Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/81

 to thee to enjoy in accordance with His Commandments, and not to perform the will of thine unlawful greed."

'Answer us both now,' said Philosophy, 'as thou wilt: both of us await thine answer.'

Then said the Mind, 'I confess myself guilty on every point, and I am so sore stricken with remorse for my sin, that I cannot answer you.'

Again Philosophy spake, 'It is still by reason of thine unrighteousness that thou are brought nearly to despair, and I would have thee not despair, but be ashamed of thine error. For he who despairs is without hope, while he who is ashamed is in the way to repentance. If thou wilt but call to mind all the worldly honours thou hast received since thy birth to this day, and reckon up the joys against the sorrows, thou canst not well say thou art poor and unhappy, for I took thee when young, untrained, and untaught, and made thee my child and brought thee up in my discipline. How then is it possible to speak of thee as aught but most happy, when thou wast dear to me ere thou knewest me, and before thou knewest my discipline and my ways, and before I taught thee in thy youth such wisdom as is hidden from many an older sage, and when I furthered thee with my teachings so that thou wast chosen