The Consolation of Philosophy
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The Consolation of Philosophy
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Narrated by:
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David Rintoul
About this listen
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.
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What listeners say about The Consolation of Philosophy
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-04-18
brilliant series
these audiobooks by Ukemi, I really think are the best I have heard. Rintoul is a masterful narrator, just perfect for this type of philosophy works. Excellent!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Kunde
- 19-02-21
very good Information
very good and interesting information. The understanding of most of the issue that affect man today being taught. very good book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stephen
- 04-03-24
Profound wisdom and beauty.
This is an extraordinary book - astonishing to think it was written 19 centuries ago. It is beautifully read, rendering the poetic sections sublime.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anthony Saville
- 18-05-18
One of the great works of philosophy
A classic. Well read, though perhaps with a little too much emphasis, as though Rintoul doesn't quite trust us to catch Boethius' nuances. I think the real sadness - and why I did not give a 5 - is the age of the translation. Boethius was one of the very first works translated into (Old) English, and there have been many since. I feel sure there've been more recent and more contemporary ones. But - and this is perhaps Audible's biggest failing - they so rarely bother to tell us the name of the translator. In the end, I felt a little cheated. If there were a better translation, I would buy that version: but how will I ever know if Audible will not tell us!
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Barbara Foster
- 22-01-24
Beautiful sensitive understanding of the text by the reader.
This a totally different translation to the book that I have. Very illuminating especially when read so sensitively. Such a wonderful expressive voice.
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