Boethius in the Middle Ages: Latin and Vernacular Traditions of the Consolatio Philosophiae

Boethius’ Consolatio Philosophiae is a work that circulated widely throughout such diverse medieval cultures as the schools and universities, the court, and religious houses. It spawned a rich tradition of Latin commentaries and was a major force in shaping vernacular literary traditions, including the works of Jean de Meun, Dante and Chaucer. The changing perceptions of the Consolatio are the subject of this collection of essays. The first section is devoted to the Latin commentary tradition while further sections explore the vernacular traditions. The text seeks to underline the interactions between literary and scholastic contexts, and the focus throughout is on the intellectual and institutional background of the works discussed.