50 „ -- 6 Quid autem de dignitatibus, potentiaque disseram 51 „ 6 -- Novimus quantas dederit ruinas 55 „ -- 7 Tum ego, Scis, inquam, ipsa 56 „ 7 -- Quicumque solam mente præcipiti petit 60 „ -- 8 Sed ne me inexorabile contra fortunam 61 „ 8 -- Quod mundus stabili fide 62 III -- 1 Jam cantum illa finierat 63 „ 1 -- Qui serere ingenuum volet agrum 64 „ -- 2 Tum defixo paululum visu 64 „ 2 -- Quantas rerum flectat habenas 68 „ -- 3 Vos quoque, o terrena animalia 69 „ 3 -- Quamvis fluente dives auri gurgite 71 „ -- 4 Sed dignitates honorabilem reverendumque 72 „ 4 -- Quamvis se Tyrio superbus ostro 74 „ -- 5 An vero regna regumque familiaritas efficere potentem valent? 75 „ 5 -- Qui se volet esse potentem 77 „ -- 6 Gloria vero quam fallax sæpe, quam turpis est! 77 „ 6 -- Omne hominum genus in terris 78 „ -- 7 Quid autem de corporis voluptatibus loquar? 79 „ 7 -- Habet omnis hoc voluptas 80 „ -- 8 Nihil igitur dubium est, quin 80 „ 8 -- Eheu, quam miseros tramite devio 81 „ -- 9 Hactenus mendacis formam felicitatis ostendisse 82 „ 9 -- O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas 87 „ -- 10 Quoniam igitur quæ sit imperfecti 88 „ 10 -- Huc omnes pariter venite capti 94 „ -- 11 Assentior, inquam. 95 „ 11 -- Quisquis profunda mente vestigat verum 100 „ -- 12 Tum ego, Platoni, inquam, vehementer assentior 101 „ 12 -- Felix qui potuit boni 106 IV -- 1 Hæc cum Philosophia, dignitate 108 „ 1 -- Sunt etenim pennæ volucres mihi 110 „ -- 2 Tum ego, Papæ, inquam, ut magna promittis! 112 „ 2 -- Quos vides sedere celso 118 „ -- 3 Videsne igitur quanto in cœno probra volvantur 119 „ 3 -- Vela Neritii ducis 122 „ -- 4 Tum ego, Fateor, inquam, nec injuria dici video 123 „ 4 -- Quid tantos juvat excitare motus 130 „ -- 5 Hic ego, Video, inquam, quæ sit vel felicitas 131 „ 5 -- Si quis Arcturi sidera nescit 132 „ -- 6 Ita est, inquam. 133 „ 6 -- Si vis celsi jura tonantis 143 „ -- 7 Jamne igitur vides, quid hæc omnia quæ diximus, consequatur? 144 „ 7 -- Bella bis quinis operatus annis 147 V -- 1 Dixerat, orationisque cursum ad alia quædam 149 „ 1 -- Rupis Achæmeniæ scopulis, ubi versa sequentum 151 „ -- 2 Animadverto, inquam, idque uti tu dicis, ita esse consentio. 152 „ 2 -- Puro clarum lumine Phœbum 153 „ -- 3 Tum ego, En, inquam, difficiliori rursus ambiguitate confundor. 154 „ 3 -- Quænam discors fœdera rerum 159 „ -- 4 Tum illa, Vetus, inquit, hæc est de Providentia querela 161 „ 4 -- Quondam porticus attulit 166 „ -- 5 Quod si in corporibus sentiendis, quamvis 168 „ 5 -- Quam variis terras animalia permeant figuris! 170 „ -- 6 Quoniam igitur, uti paulo ante monstratum est 171

Appendix.--Ætas Prima 180 „ Balades de Vilage sanz Peinture 182

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

++[I]NCIPIT TABULA LIBRI BOICII DE CONSOLAC{I}O{N}E PHILOSOPHIE.

[_Additional MS. 10,340, fol. 3._]

[Sidenote: [fol. 3.]]

LIBER PRIMUS.

1 Carmina qui quondam studio flore{n}te p{er}egi. 2 Hic dum mecum tacitus. 3 Heu q{ua}m precipiti. 4 Set medicine inquit tempus. 5 Tunc me discussa. 6 Haut[C-1] aliter tristicie. 7 Quisquis composito. 8 Sentis ne inquit. 9 O stelliferi conditor orbis. 10 Hic ubi continuato dolore. 11 Cum phebi radijs. 12 Primu{m} igit{ur} pateris rogac{i}o{n}ib{us}. 13 Nubib{us} atris condita.

EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS.

LIBER SECUNDUS.

1 Postea paulisper[C-2] conticuit. 2 Hec cum superba. 3 Uellem autem pauca. 4 Si quantas rapidis. 5 His igitur si {et} pro se. 6 Cum primo polo. 7 Tunc ego uera inq{ua}m. 8 Contraq{ue}. 9 Quisq{ui}s ualet p{er}hennem cantus. 10 Set cum racionu{m} iam in te. 11 Felix i{n} miru{m} iam prior etas. 12 Quid au{tem} de dignitatib{us}. 13 Nouim{us} quantos dederat. 14 Tu{m} ego scis inq{ua}m. 15 Quicu{n}q{ue} solam mente. 16 Set ne me inexorabile. 17 Q{uo}d mu{n}dus stabile fide.

EXPLICIT LIBER S{E}C{UN}DUS.

LIBER TERCIUS.

1 Iam tantu{m} illa. 2 Qui serere ingeniu{m}. 3 Tunc defixo paululu{m}. 4 Quantas reru{m} flectat. 5 Uos quoq{ue} terrena a{n}i{m}alia. 6 Qua{m}uis fluenter diues. 7 Set dignitatib{us}. 8 Qua{m}uis se tirio. 9 An uero regna. 10 Qui se ualet esse potentem. 11 Gloria uero q{uam} fallax. 12 Omne hominu{m} genus in terris. 13 Quid au{tem} de corporib{us}. 14 Habet hoc uoluptas. 15 Nichil igit{ur} dubiu{m} est. 16 Heu q{ue} miseros tramite. 17 Hacten{us} me{n}dacio forma{m}. 18 O qui p{er}petua. 19 Q{uonia}m igit{ur} qui scit. 20 Nunc omnes pariter. 21 Assencior inq{ua}m cuncta. 22 Quisq{ue} profunda. 23 Tunc ego platoni inq{ua}m. 24 Felix qui poterit.

EXPLICIT LIBER T{ER}CIUS.

LIBER QUARTUS.

1 Hec cum philosophia. 2 Sunt eteni{m} penne. 3 Tunc ego pape inq{uam}. 4 Quos uides sedere celsos. 5 Uides ne igitur quanto. 6 U[e]la naricij ducis. 7 Tunc ego fateor inq{ua}m. 8 Quid tantos iuuat. 9 Huic ego uideo inq{ua}m. 10 Si quis arcturi[C-3] sydera. 11 Ita est inq{ua}m. 12 Si uis celsi iura. 13 Iam ne igit{ur} uides. 14 Bella bis quinis.

EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS.

INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS.

1 Dixerat orac{i}onis q{ue} cursu{m}. 2 Rupis achemenie. 3 Animaduerto inq{ua}m. 4 Puro claru{m} lumine. 5 Tamen ego en inq{ua}m. 6 Que nam discors. 7 Tamen illa uetus. 8 Quonda{m} porticus attulit. 9 Quod si i{n} corporib{us}. 10 Qua{m} uarijs figuris. 11 Quonia{m} igit{ur} uti paulo ante.

EXPLICIT LIBER QUI{N}TUS {ET} ULTIMUS.

[Footnote C-1: MS. hanc.]

[Footnote C-2: MS. luper.]

[Footnote C-3: MS. arituri.]

[[pg 4]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS DEPLORES HIS MISFORTUNES.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 3 _b_.]]

*LIBER PRIMUS.

INCIPIT LIBER BOICII DE CO{N}SOLAC{I}O{N}E PHILOSOPHIE.

Car{m}i{n}a qui q{u}onda{m} studio flore{n}te p{er}egi.

[Sidenote: [The fyrste Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Boethius deplores his misfortunes in the following pathetic elegy.]

++Allas I wepyng am constreined to bygynne vers of sorouful matere. ¶ Þat whilom in florysching studie made delitable ditees. For loo rendyng muses of poetes enditen to me þinges to be writen. and drery 4 v{er}s of wrecchednes weten my face wiþ v{er}ray teers. ¶ At þe leest no drede ne myȝt[e] ouer-come þo muses. þat þei ne were{n} felawes {and} folweden my wey. þat is to seyne when I was exiled.

[Sidenote: ypalage antithesis]

þei þat weren glorie of 8 my youȝth whilom weleful {and} grene co{n}forten now þe sorouful werdes of me olde man.

[Sidenote: Laments his immature old age.]

for elde is comen vnwarly vpon me hasted by þe harmes þat I haue. {and} sorou haþ comau{n}ded his age to be in me. ¶ Heeres 12 hore ben schad ouertymelyche vpon myne heued. and þe slak[e] skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body.

[Sidenote: Death turns a deaf ear to the wretched.]

þilk[e] deeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þat ben swete (.i. mirie.) but comeþ to wrecches often 16 yclepid.

[Linenotes: 1 _of_--MS. of of. 2 _florysching_--floryssynge 3 _rendyng_--rendynge 4 _be_--ben 5 _wrecchednes_--wrecchednesse _teers_--teeres 6 _leest_--leeste _myȝt[e] ouer-come_--myhte ouercomen 8 _seyne when_--seyn whan 9 _youȝth_--MS. þoȝt, C. yowthe 10 _sorouful werdes_--sorful wierdes [i. fata] 12 _sorou_--sorwe _haþ_--MS. haþe _be_--ben 13 _hore_--hoore _ben_--arn _myne_--myn 14 _slak[e]_--slake _vpon_--of _emty_--emptyd _þilk[e]_--thilke 15 _welful_--weleful _comeþ not_--comth nat 16 _.i. mirie_--omitted]

¶ Allas allas wiþ how deef an eere deeþ cruel to{ur}neþ awey fro wrecches {and} naieþ to closen wepyng eyen.

[Sidenote: When Fortune was favourable Death came near Boethius, but in his adversity life is unpleasantly protracted.]

¶ While fortune vnfeiþful fauored[e] me 20 wiþ lyȝte goodes (.s. temp{or}els.) þe sorouful houre þat is to seyne þe deeþ had[de] almost dreynt myne heued. ¶ But now for fortune clowdy haþ chaunged hir disceyuable chere to me warde. myn vnpitouse lijf draweþ 24 a long vnagreable dwellynges in me.

[Sidenote: Why did his friends call him happy? He stood not firm that hath thus fallen.]

¶ O ȝe my frendes what or wherto auaunted[e] ȝe me to be weleful: [[pg 5]] for he þat haþ fallen stood not i{n} stedfast degree.

[Linenotes: 19 _tourneþ_--torneth _naieþ_--nayteth _wepyng_--wepynge 20 _While_--Whil _fauored[e]_--fauorede 21 _lyȝte_--lyhte _.s. temporels_--omitted _sorouful houre_--sorwful howr{e} 22 _seyne_--seyn _had[de]_--hadde _myne_--myn 23 _haþ_--MS. haþe _chaunged hir disceyuable_--chaungyd hyre deceyuable 24 _vnpitouse lijf_--vnpietous lyf]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHY APPEARS TO BOETHIUS.]

HIC DUM MECUM TACITUS.

[Sidenote: [The firste p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: Philosophy appears to Boethius, like a beautiful woman, and of great age.]

++IN þe mene while þat I stille recorded[e] þise þinges 28 wiþ my self. {and} markede my wepli compleynte wiþ office of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue þe heyȝt of my heued a woman of ful greet reuerence by semblaunt hir eyen brennyng {and} clere seing ouer þe comune 32 myȝt of men. wiþ a lijfly colo{ur} {and} wiþ swiche vigoure {and} strenkeþ þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid. ¶ Al were it so þat sche was ful of so greet age. þat men ne wolde not trowe i{n} no manere þat sche were of oure 36 elde.

[Sidenote: Her height could not be determined, for there were times when she raised her head higher than the heavens.]

þe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement. for su{m}tyme sche constreyned[e] {and} schronk hir selue{n} lyche to þe comune mesure of men. {and} su{m}tyme it semed[e] þat sche touched[e] þe heuene wiþ þe heyȝte 40 of hir heued. and when sche hef hir heued heyer sche p{er}ced[e] þe selue heuene. so þat þe syȝt of men lokyng was i{n} ydel.

[Sidenote: Her clothes were finely wrought and indissoluble, but dark and dusky, like old besmoked images.]

¶ Hir cloþes weren maked of ryȝt delye þredes {and} subtil crafte of p{er}durable matere. þe wyche 44 cloþes sche hadde wouen wiþ hir owen hondes: as I knew wel aftir by hir selfe. declaryng {and} schewyng to me þe beaute. þe wiche cloþes a derkenes of a forleten and dispised elde had[de] duskid {and} dirkid as 48 it is wo{n}t to dirken by-smoked ymages.

[Sidenote: On the lower hem of her garment was the letter Π and on the upper Θ.]

¶ In þe neþerest[e] hem or bordure of þese cloþes me{n} redden [[pg 6]] ywouen in swiche a gregkysche .P. þat signifieþ þe lijf actif. And abouen þ{a}t l{ett}re in þe heyȝest[e] bordure 52 a grekysche T. þat signifieþ þe lijf contemplatif.

[Linenotes: 26 _auaunted[e]_--auauntede _be_--ben 27 _haþ_--MS. haþe _not_--nat _stedfast_--stidefast 28 _In þe mene_--omitted _recorded[e]_--recordede 30 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh _stondyng above_--MS. studiyng aboue, C. stondinge abouen _heyȝt_--heyhte _my_--myn 31 _greet_--gret 32 _brennyng_--brennynge _clere seing_--cleer seynge 33 _swiche_--swych 34 _strenkeþ_--strengthe _it----emptid_--it myhte nat ben emted _Al_--alle 36 _wolde----trowe_--wolden nat trowen 37 _iugement_--Iuggement 38 _sumtyme_--somtyme _constreyned[e]_--constreynede _schronk_--MS. schronke, C. shronk 39 _lyche_--lyk 40 _semed[e]_--semede _touched[e]_--towchede 41 _when_--whan _hef_--MS. heued, C. hef _heyer_--hyere 42 _perced[e]_--percede _syȝt_--syhte _lokyng_--lookynge 44 _crafte_--craft 45 _wouen_--MS. wonnen, C. wouen _owen hondes_--owne handes 46 _knew_--MS. knewe, C. knewh _selfe declaryng_--self declarynge _schewyng_--shewynge 47 _derkenes_--dirknesse _forleten_--forletyn 48 _dispised_--despised _had[de] duskid_--hadde dusked _dirkid_--derked 49 _by-smoked_--the smokede _neþerest[e]_--nethereste 50 _þese_--thise 51 _swiche_--omitted _gregkysche_--grekyssh{e} _signifieþ_--syngnifieth 52 _heyȝest[e]_--heyeste]

[Headnote: A DESCRIPTION OF PHILOSOPHY.]

[Sidenote: Between the letters were steps like a ladder.]

¶ And by-twene þese two l{ett}res þere weren seien degrees nobly wrouȝt in manere of laddres. By wyche degrees men myȝt[en] clymbe fro þe neþemast[e] l{ett}re 56 to þe ouermast[e].

[Sidenote: Philosophy’s garments were tattered and torn, and pieces had been carried violently off.]

¶ Naþeles hondes of su{m} men hadde korue þ{a}t cloþe by vyolence {and} by strenkeþ. ¶ And eueryche man of hem hadde born away syche peces as he myȝte geet[e].

[Sidenote: In her right hand she bore her books, and in her left a sceptre.]

¶ And forsoþe þis forsaide 60 woman ber bookes in hir ryȝt honde. {and} in hir lefte honde sche ber a ceptre. ¶ And when sche sauȝ þese poetical muses ap{ro}chen aboute my bedde. {and} endytyng wordes to my wepynges. sche was a lytel ameued 64 and glowed[e] wiþ cruel eyen.

[Sidenote: Philosophy bids the Muses leave Boethius, as they only increase his sorrow with their sweet venom.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 4.]]

¶ Who q{uo}d sche haþ suffred ap{ro}chen to þis seek[e] man þise comune strumpetis of siche a place þat *men clepen þe theatr{e}. ¶ Þe wyche only ne asswagen not his sorowes. wiþ no 68 remedies. but þei wolde fede {and} norysche hem wiþ swete venym. ¶ Forsoþe þise ben þo þat wiþ þornes {and} prykkynges of talentȝ or affecciou{n}s wiche þat ben no þing frutefiyng nor p{ro}fitable destroyen þe 72 cornes plenteuouse of frutes of reson.

[Sidenote: They may accustom the mind to bear grief, but cannot free it from its malady.]

¶ For þei holden þe hertes of men i{n} usage. but þei ne delyuere not folk fro maladye. but if ȝe muses hadde wiþdrawen fro me wiþ ȝoure flateries. any vnkonnyng {and} vnp{ro}fitable [[pg 7]] man as men ben wont to fynde comunely amonges 77 þe peple. I wolde wene suffre þe lasse greuously.

[Linenotes: 54 _by-twene þese_--bytwixen thise _þere_--ther _seien_--seyn 55 _nobly wrouȝt_--nobely ywroght _wyche_--whiche 56 _myȝt[en] clymbe_--myhten clymbyn _neþemast[e]_--nethereste 57 _ouermast[e]_--vppereste _sum_--some 58 _hadde korue_--hadden koruen _cloþe_--cloth _strenkeþ_--strengthe 59 _born_--MS. borne, C. born _away syche_--awey swiche 60 _geet[e]_--geten _forsaide_--forseide 61 _ber_--MS. bere, C. bar _bookes_--smale bookes _honde_--hand _lefte honde_--left hand 62 _ber_--MS. bere, C. baar _sauȝ þese_--say thise 63 _bedde_--bed _endytyng_--enditynge 64 _ameued_--amoued 65 _glowed[e]_--glowede _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath 66 _seek[e]_--sike _þise_--the _strumpetis_--strompetes 67 _siche_--swich _clepen_--clepyn 68 _only ne_--nat oonly ne _not his_--nat hise _no_--none 69 _wolde fede_--wolden feeden _norysche hem_--noryssyn hym 72 _ben_--ne ben _frutefiyng_--fructefiynge 73 _cornes plenteuouse_--corn plentyuos 74 _þe_ and _ne_--both omitted 75 _not_--nat _if ȝe_--MS. if þe, C. yif ye _hadde_--hadden 76 _vnkonnyng_--vnkunnynge 78 _peple_--poeple]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHY REBUKES THE MUSES.]

[Sidenote: Philosophy is deeply grieved, because they have not seduced one of the profane, but one who has been brought up in Eleatic and Academic studies.]

¶ For-why in syche an vnp{ro}fitable man myne ententes weren no þing endamaged. ¶ But ȝe wiþdrawen me 80 þis man þat haþ ben norysched in studies or scoles of Eleaticis {and} of achademicis in grece.

[Sidenote: She bids the syrens begone.]

¶ But goþ now raþer awey ȝe meremaydenes wyche ben swete til it be at þe laste. {and} suffreþ þis man to be cured {and} 84 heled by myne muses. þat is to say by notful sciences.

[Sidenote: Blushing for shame they pass the threshold.]

¶ And þus þis compaygnie of muses I-blamed casten wroþely þe chere adou{n}ward to þe erþe {and} schewyng by redenesse hir schame þei passeden sorowfuly þe 88 þreschefolde. ¶ And I of whom þe syȝt plonged i{n} teres was derked so þat I ne myȝt[e] not knowe what þat woman was of so i{m}perial auctorite.

[Sidenote: Boethius is astonished at the presence of the august dame.]

¶ I wex al a-besid {and} astoned. {and} caste my syȝt adoune in to þe 92 erþe. {and} bygan stille forto abide what sche wolde don afterwarde. ¶ Þo come sche nere {and} sette hir doun vpon þe vterrest[e] corner of my bedde.

[Sidenote: Philosophy expresses her concern for Boethius.]

{and} sche byholdyng my chere þat was cast to þe erþe heuy {and} 96 greuous of wepyng. co{m}pleinede wiþ þise wordes þ{a}t I schal sey þe p{er}t{ur}bac{i}ou{n} of my þouȝt.

[Linenotes: 79 _syche_--swhiche _myne_--myn 80 _weren_--ne weeren _ȝe_--ye 81 _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath _ben_--be _scoles_--schooles 82 _goþ_--MS. goþe, C. goth 83 _wyche_--whiche þat 85 _say_--seyn _notful_--noteful 86 _I-blamed_--Iblamyd 87 _wroþely_--wrothly _adounward_--downward 88 _redenesse_--rednesse _sorowfuly_--sorwfully 89 _þreschefolde_--thresshfold _syȝt_--syhte 90 _derked_--dyrked _myȝt[e]----knowe_--myhte nat knowen 91 _wex_--wax 92 _a-besid_--abaysshed _caste_--cast _adoune in to_--down to 93 _don_--MS. done 95 _vterrest[e] corner_--vttereste corner{e} _bedde_--bed 97 _compleinede_--compley[n]de 98 _sey_--seyen]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHY ADDRESSES BOETHIUS.]

HEU Q{UAM} PRECIPITI MERSA PROFUNDO.

[Sidenote: [The 2de Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Drowned in the depth of cares the mind loses its proper clearness.]

++Allas how þe þouȝt of man dreint in ouer þrowyng depnesse dulleþ {and} forletiþ hys p{ro}pre clerenesse. 100 myntynge to gone in to foreyne derknesses as ofte as hys anoious bisines wexiþ wiþ-oute{n} mesure. þ{a}t is dryuen to {and} fro wiþ worldly wyndes. [[pg 8]]

[Sidenote: Man in his freedom knew each region of the sky, the motions of the planets, and was wont to investigate the causes of storms, the nature and properties of the seasons, and the hidden causes of nature.]