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Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was the son of a Roman high-government
official. Possibly educated in Athens or Alexandria, Boethius had a special inter-
est in the writings of Plato and Aristotle. His intention was to translate all their
works into Latin and provide full commentary. He hoped to show the essential
unity between Plato and Aristotle, but he finished only Aristotle’s logical works.
In 510, Boethius became consul and first minister to King Theodoric, the
Ostrogothic ruler of Italy. Boethius served the next twelve years in government,
wrote commentaries on Porphyry and Cicero, and began his work on Plato and
Aristotle. Boethius’s sons were named consuls in 522, and Boethius was made
the important “master of the offices.” But within a year, tragedy struck. Boethius
was accused of treason, imprisoned, and executed sometime around 524. The
specific charges are not known, but religious differences were probably
involved. Theodoric followed the teachings of Arius (ca. A.D. 256–336) that
Jesus Christ was neither coeternal with God the Father nor of the same sub-
stance. Boethius, as a Catholic, accepted the conclusions of the Council of
Nicea (A.D. 325), which condemned Arian theology.
While in prison, Boethius wrote his most famous work,The Consolation of
Philosophy. Written as a dialogue between Boethius and Lady Philosophy, it
begins with Boethius protesting innocence and complaining of God’s injustice and
fortune’s caprice. Using arguments rooted in both Stoic and Platonic thought,
Philosophy replies that fortune is indeed fickle, but that the highest Good is found
not in circumstances but in God. The selection given here, translated by Richard
Green, is from the final book of the Consolationand examines how God’s fore-
knowledge is compatible with free will. Boethius asks how one could be free to
perform an action if God knew beforehandwhat one would do. Using a conception
of time similar to Augustine’s in Book XI of the Confessions,Lady PhilosophyBOETHIUS
ca. A.D. 480–ca. A.D. 524