Verified Document

Classical And Christian The Sixth Century Was Book Review

Classical and Christian The sixth century was a time of great transformation in the Western world; it was the time of the end of the Classical Period and the beginning of the Christian Era. Rome had fallen to the barbarians, but they had assumed the mantle of Roman Emperors. However, these barbarian "emperors," and the empire they ruled, were just a shadow of the real thing. In other words, the remnants of the old Roman world still existed, but on top of that foundation was being built a new Christian world. Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy is an example of how the sixth century saw a mixture of the new Christian thought blended with a base of Classical philosophy.

Boethius was a Roman aristocrat who had served the Ostrogothic Emperor Theodoric the Great. The Ostrogoths had conquered Rome and set themselves up as the inheritors of the Roman Empire, even going so far as to declare themselves Roman Emperors. Boethius was sentenced to death when he fell out of favor with Theodoric, but while awaiting execution, he wrote Consolation of Philosophy from his prison cell. The book is an imaginary discussion between Boethius and the Classical figure of "Philosophy," but while Philosophy is a Classical concept, she argues that true happiness can only be found through union with the Christian God.

Boethius began his book in a state of deep frustration over the...

"Why, O my friends, did ye so often puff me up, telling me that I was fortunate? For he that is fallen low did never firmly stand." (Cooper 2009, 8) What is interesting about Boethius' entire point-of-view is that it begins from a Classical standpoint. Fortune is not a Christian concept, it comes from the pre-Christian past, but Boethius seems obsessed by the fortune that has befallen him. He doesn't cry out to God, or Jesus for alleviation from his plight, but instead blames Fortune for his misery.
Another interesting aspect of Boethius' book lies in the title: Consolation of Philosophy. The Term "Consolation" actually comes from the Latin for a medicinal treatment. Boethius' consolation, or medicine, is not Christianity, or Christian theology, but a Classical cure: philosophy. These aspects of Consolation of Philosophy indicate that Boethius, and the world in which he lived, lay inbetween the pagan Classical world and the up and coming Christian one. Christianity was becoming the dominant view of the world, but there were still strong Classical foundations upon which it was being built.

Evidence of this idea comes in Book III, when Boethius realized that all the things that are normally considered to be "the form of human happiness: wealth, honours, power, glory, and pleasure," were only transitory. (Cooper 2009, 29) He…

Sources used in this document:
References

Cooper, W.V. 2009. "The Consolation of Philosophy by Anicius Manlius Severinus

Boethius." The Ex-classics Project. Accessed 15 Sept. 2012.

http://www.exclassics.com/consol/consol.pdf
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Christian Transformation: The Evolution of
Words: 3036 Length: 11 Document Type: Research Paper

In contrast, the exterior was almost undecorated" (25). Another significant church that was built contemporaneously with the Hagia Sophia was the cruciform Church of the Holy Apostles (536-546), which featured five domes (Nickel). Figure 3. Cross-domed church. Most important type of ground-plan of the Middle Byzantine period. In addition to the central dome, more elaborate examples have domes over the corner chapels -- quincunx. From the tenth century onwards, the

The Greek Classical Artistic Tradition
Words: 1778 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Greek Classical Era on Christian Art The fifth century B.C.E. initiated a new philosophy in Greek art. While before this era, Greek representations of the human form tended to be static and relatively stylized (much like Egyptian art), the Classical era exhibited a notable break with previous artistic images. Representations of the human form became much more realistic. Knowledge of anatomy combined with an ideology that celebrated and idealized the

Classical Myths in Children's Writing's
Words: 8051 Length: 20 Document Type: Essay

He stated that, "I mean printed works produced ostensibly to give children spontaneous pleasure and not primarily to teach them, nor solely to make them good, nor to keep them profitably quiet." (Darton 1932/1982:1) So here the quest is for the capture and promotion of children's imagination through stories and fables that please as well as enlighten. There is always the fallout that once a child learns to love

Framework of Implementing the Z. Mathematical Model to a Sixth Grade...
Words: 18348 Length: 67 Document Type: Thesis

Nature of the ProblemPurpose of the ProjectBackground and Significance of the Problem Brain Development Specific Activities to engage students Data-Driven Instruction Community Component of Education Research QuestionsDefinition of TermsMethodology and Procedures Discussion & ImplicationsConclusions & Application ntroduction The goal of present-day educational reformers is to produce students with "higher-order skills" who are able to think independently about the unfamiliar problems they will encounter in the information age, who have become "problem solvers" and have "learned how to learn,

Medieval Art and Architecture if
Words: 1678 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Thus, stylistically, they may have owed a great deal to the Persian-style painting traditions in the lands from which the relics came. However, only vestiges remain today, making it difficult to ascertain this for a certainty (Derbes, 1995). S. Maria in Cosmedin's connection with the tradition of Marian veneration and with the entire substrate of Eastern/Islamic influence is easier to trace. The church began as a fourth-century loggia, was enclosed

Medieval Cultural Exchange Contrasting Medieval Religious Expression:...
Words: 706 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Medieval Cultural Exchange Contrasting Medieval Religious Expression: An analysis across Christian and Islamic Civilization In Chapters 7, 8 and 9 of John McKay's A History of World Societies, the similarities and differences of medieval Christian and Islamic civilization across Europe, the Middle East and Africa are detailed as the rise and fall of political and religious actors are presented. One fascinating subject that stands out from such a tremendous amount of material and

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now