This feature begins with a series on “The Consolation of Philosophy”, by Anicus Manlius Severinus Boethius. Each episode will consist of a reading of one or two chapters in sequence, followed by a brief commentary offering a few insights into the text. Boethius’ chapters are very short. Each consists of a single section of verse, followed by a passage of narration. So, each episode is likely to be around 15 minutes long. There are a total of 5 books, or 39 chapters. So, this series should last us a while, given one reading per week!
The first episode covers both chapters one and two, of Book one. Boethius makes his opening lament, and Philosophy pays him a visit. Boethius is speechless with amazement. Philosophy drives away the Muses of Poetry, and then offers a lament of her own, at the sight of the disordered condition of Boethius’ mind. As his teacher, she is dismayed that he has forgotten all he learned.