2 quotations linked to The Consolation of Philosophy by or associated with Boethius, with source notes, explanations and related topics.
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“All things, then, seek the good.”
Boethius frames action as movement toward some perceived good, making the nature of genuine goodness central to understanding desire, purpose, and happiness.
Source note: The Consolation of Philosophy, Book III; H. R. James translation, during the argument that beings pursue preservation, unity, happiness, and ultimately the good.
“Nothing is wretched, but thinking makes it so.”
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 note: The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II; H. R. James translation, in Lady Philosophy’s argument about fortune, judgment, and the instability of external goods.