The Poems from On the Consolation of Philosophy

Boethius'' ancient Latin classic has been translated into every stage of the English language, from Old to Middle to Modern, and Peter Glassgold''s collaged renderings of the poems reflect its history as much as they make it new. Since Boethius (480-524) wrote his On the Consolation of Philosophy imprisoned and in chains, he has been regarded as a consummate martyr of conscience who, fallen from political grace, rose above his personal agony to an impersonal magnanimity that shamed his murderers by its example. Chief among the text''s many translators are King Alfred the Great, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Elizabeth I. Glassgold''s startlingly original Boethius includes his collage translations along with the original Latin, an informative Preface, a Note on Texts, Method, and Pronunciation, as well as a thorough Glossary of Early English words. This new, expanded edition adds a Foreword by Charles Bernstein and an Afterword by Glassgold.