A vivid and accessible new translation of essential selections from Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy-a moving classic about facing life's worst events with courage and hope
What do you do when your life has fallen apart? Fifteen hundred years ago, a Roman nobleman named Boethius (ca. 480-524 CE) asked this question as he was sitting in a prison cell waiting to die, accused-probably unjustly-of treason. Boethius had been a rich and powerful man with all a person could want in life, but now he had lost everything. Shaken, he wondered how such terrible misfortune could have happened to him and why life was so unfair. When Philosophy herself appears in his cell and confronts Boethius, the conversation that follows between the two on the nature of evil and why humans suffer is as powerful and inspiring today as it was to its first readers. In How to Cope, Philip Freeman presents a lively modern translation of essential selections from Boethius's classic, complete with an introduction and the original Latin on facing pages.
This translation vividly captures Boethius's journey from bitterness and anger to reconciliation and peace, showing how ancient philosophy, especially Stoicism, can help readers deal with adversity in their own lives. The book reveals the qualities that have made The Consolation of Philosophy one of the most popular and influential works of classical and world literature, and an inspiration to countless writers, including Thomas Aquinas, Dante, and Chaucer.
| ISBN: | 9780691259161 |
| Publication date: | 30th September 2025 |
| Author: | Boethius, Boethius |
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 288 pages |
| Series: | Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers |
| Genres: |
Ancient, classical and medieval texts Ethics and moral philosophy Popular philosophy: Meaning of life / finding sense in life Self Help and Personal Development Philosophy |
A vivid and accessible new translation of essential selections from Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy-a moving classic about facing life's worst events with courage and hope
What do you do when your life has fallen apart? Fifteen hundred years ago, a Roman nobleman named Boethius (ca. 480-524 CE) asked this question as he was sitting in a prison cell waiting to die, accused-probably unjustly-of treason. Boethius had been a rich and powerful man with all a person could want in life, but now he had lost everything. Shaken, he wondered how such terrible misfortune could have happened to him and why life was so unfair. When Philosophy herself appears in his cell and confronts Boethius, the conversation that follows between the two on the nature of evil and why humans suffer is as powerful and inspiring today as it was to its first readers. In How to Cope, Philip Freeman presents a lively modern translation of essential selections from Boethius's classic, complete with an introduction and the original Latin on facing pages.
This translation vividly captures Boethius's journey from bitterness and anger to reconciliation and peace, showing how ancient philosophy, especially Stoicism, can help readers deal with adversity in their own lives. The book reveals the qualities that have made The Consolation of Philosophy one of the most popular and influential works of classical and world literature, and an inspiration to countless writers, including Thomas Aquinas, Dante, and Chaucer.
How to Cope features in the following genres: Ancient, classical and medieval texts, Ethics and moral philosophy, Popular philosophy: Meaning of life / finding sense in life, Self Help and Personal Development, Philosophy
How to Cope is available in Hardback
How to Cope was written by Boethius, Boethius and published by Princeton University Press
How to Cope has 288 pages
Yes it is part of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series
£13.49