In 996 Boetius’s bones were removed to the church of St. Augustine, where his tomb may still be seen.  As time elapsed, his death was considered a martyrdom, and he was canonized as St. Severinus.

Boetius was a thorough student of Greek philosophy, and formed the plan of translating all of Plato and Aristotle and reconciling their philosophies.  This work he never completed.  He wrote a treatise on music which was used as a text-book as late as the present century; and he translated the works of Ptolemy on astronomy, of Nicomachus on arithmetic, of Euclid on geometry, and of Archimedes on mechanics.  His great work in this line was a translation of Aristotle, which he supplemented by a commentary in thirty books.  Among his writings are a number of works on logic and a commentary on the ‘Topica’ of Cicero.  In addition to these, five theological tracts are ascribed to him, the most important being a discussion of the doctrine of the Trinity.

The work which has done most to perpetuate his name is the ’Consolations of Philosophy,’ in five books,—­written during his imprisonment at Pavia,—­which has been called “the last work of Roman literature.”  It is written in alternate prose and verse, and treats of his efforts to find solace in his misfortune.  The first book opens with a vision of a woman, holding a book and sceptre, who comes to him with promises of comfort.  She is his lifelong companion, Philosophy.  He tells her the story of his troubles.  In the second book, Philosophy tells him that Fortune has the right to take away what she has bestowed, and that he still has wife and children, the most precious of her gifts; his ambition to shine as statesman and philosopher is foolish, as no greatness is enduring.  The third book takes up the discussion of the Supreme Good, showing that it consists not in riches, power, nor pleasure, but only in God.  In the fourth book the problems of the existence of evil in the world and the freedom of the will are examined; and the latter subject continues through the fifth book.  During the Middle Ages this work was highly esteemed, and numerous translations appeared.  In the ninth century Alfred the Great gave to his subjects an Anglo-Saxon version; and in the fourteenth century Chaucer made an English translation, which was published by Caxton in 1480.  Before the sixteenth century it was translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Greek.

It is now perhaps best known for the place it occupies in the spiritual development of Dante.  He turned to it for comfort after the death of his Beatrice in 1291.  Inspired by its teachings, he gave himself up for a time to the study of philosophy, with the result of his writing the ‘Convito,’ a book in which he often refers to his favorite author.  In his ‘Divine Comedy’ he places Boetius in the Heaven of the Sun, together with the Fathers of the Church and the schoolmen.

OF THE GREATEST GOOD