The Cambridge Companion to Boethius

Boethius(c.480–c.525/6),thoughaChristian,workedinthetraditionoftheNeoplatonicschools,withtheirstronginterestinAristotelianlogicandPlatonicmetaphysics.HeisbestknownforhisConsolationofPhilosophy,whichhewroteinprisonawaitingexecution.Hisworksalsoincludealongseriesoflogicaltranslations,commentariesandmonographsandsomeshortbutdensely-arguedtheologicaltreatises,allofwhichwereenormouslyinfluentialonmedievalthought.ButBoethiuswasmorethanawriterwhopassedonimportantancientideastotheMiddleAges.Theessaysherebyleadingspecialists,whichcoverallthemainaspectsofhiswritinganditsinfluence,showthathewasadistinctivethinker,whoseargumentsrepaycarefulanalysisandwhousedhisliterarytalentsinconjunctionwithhisphilosophicalabilitiestopresentacomplexviewoftheworld.·ExaminesboththephilosophicalandliteraryaspectsofBoethius'swork·TheappendixprovidesacompleteandeasytouseguidetoBoethius'sworksincludingeditionsandtranslations·Eachchapterprovidesanimportantoriginalcontributiontothesubject