Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/308

244 periculorum tyrannus regni metus pendentis supra verticem gladii terrore simulavit.'

The allusion to Seneca in the Latin is simply, 'Nero Senecam familiarem praeceptoremqne suum ad eligendae mortis coegit arbitrium.'

'''P. 73. O worldly glory, &c.''' This is an incorrect rendering of a Greek quotation. It may be mentioned that the Greek quotations in the Latin MSS. of the De Consolatione suffered in transcription.

'''P. 76. A most unwonted and unnatural evil, &c.''' The Latin has 'nescioquem filios invenisse tortores.'

'''P. 87. Our philosopher Plato.' In the Timaeus''. The prayer is an expansion of twenty-eight lines in the Latin.

'''P. 90. One of these natures is, &c.' This is from a commentary, where it is explained that by the words of Boethius triplicis naturae media anima must be understood anima rationabilis, anima irascibilis, and anima concupiscibilis''.

'''P. 91. To Thee all men are hastening.' The commentary has per quem perveniamus ad te''.

'''P. 100. Ah well, ye men, &c.' Allusions in the Latin carmen'' (bk. iii. metr. 10) to Tagus, Hermus, and Indus are omitted by Alfred.

'''P. 108. How then can any man, &c.' Alfred has mistaken the sense of the Latin, Nam cur rogati sponte recta censetis. Also Plato's doctrine is summarized by Boethius in the words Quod quisque discit, immemor recordatur.''

P. 109. Alfred continually plays on the words 'God' and 'good,' which were often written alike in Anglo-Saxon, though pronounced differently, 'God' having probably its modern pronunciation, and 'good' approximately the modern pronunciation of 'goad.'

The city of True Happiness stands for the Latin patriam.