H2 21?
BOETHII petit, nonne orane terrenum negotium spernat quae 85 se caelo fruens terrenis gaudet exemptam?
VII.
Quicumque solam mente praecipiti petit Summumque credit gloriam, Late patentes aetheris cernat plagas Artumque terrarum situm. 5 Breuem replere non ualentis ambitum Pudebit aucti nominis. Quid o superbi col la mortali iugo Frustra leuare gestiunt? Licet remotos fama per populos means IQ DifFusa linguas explicet Et magna titulis fulgeat claris domus, Mors spernit altam gloriam, Inuoluit humile pariter et celsum caput Aequatque summis infima. 15 Vbi nunc fidelis ossa Fabricii maneiit, Quid Brutus aut rigidus Cato? Signat superstes fama tenuis pauculis Inane nomen litteris. Sed quod decora nouimus uocabula, 20 Num scire coiisumptos datur?
lacetis ergo prorsus ignorabiles Nee fama notos efficit. Quod si putatis longius uitam trahi Mortalis aura nominis, 25 Cum sera uobis rapiet hoc etiam dies, 1a.m. uos secunda mors manet.
0 Caius Luscinus Fabricius, Consul 282 B.C., opponent of Pyrrhus; Lucius lunius Brutus, Consul 509 B.C., founder of 218 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
enjoying heaven, rejoiceth to see herself exempted from earthly affairs?
VII.
I He that to honour only seeks to mount And that his chiefest end doth count, I Let him behold the largeness of the skies And on the strait earth cast his eyes; He will despise the glory of his name, Which cannot fill so small a frame. Why do proud men scorn that their necks should bear That yoke which every man must wear? Though fame through many nations fly along And should be blazed by every tongue, And houses shine with our forefathers' stories, Yet Death contemns these stately glories, And, summoning both rich and poor to die, Makes the low equal with the high. Who knows where faithful Fabrice' bones are pressed, Where Brutus and strict Cato rest? « A slender fame consigns their titles vain In some few letters to remain. Because their famous names in books we read, Come we by them to know the dead? You dying, then, remembered are by none, Nor any fame can make you known. But if you think that life outstrippeth death, Your names borne up with mortal breath, When length of time takes this away likewise, A second death shall you surprise.
the Republic; Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato maior). Consul 195 B.C., great-grandfather of M. Porcius Cato (Uticensis).
219 BOETHII VIII.
Sed ne me inexorabile contra fortunam gerere bellum putes, est aliquando cum de hominibus ilia, fallax ilia nihil, bene mereatur, turn scilicet cum se aperit, cum frontem detegit moresque profitetur. 5 Nondum forte quid loquar intellegis. Mirum est quod dicere gestio, eoque senteiitiam uerbis explicare uix queo. Etenim plus hominibus reor aduersam quam prosperam prodesse fortunam. Ilia enim semper specie felicitatis cum uidetur blanda, 10 mentitur; haec semper uera est, cum se instabilem mutatione demonstrat. Ilia fallit, haec instruit, ilia mendacium specie bonorum mentes fruentium ligat, haec cognitione fragilis felicitatis absoluit. Itaque illam uideas uentosam, fluentem suique semper 15 ignaram, hanc sobriam succinctamque et ipsius aduersitatis exercitatione prudentem. Postremo felix a uero bono deuios blanditiis trahit, aduersa plerumque ad uera bona reduces unco retrahit. An hoc inter minima aestimandum putas quod amicorum 20 tibi fidelium mentes haec aspera, haec horribilis fortuna detexit, haec tibi certos sodalium uultus ambiguosque secreuit, discedens suos abstulit, tuos reliquit? Quanti hoc integer, ut uidebaris tibi a Literally, " pulleth them back with a hook." 220 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
VIII.
But lest thou shouldst think that I am at im placable war with Fortune, there is a time when this thy goddess ceasing to deceive deserveth of men, to wit, when she declareth herself, when she discovereth her face and showeth herself in her own colours. Perhaps thou understandest not yet what I say. I would utter a wonderful thing, insomuch as I can scarcely explicate my mind in words. For I think that Fortune, when she is opposite, is more profitable to men than when she is favourable. For in prosperity, by a show of happiness and seeming to caress, she is ever false, but in adversity when she showeth herself inconstant by changing, she is ever true. In that she deceiveth, in this she instructeth; in that she imprisoneth the minds of men with falsely seeming goods, which they enjoy, in this she setteth them at liberty by discovering the un certainty of them. Wherefore, in that thou shalt alway see her puffed up, and wavering, and blinded with a self-conceit of herself, in this thou shalt find her sober, settled, and, with the very exercise of adversity, wise. Finally, prosperity with her flatterings withdraweth men from true goodness, adversity recalleth and reclaimeth them many times by force a to true happiness. Dost thou esteem it a small benefit that this rough and harsh Fortune hath made known unto thee the minds of thy faithful friends? She hath severed thy assured from thy doubtful friends; prosperity at her departure took away with her those which were hers, and left thee thine. How dearly wouldst thou have bought this before thy fall, and when thou seemedst to thyself 221 BOETHII fortunatus, eniisses! Nunc et amissas opes querere; 25 quod pretiosissimum diuitiarum genus est amicos inuenisti.
VIII.
Quod mundus stabili fide Concordes uariat uices, Quod pugnantia semina Foedus perpetuum tenent, U Quod Phoebus roseum diem Curru proueliit aureo, Vt quas duxerit Hesperos Phoebe noctibus imperet, Vt fluctus auidum mare 10 Certo fine coerceat, Ne terris liceat uagis Latos tendere terminos, Hanc rerum seriem ligat Terras ac pelagus regens 15 Et caelo imperitans amor.
Hie si frena remiserit, Quidquid nunc amat inuicern Bellum contiiiuo geret Et quam nunc socia fide 20 Pulchris motibus incitant, Certent soluere machinam.
Hie sancto populos quoque lunctos foedere continet, Hie et coniugii sacrum 25 Castis nectit amoribus, Hie fidis etiam sua Dictat iura sodalibus.
O felix hominum genus, Si uestros animos amor 30 Quo caelum regitur regat."
222 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. II.
fortunate! Now thou dost even lament thy lost riches; thou hast found friends, the most precious treasure in the world.
VIII.
That this fair world in settled course her several forms should vary, That a perpetual law should tame the fighting seeds of things, That Phoebus should the rosy day in his bright chariot carry, That Phoebe should govern the nights which Hesperus forth brings, That to the floods of greedy seas are certain bounds assigned, Which them, lest they usurp too much upon the earth, debar, Love ruling heaven, and earth, and seas, them in this course doth bind.
And if it once let loose their reins, their friend ship turns to war, Tearing the world whose ordered form their quiet motions bear. By it all holy laws are made and marriage rites are tied, By it is faithful friendship joined. How happy mortals were, If that pure love did guide their minds, which heavenly spheres doth guide 1 " 223 ANICII MANLII SEVERINI BOETHIT V.C. ET INL. EXCONS. ORD. PATRICII PHILOSOPHIAE CON- SOLATIONTS LIBER SECVNDVS EXPLICIT INCIPIT LIBER III.
I.
I AM cantum ilia finiuerat, cum me audiendi auidum stupentemque arrectis adhuc auribus carminis mul- cedo defixerat. Itaque paulo post: " O," inquam, " summum lassorum solamen animorum quam tu me 5 uel sententiarum pondere uel canendi etiam iucundi- tate refouisti! Adeo ut iam me post haec inparem fortunae ictibus esse non arbitrer. Itaque remedia quae paulo acriora esse dicebas, non modo non per- horresco, sed audiendi auidus uehementer efflagito." 10 Turn ilia • " Sensi/' inquit, " cum uerba nostra tacitus attentusque rapiebas, eumque tuae mentis habitum uel exspectaui uel, quod est uerius, ipsa perfeci. Talia sunt quippe quae restant, ut degustata quidem mordeant, interius autem recepta dulcescant. Sed 224 THE THIRD BOOK OF BOETHIUS I.
THOUGH she had ended her verse, yet the sweetness of it made me remain astonished, attentive., and desirous to hear her longer. Wherefore, after a while, I said: " O most effectual refreshment of wearied minds, how have I been comforted with thy weighty sentences and pleasing music! Insomuch that I begin to think myself not unable to encounter the assaults of Fortune. Wherefore, I am not now afraid, but rather earnestly desire to know those remedies, which before thou toldest me were too sharp." To which she answered: " I perceived as much as thou sayest, when I saw thee hearken to my speeches with so great silence and attention, and I expected this disposition of thy mind, or rather more truly caused it myself. For the remedies which remain are of that sort that they are bitter to the taste, but being inwardly received wax sweet.
225 BOETH11 15 quod tu te audiendi cupidum dicis, quanto ardore flagrares, si quonam te ducere aggrediamur agno- sceres! " " Quonam? " inquam. " Ad ueram," inquit, " felicitatem, quam tuus quoque somniat animus, sed occupato ad imagines uisu ipsam illam 20 non potest intueri." Turn ego: " Fac obsecro et quae ilia uera sit, sine cunctatione demonstra." " Faciam," inquit ilia, " tui causa libenter. Sed quae tibi causa notior est, earn prius designare uerbis atque informare conabor ut ea perspecta cum in 25 contrariam partem flexeris oculos, uerae beatitudinis speciem possis agnoscere.
I.
Qui serere ingenuum uolet agrum, Liberat arua prius fruticibus, Falce rubos filicemque resecat, VTt noua fruge grauis Ceres eat.
6 Dulcior est apium mage labor, Si malus ora prius sapor edat. Gratius astra nitent ubi Notus Desinit imbriferos dare sonos. Lucifer ut tenebras pepulerit 10 Pulchra dies roseos agit equos.
Tu quoque falsa tuens bona prius Incipe colla iugo retrahere. Vera dehinc animum subierint."
II.
Turn defixo paululum uisu et uelut in augustam 226 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.
And whereas thou sayest that thou art desirous to hear; how much would this desire increase if thou knewest whither we go about to bring thee! " "Whither?" quoth I. " To^ true felicity.," quoth she, "which thy mind also dreameth of, but thy siglit is so dimmed with phantasies that thou canst not behold it as it is." Then I beseeched her to explicate without delay wherein true happiness consisteth. To which she answered: " I will willingly do so for thy sake, but first I will endeavour to declare in words and to give shape to that which is better known unto thee, that, having thoroughly understood it, by reflecting of the contrary thou mayest discover the type of perfect blessedness.
I.
I.
He that a fruitful field will sow, Doth first the ground from bushes free, All fern and briars likewise mow, That he his harvest great may see. Honey seems sweeter to our taste, If cloyed with noisome food it be. Stars clearer shine when Notus' blast Hath ceased the rainy storms to breed. When Lucifer hath night defaced, The day's bright horses then succeed. So thou, whom seeming goods do feed. First shake off yokes which so thee press That Truth may then thy mind possess."
II.
Then, for a while looking steadfastly upon the ground, and, as it were, retiring herself to the most 227 BOETHII suae mentis sedem recepta sic coepit: " Omnis mortalium cura quam multiplicium studiorum labor exercet, diuerso quidem calle procedit, sed ad unum 5 tamen beatitudinis finem nititur peruenire. Id autem est bonum quo quis adepto nihil ulterius desiderare queat. Quod quidem est omnium summum bonorum cunctaque intra se bona continens, cui si quid aforet summum esse non posset, quoniam relinqueretur 10 extrinsecus quod posset optari. Liquet igitur esse beatitudinem statum bonorum omnium congregatione perfectum. Hunc, uti diximus, diuerso tramite mortales omnes conantur adipisci. Est enim menti- bus hominum ueri boni naturaliter inserta cupiditas, 15 sed ad falsa deuius error abducit. Quorum quidem alii summum bonum esse nihilo indigere credentes ut diuitiis affluant elaborant; alii uero bonum quod sit dignissimum ueneratione iudicantes adeptis honoribus reuerendi ciuibus suis esse nituntur. Sunt 20 qui summum bonum in summa potentia esse con- stituant; hi uel regnare ipsi uolunt uel regnantibus adhaerere conantur. At quibus optimum quiddam claritas uidetur, hi uel belli uel pacis artibus gloriosum nomen propagare festinant. Plurimi uero boni fruc- 25 turn gaudio laetitiaque metiuntur; hi felicissimum putant uoluptate diffluere. Sunt etiam qui horum fines causasque alterutro permutent, ut qui diuitias ob potentiam uoluptatesque desiderant uel qui potentiam seu pecuniae causa seu proferendi nominis 30 appetunt. In his igitur ceterisque talibus humanorum actuum uotorumque uersatur intentio, ueluti nobilitas fauorque popularis quae uidentur quandam claritudi- n em comparare, uxor ac liberi quae iucunditatis gratia 228 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.
secret seat of her soul, she began in this manner: " All men's thoughts, which are turmoiled with manifold cares, take indeed divers courses, but yet endeavour to attain the same end of happiness, which is that good which, being once obtained, nothing can be further desired. Which is the chiefest of all goods, and containeth in itself whatsoever is good, and if it wanted anything it could riot be the chiefest, because there would something remain besides it which might be wished for. Wherefore, it is mani fest that blessedness is an estate replenished with all that is good. This, as we said, all men endeavour to obtain by divers ways. For there is naturally ingrafted in men's minds an earnest desire of that which is truly good; but deceitful error withdraweth it to that which falsely seemeth such. So that some, esteeming it their greatest good to want nothing, labour by all means to abound with riches; others, deeming that to be good which is most deserving of honour, hunt after preferments, to be respected by their fellow-citizens. Others think it the greatest felicity to have great power and authority, and these will either reign themselves or at least procure to be great with princes. But they who think fame better than all these, make all speed possible to spread their names far and near, by achieving some worthy enterprise either in war or peace. Many measure good by joy and mirth, and their chiefest care is how they may abound with pleasure. Some interchange the ends and means of these things one with the other, wanting now riches for the sake of power and pleasure, now power for the sake of wealth and fame. At these and such other do men's actions and desires aim, as nobility and popularity, which make men esteemed; wife and 229 BOETHII petuntur; amicorum uero quod sanctissimum quidem 35 genus est, non in fortuna sed in uirtute numeratur, reliquum uero uel potentiae causa uel delectationis assumitur. lam uero corporis bona promptum est ut ad superiora referantur. Robur enim magnitudoque uidetur praestare ualentiam, pulchritudo atque 40 uelocitas celebritatem, salubritas uoluptatem; quibus omnibus solam beatitudinem desiderari liquet. Nam quod quisque prae ceteris petit, id summum esse iudicat bonum. Sed summum bonum beatitudinem esse definiuimus; quare beatum esse iudicat statum 45 quern prae ceteris quisque desiderat.
Habes igitur ante oculos propositam fere formam felicitatis humanae — opes, honores, potentiam, gloriam, uoluptates. Quae quidem sola considerans Epicurus consequenter sibi summum bonum uolup- 50 tatem esse constituit, quod cetera omnia iucunditatem animo uideantur afferre. Sed ad hominum studia reuertor, quorum animus etsi caligante memoria tameri bonum suum repetit, sed uelut ebrius domum quo tramite reuertatur ignorat. Num enim uidentur 55 errare hi qui nihilo indigere nituntur? Atqui non est aliud quod aeque perficere beatitudinem possit quam copiosus bonorum omnium status nee alieni egens sed sibi ipse sufficiens. Num uero labuntur hi qui quod sit optimum, id etiam reuerentiae cultu 60 dignissimum putent? Minime. Neque enim uile quiddam contemnendumque est quod adipisci omnium fere mortalium laborat intentio. An in bonis non est numeranda potentia? Quid igitur? Num imbecillum ac sine uiribus aestimandum est, quod omnibus rebus 65 constat esse praestantius? An claritudo nihili pendenda est? Sed sequestrari nequit quin omne quod excellentissimum sit id etiam uideatur esse clarissimum. Nam non esse anxiam tristemque 230 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.
children, which bring pleasure and delight. But friendship, that most sacred tiling, is rather to be attributed to yirtug_tlian_io fortune. Other things for the most part are desired either for power or pleasure. And it is an easy matter to reduce all corporal goods to the former heads. For strength and greatness give ability; beauty and swiftness, fame; and health yieldeth pleasure. By all which we manifestly seek for nothing else but happiness. For that which every man seeketh most after, is by him esteemed his greatest good. Which is all one with happiness. Wherefore he esteemeth that estate happy which he preferreth before all other.
And thus thou hast in a manner seen the form of human felicity — riches, honour, power, glory, pleasure. Which Epicurus only considering, consequently took pleasure for his chiefest good, because all the rest seemed to delight the mind. But I return to the careful thoughts of men, whose minds, though obscured, yet seek after the greatest good, but like a drunken man know not the way home. For seem they to err who endeavour to want nothing? But nothing can cause happiness so much as the plentiful possession of all that is good, needing the help of none, but is sufficient of itself. Or do they err who take that which is best to be likewise most worthy of respect? No. For it is no vile or contemptible thing which almost all men labour to obtain. Or is not power to be esteemed good? Why, then, is that to be accounted feeble and of no force, which mani festly surpasses all other things? Or is fame to be contemned? But it cannot be ignored that the most excellent is also most famous. For to what purpose should I say that happiness is not sad or 231 BOETHII 231 BOETHII beatitudinem nee doloribus molestiisque subiectam 70 quid attinet dicere, quando in minimis quoque rebus id appetitur quod habere fruique delectet? Atqui haec sunt quae adipisci homines uolunt eaque de causa diuitiaSjdignitates, regna, gloriam uoluptatesque desiderant quod per haec sibi sufficientiam, reueren- 75 tiara, potentiam, celebritatem, laetitiam credunt esse uenturam. Bonum est igitur quod tarn diuersis studiis homines petunt; in quo quanta sit naturae uis facile monstratur, cum licet uariae dissidentesque sententiae tamen in diligendo boni fine consentiunt.
II.
Quantas rerum flectat habenas Natura potens, quibus inmensuni Legibus orbem prouida seruet Stringatque ligans inresoluto 5 Singula nexu, placet arguto Fidibus lentis promere cantu. Quamuis Poeni pulchra leones Vincula gestent manibusque datas Captent escas metuantque truceru 10 Soliti uerbera ferre magistrum, Si cruor horrida tinxerit ora, Resides olim redeunt animi Fremituque graui meminere sui; Laxant nodis colla solutis 15 Primusque lacer dente cruento Domitor rabidas imbuit iras. Quae canit altis garrula ramis Ales caueae clauditur antro; " Literally, "and take food offered by the hand." 6 Literally, " their spirits, hitherto sluggish, return. 232 CONSOLAT. PHTLOSOPH. III.
melancholy, or subject to grief and trouble, when even in smallest matters we desire that which we delight to have and enjoy? And these be the things which men desire to obtain, and to this end procure riches, dignities, kingdoms, glory, and pleasures, because by them they think to have sufficiency, respect, power, fame, delight, and joy. Wherefore, that is good which men seek after by divers desires, in which the force of nature is easily descried, since though there be many and different opinions, yet they agree in choosing for their end that which is good II.
II.
How the first reins of all things guided are By powerful Nature as the chiefest cause, And how she keeps, with a foreseeing care, The spacious world in order by her laws, And to sure knots which nothing can untie, By her strong hand all earthly motions draws — To show all this we purpose now to try Our pliant string, our musick's thrilling sound. Although the Libyan lions often lie Gentle and tame in splendid fetters bound,"' And fearing their incensed master's wrath, With patient looks endure each blow and wound, Yet if their jaws they once in blood do bathe, They, gaining courage,6 with fierce noise awake The force which Nature in them seated hath, And from their necks the broken chains do shake; Then he that tamed them first doth feel their rage, And torn in pieces doth their fury slake. The bird shut up in an unpleasing cage, Which on the lofty trees did lately sing, 233 BOETHII Huic licet inlita pocula melle 20 Largasque dapes dulci studio Ludens hominum cura ministret, Si tamen arto saliens texto Nemorum gratas uiderit umbras, Sparsas pedibus proterit escas, 25 Siluas tantum maesta requirit, Siluas dulci uoce susurrat. Validis quondam uiribus acta Pronum flectit uirga cacumen; Hanc si curuans dextra remisit, 30 Recto spectat uertice caelum.
Cadit Hesperias Phoebus in undas, Sed secreto tramite rursus Currum solitos uertit ad ortus. Repetunt proprios quaeque recursus 35 Redituque suo singula gaudent Nee manet ulli traditus ordo Nisi quod fini iunxerit ortum Stabilemque sui fecerit orbem.
III.
Vos quoque, o teiTena animalia, tenui licet imagine uestrum tamen principium somniatis uerumque ilium beatitudinis finem licet minime perspicaci quali- cumque tamen cogitatione prospicitis eoque uos et 5 ad uerum bonum naturalis ducit intentio et ab eodem multiplex error abducit. Considera namque an per ea quibus se homines adepturos beatitudinem putant ad destinatum finem ualeant peruenire. Si enim uel pecuniae uel honores ceteraque tale quid aflferunt 234 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.
Though men, her want of freedom to assuage, Should unto her with careful labour bring The sweetest meats which they can best devise, Yet when within her prison fluttering The pleasing shadows of the groves she spies, Her hated food she scatters with her feet, In yearning spirit to the woods she flies, The woods' delights do tune her accents sweet.
U'hen some strong hand doth tender plant constrain With his debased top the ground to meet, ]f it let go, the crooked twig again Up toward Heaven itself it straight doth raise.
Phoebus doth fall into the western main, Yet doth he back return by secret ways, And to the earth doth guide his chariot's race.
Each thing a certain course and laws obeys, Striving to turn back to his proper place; Nor any settled order can be found, But that which doth within itself embrace The births and ends of all things in a round.
III.
R\des £L You also, O earthly creatures, though slightly and as it were in a dream acknowledge your beginning, and though not perspicuously yet in some sort behold that true end of happiness, so that the inten tion of nature leadeth you to the true good, and manifold error withdraweth you from it. For con sider whether those things, by which men think to obtain happiness, can bring them to their desired end. For if either money, or honour, or any of the rest be of that quality that they want nothing which 235 BOETHII 10 cui nihil bonorum abesse uideatur, nos quoque fateamur fieri aliquos horum adeptione felices. Quod si neque id ualent efficere quod promittunt bonisque pluribus carent, nonne liquido falsa in eis beatitudinis species deprehenditur? Primum igitur 15 te ipsum qui paulo ante diuitiis affluebas, interrogo: Inter ill as abundantissimas opes numquamne animum tuum concepta ex qualibet iniuria confudit anxietas? " " Atqui/' inquam, "libero me fuisse animo quin aliquid semper angerer reminisci non queo." " Nonne 20 quia uel aberat quod abesse non uelles uel aderat quod adesse noluisses? " " Ita est/' inquam. " Illius igitur praesentiam huius absentiam desiderabas? " " Confiteor/' inquam. " Eget uero/' inquit, " eo quod quisque desiderat? " "Eget/' inquam. "Qui 25 uero eget aliquo, non est usquequaque sibi ipse sufficiens?" "Minima/' inquam. " Tu itaque hanc insufficientiam plenus/' inquit, " opibus sustinebas? " " Quidni? " inquam. " Opes igitur nihilo indigentem sufficientemque sibi facere nequeunt et hoc erat quod 30 promittere uidebantur. Atqui hoc quoque maxime considerandum puto quod nihil habeat suapte natura pecunia ut his a quibus possidetur inuitis nequeat auferri." " Fateor/' inquam. " Quidni fateare, cum earn cotidie ualentior aliquis eripiat inuito? Vnde 35 enim forenses querimoniae nisi quod uel ui uel fraude nolentibus pecuniae repetuntur ereptae? " " Ita est/' inquam. " Egebit igitur/' inquit, "extrinsecus petito praesidio quo suam pecuniam quisque tueatur?" 236 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.
is good, we will also confess that they are able to make men happy. But if they neither be able to perform that they promise, and want many things which are good, are they not manifestly discovered to have a false appearance of happiness? First then, 1 ask thee thyself, who not long since didst abound with wealth; in that plenty of riches, was thy mind never troubled with any injuries?" "1 cannot remember," quoth I, " that ever my mind was so free from trouble but that something or other still vexed me." "Was it not because thou either ' wantedst something which thou wouldst have had, or else hadst something which thou wouldst have , wanted?" "It is true," quoth I. "Then thou desiredst the presence of that, and the absence of this?" "I confess I did," quoth I. "And doth not a man want that," quoth she, " which he desireth?" "He doth," quoth I. "But he that wanteth anything is not altogether sufficient of himself?" '"He is not," quoth I. "So that thou feltest this insufficiency, even the height of thy wealth?" "Why not?" quoth I. "Then riches cannot make a man wanting nothing nor sufficient of himself, and this was that they seemed to promise. But this is most of all to be considered, that money hath nothing of itself which can keep it from being- taken from them which possess it, against their will." " I grant it," quoth I. " Why shouldst thou not grant it, since that every day those which are more potent take it from others perforce? For from whence proceed so many complaints in law, but that money gotten either by violence or deceit is sought to be 'recovered by that means? " " It is so indeed," quoth I. " So that every man needeth some other help to defend his money? " " Who denies that? " 237 BOETHII " Quis id," inquam, " neget? " "Atqui non egeret 40 eo, nisi possideret pecuniam quam posset amittere? " " Dubitari," inquam, "nequit." "In contrarium igitur relapsa res est; nam quae sufficientes sibi facere putabantur opes, alieno potius praesidio faciunt indigentes. Quis autem modus est quo 45 pellatur diuitiis indigentia? Num enim diuites esurire nequeunt? Num sitire non possunt? Num frigus hibernum pecuniosorum membra non sentiunt? Sed adest, inquies, opulentis quo famem satient, quo sitim frigusque depellant. Sed hoc modo consolari 50 quidem diuitiis indigentia potest, auferri penitus non potest. Nam si haec hians semper atque aliquid poscens opibus expletur, maneat necesse est quae possit expleri. Taceo quod naturae minimum, quod auaritiae nihil satis est. Quare si opes nee sub- 55 mouere possunt indigentiam et ipsae suam faciunt, quid est quod eas sufficientiam praestare credatis?
III.
Quamuis fluente diues auri gurgite Non expleturas cogat auarus opes Oneretque bacis colla rubri litoris Ruraque centeno scindat opima boue, 5 Nee cura mordax deseret superstitem, Defunctumque leues non comitantur opes.
IV.
Sed dignitates honorabilem reuerendumque cui prouenerint reddunt. Num uis ea est magistratibus ut utentium mentibus uirtutes inserant uitia de- 238 CONSOLAT. PHILOSOPH. III.