Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/172

 shine as brightly as it would. Nevertheless a grain of the seed of truth is ever dwelling in the soul, so long as a soul and body are united. This grain must be awakened with questioning and with teaching, if it is to grow. How then can any man question righteously and shrewdly, if he have in himself not a jot of righteousness? None is so sorely bereft of righteousness that he can give no answer, when asked. It is a very true saying that philosopher Plato spake: "Whosoever," said he, "remembereth not righteousness, should turn himself to his memory;  then shall he find righteousness hid there amid the sloth of the body and the distractions and afflictions of the mind."'

Then said I, 'I admit that was a true saying that Plato spake. Hast thou not now reminded me twice of the same matter? First thou saidst I had forgotten the natural goodness I had within myself, owing to the sloth of the body. The second time thou saidst thou hadst noticed that I was myself of the opinion that I had utterly lost the natural goodness I ought to have within me, owing to my unmeasured sorrow for my lost prosperity.'

P. Hadst thou but called to mind the words I spake to thee in the first book, thou wouldst thereby clearly have perceived what it was thou didst profess not to know.

M. What was it that I said I did not know?

P. Thou saidst in the same book that thou wast convinced that God ruled this world, but thou didst also