Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius has 2 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 2 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.5★ across 7 ratings. The most-rated is The Consolation of Philosophy.
The Consolation of Philosophy
Summary
The Consolation of Philosophy is one of the key works in the rich tradition of Western philosophy, partly because of the circumstances in which it was written. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480-c524) was of aristocratic Roman birth and became consul and then master of offices at Ravenna, one of the highest posts under the Ostrogothic Roman ruler Theodoric. But Boethius was unjustly charged with treason in 524, and this led to house arrest, then torture and execution. It was while he was imprisoned and anticipating his fate that he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, a remarkably personal document in which, through alternating passages of poetry and prose, he considers the lot of humankind. He draws on classical Greek and Roman philosophy, emphasising the fragility of worldly position and that true happiness can only come from within. As a practising Christian, he placed this within a Christian perspective. The work is all the more effective because it is presented as a dialogue between the despairing Boethius and a figure known as Lady Philosophy, who constantly questions, guides and supports the former statesman, leading him to a place of understanding and equilibrium. The work has proved a continuing influence through the ages, having been translated by figures as disparate as Alfred the Great, Chaucer, Elizabeth I and many others. The translation by H. R. James has been revised and modernised for this recording.
Public Domain (P)2016 Ukemi Productions Ltd
The Consolation of Philosophy
Summary
Charged with treason under Theodoric the Great in sixth-century Rome, Boethius served one year's imprisonment, awaiting trial and eventual execution. During this time, he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, which would go on to be one of the most popular philosophical works of all time, contributing much to medieval thought and influencing the likes of Dante and Chaucer, as well as Renaissance writers, such as Milton and Shakespeare. Grieving over the injustice of his imprisonment, Boethius meditates on the nature of God, the fickleness of fortune, the idea of free will, why bad things happen to good people, and the nature of happiness. His arguments take the form of a rich and exquisite dialogue between himself and Lady Philosophy and make many allusions to classical Greek and Roman literature in an attempt to create a coherent philosophy that supports his world view. It has been declared a "golden volume not unworthy of the leisure of Plato or Tully" (Edward Gibbon). PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Public Domain (P)2019 Naxos Audiobooks