Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/307

Rh '''P. 33. The pirate host.' This is substituted by Alfred for the classica saces'' of the original.

'''P. 36. The Roman prince called Liberius.' This name arises from mistaking the meaning of the Latin liberum quendam''.

'''P. 38. Here endeth the first book, &c.''' A mistake, for the first book really ends with chap. vi. p. 11.

P. 41. The contents of this chapter are Alfred's own words, though apparently suggested by a commentary.

'''P.43. The book that is called Astralogium.' The Latin has astrologicis demonstrationibus''.

'''P.48. The famous and wise goldsmith, Weland.''' This name, famous in Teutonic legend, is substituted by Alfred for the Latin Fabricius. The king has come to grief in identifying Brutus with Cassius.

P. 50. Chap. xxi is a great expansion of Boeth. bk. ii. metr. 8, treating of the power of Love.

P. 51. The passages in italics are founded on explanatory notes in the commentaries.

P. 66. Alfred was probably led into the error of mistaking Catullus the poet for Catalus by the reading of his copy of Boethius, as a MS. still exists with the reading Catulus. But his commentary would have told him that the poet was meant.

The unrighteous King Theodoric. Alfred here mistakes the meaning of the Latin Decoratus, the name of one of the chief accusers of Boethius.

'''P. 69. The money paid yearly to the soldiers.''' The Latin for the whole of this passage runs, 'Atqui praetura magna olim potestas, nunc inane nomen et senatorii census gravis sarcina. Si quis quondam populi carasset annonam, magnus habebatur, nunc ea praefectura quid abiectius?'

P. 71. Alfred's account of Dionysius and the hanging sword is more lively than the Latin, 'expertus sortis suae