Philosophy visiting Boethius from BL Harley 2688, f. 22v
Summary
Drawing of Philosophy visiting Boethius in prison. Image taken from f. 22v of Miscellany, including a wind rose (f. 17), a Greek and Latin grammatical list (ff. 19-22), and an excerpt from the 'Proverbia Salomonis' (f. 22v), with the later 11th-century addition of notated hymn and sequence for St Michael (ff. 17v-18). Written in Latin and Greek.
The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in London. The Harley Manuscripts are part of the larger collection known as the Harley Collection, which was assembled by Robert Harley (1661–1724) and his son Edward Harley (1689–1741). Robert Harley was a prominent English statesman and bibliophile, and he began amassing a vast collection of books and manuscripts in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The Harley Manuscripts are known for their diversity and include a wide range of texts, including historical chronicles, illuminated manuscripts, legal documents, literary works, and scientific treatises. The collection contains over 7,000 manuscripts, and it is considered one of the most important manuscript collections in the British Library.
The Harley Manuscripts are numbered with the prefix "Harley," followed by a specific manuscript number. Each manuscript in the collection has its own unique content and history, and they cover a broad spectrum of topics and time periods. Some of the manuscripts in the collection are beautifully illuminated, with intricate illustrations and decorations.
Boethius (c. 480-524/525) was one of the most influential early medieval philosophers. His work, The Consolation of Philosophy, was the most widely translated and reproduced secular work from the 8th century until the end of the Middle Ages. He was born around 480 into an influential Roman aristocratic family of Anicii which produced two Roman Emperors and several Roman consuls. He was fluent in Greek and may had been educated in Athens although many suggest Alexandria, especially those who think that his father may had been the perfect of Alexandria. Boethius held important public offices in Rome and was appointed consul in 510, when the Italian peninsula was ruled by the Ostrogoths. Thanks to his scholarly knowledge, Boethius’s gained royal affection and in 522, and achieved appointment of his two sons, Boethius and Symmachus as joint consuls which he considered as his greatest achievement. He was arrested and imprisoned in Pavia for one or two years before he was executed for treason. In the year (or two years) before his execution, Boethius wrote the Consolation of Philosophy, which is traditionally viewed as the last great work of the Classical era had a major influence on medieval philosophy but it also profoundly influenced early Renaissance thought in Europe. According to Boethius, the universe is ruled by divine love and true happiness can be achieved not through power and money but by turning to otherworldly virtues. This interpretation perfectly fitted with the Christian doctrine of humility and played an important role in the later Christian philosophy of consolation according to which suffering from evil will be rewarded in the afterlife.
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