Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"Boethius
ReligionComparative
Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"
Boethius
Happiness; Philosophy and religion
[Sidenote: Though these things appear to differ, yet one of them
depends on the other, for the order of Fate proceeds from the
unity of Providence.]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 30 _b_.]]
{and} al be *it so þat
þise þinges ben dyuerse. ȝitte naþeles hangeþ þat oon
on þat oþer. forwhi þe ordre destinal p{ro}cediþ of þe 3884
simplicite of purueaunce.
[Sidenote: For as a workman, who has formed in his head the plan
of a work which he is desirous to finish, executes it afterwards,
and produces after a time all the different parts of the model
which he has conceived;]
for ryȝt as a werkma{n} þat
ap{er}ceiueþ in hys þouȝt þe forme of þe þing þat he wil
make moeueþ þe effect of þe werke. {and} lediþ þat he
had[de] loked byforne in hys þouȝt symply {and} p{re}sently 3888
by temp{or}el þouȝt.
[Sidenote: so God in the plan of his Providence disposes
everything to be brought about in a certain order and in a proper
time;]
¶ Certys ryȝt so god disponiþ
in hys p{ur}ueaunce singlerly {and} stably þe þinges
þat ben to done. but he amynistreþ in many maneres
{and} in dyuerse tymes by destyne. þilke same þinges 3892
þat he haþ disponed þan wheþir þat destine be excercised.
[Linenotes:
3872 _cleuynge_--clyuynge
3875 _wiþ outen fyn_--Infynyte
3876 _singlerly_--syngulerly
3877 _in_ (3)--MS. {and}, C. in
3878 _departiþ_--omitted
[_as_]--from C.
_so þat_--lat
3884 _on_--of
3886 _wil_--wol
3888 _had[de]_--hadde
_symply_--symplely
3889 _þouȝt_--ordinau{n}ce
3890 _singlerly_--syngulerly
_stably_--stablely
3893 _haþ_--MS. haþe]
[Headnote:
PROVIDENCE CONTROLS FATE.]
[Sidenote: and afterwards, by the ministry of Fate, he
accomplishes what he has planned, conformably to that order and
that time.]
eyþer by so{m}me dyuyne spirites seruaunteȝ to
þe deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. or ellys by so{m}me soule (a{n}i{m}a
mundi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys [[pg 136]]
by þe celestial moeuyng of sterres. or ellys by þe vertue 3897
of aungels. or ellys by þe dyuerse subtilite of deueles.
or ellys by any of he{m}. or ellys by hem alle þe destynal
ordynau{n}ce is ywouen or accomplissed. certys it is open 3900
þing þat þe p{ur}ueaunce is an vnmoeueable {and} symple
forme of þinges to done. {and} þe moeueable bonde {and}
þe temp{or}el ordynaunce of þinges whiche þat þe deuyne
simplicite of p{ur}ueaunce haþ ordeyned to done. þat is 3904
destine.
[Sidenote: So then, however Fate be exercised, it is evident that
things subject to Destiny are under the control of Providence,
which disposes Destiny.]
For whiche it is þat alle þinges þat ben put
vndir destine ben certys subgitȝ to p{ur}ueaunce. to
whiche p{ur}ueaunce destine it self is subgit {and} vndir.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account