Talk:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius/The Lays of Boethius

Copyright
Is this ok for copyright? —unsigned comment by 213.187.39.241 (talk).

Reply: It is "Public Domain" and the original modern text, before being grammatically modernized and before having a new introduction penned, is taken from this site, which says it is in the public domain: http://oll.libertyfund.org/Home3/Book.php?recordID=0686 —unsigned comment by Kozushi (talk).

How come if I try to find this book by typing "Lays of Boethius" in the search panel at left, the search comes up empty??? This is odd, since the entry clearly exists and I can link to it from the Wikipedia entry of the same title?! —unsigned comment by Kozushi (talk).


 * The link above doesn't really show the book "The consolation of Philosophy", which contains this text. The exact place where you find the text is: http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=1178&chapter=78842&layout=html&Itemid=27 . The year of publishing(of the translation by King Alfred) is 1900 acording to this site. So, the license is PD-old-100 anyways.--Demoeconomist (talk) 13:04, 14 December 2008 (UTC)

Introduction
The introduction is too long. I humble think it should be moved to the discussion page.Hillgentleman 18:39, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Alfred the Great's translation of the Lays of Boethius
Additional historic background may be obtained from P.J. Helm's "Alfred the Great", NY. Thomas Crowell, 1965. According to Helm, "The Consolations of Philosophy" by Boethius was one of several works translated by King Alfred from Latin to Old English or Anglo-Saxon in the 990's. Partial translations are given illustrating, Alfred's own interpretation of the Latin which is more metaphoric than literal as guides for the reconstruction of the English (specifically Wessex)educational system after decades of Viking invasions.

An example from pp 172: "...one can feel the texture of Alfred's mind most clearly. For instance, Boethius writes of God as the 'summum bonum' - 'the Highest Good' - Alfred picks up a chance phrase and goes on to decribe God as 'the highest roof' protecting all and sheltering all beneath Him."

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