[Bill Carpenter]

King Alfred of Wessex and his crew translated Boethius into Old English as part of their project to make the most important books available in the vernacular. This translation of the translation into Modern English by W.J. Sedgefield makes interesting reading.

http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/ENG720/S...ranslation.htm

Below is linked a somewhat reader-unfriendly file of Sedgefield's edition of the Old English text. The "meters," here the "lays," are presented separately from the prose beginning at p. 150.

https://archive.org/stream/kingalfre...e/150/mode/2up

Queen Elizabeth I also translated Boethius!

[W.F. Lantry]

Hmmm. I love Boethius, and yet...

First, the Muse doesn't cotton well to slut-shaming. And it's best not to make her mad - trust me on that one. She can be as slutty as she wants. Who are we to judge? Why, if she wants to get drunk and tear the clothes off some raving bar-crawler in public... more power to her.

Besides, Lady Philosophy ain't no model of purity herself...

But one thing I've noticed about commentators... it's always like they're reading a different book than the one I had in my hands. I only have two or three takeaways from Boethius: we should wish for bad fortune, since bad fortune makes the best teacher, Lady Philosophy herself, and Fortune's Wheel. Maybe something about how life looks from prison, when you're pretty sure you aren't getting out with your head attached to your shoulders.

What would we write, if we knew we had the time to write it, but also knew for certain it would be our last work? Interesting question, really...

Thanks,

Bill

[E. Shaun Russell]

Originally Posted by W.F. Lantry

What would we write, if we knew we had the time to write it, but also knew for certain it would be our last work? Interesting question, really...

That's an easy one:

"-Roast beef, medium rare
.-Mashed potatoes
.-Gravy
.-Yorkshire pudding
.-A dollop of horseradish"

[Michael F]

I like this poem by Mary Oliver:


The Man Who Has Many Answers

The man who has many answers
is often found
in the theaters of information
where he offers, graciously,
his deep findings.

While the man who has only questions,
to comfort himself, makes music.

[Charlotte Innes]

Says it in a nutshell, Michael (Ferris)! Thanks.

Charlotte

[Michael F]

Charlotte, I'm glad you like it, too!

It's from her collection A Thousand Mornings, which has a few other (typically understated) gems in it, I found.

M

[Lance Levens]

Boethius was trained as a Neo-Platonic. Plato hated poets. Still, sluts is harsh.