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Source identified
“Nothing is wretched, but thinking makes it so.”

Boethius

Source
The Consolation of Philosophy
Date
c. 524
Attribution
Source identified
English wording
H. R. James — Translator · from Latin
Meaning

What does this quote mean?

Misfortune and judgment are separated: external circumstances can be painful, but the interpretation attached to them strongly influences whether a life is experienced as wholly ruined.

Source context

Where does it come from?

The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II; H. R. James translation, in Lady Philosophy’s argument about fortune, judgment, and the instability of external goods.

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Attribution

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This wording is connected with the named source shown above. Translations and editions can vary, so consult the source note when exact wording matters.

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