Boethius (Boethius, Ancicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus)

Boethius, Manlius Severinus Antium, Boethius, Ancicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus, OK. 475-524 years. n. e., Roman philosopher and statesman. Born in Rome, aristocratic family, which during the Empire has achieved unprecedented wealth and influence. His father's death B. adopted in the house of a wealthy relative Simmaha Memmi, whose daughter later married. B. did not stand aloof from political life. After the conquest of Italy the Ostrogoths King Theodoric the Great (493 BC) B. with other patricians offered his services. As soon won the confidence of King, . He was appointed a senator, . patrician and consul (510), . somewhat later received the title magister officiorum (organizer of all public and court ceremonies), . thus entered the inner circle of the King,
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This is the highest distinction in the Roman state became the Ostrogoths for B. beginning of the disaster. As a Roman he had used his influence to protect the interests of Roman citizens from abuse Ostrogoth officials. Accused of treason, after two years in prison in Pavia, where he wrote his most famous work for the consolation of philosophy (De consolatione philosophiae), B. was executed in 524 g. B. equally fluent in Latin and Greek. He translated into Latin works of Aristotle, who commented in passing (retained translate categories, and the expression of thoughts with commentary), as well as Isagoge Porphyry. Compiled comment to Cicero (Fr.). Of his own works B. survived two of the four textbooks for schools about the study of arithmetic (De institutione arithmetica) in 2 books and learning about music (De institutione musica) in 5 books (two died manual of geometry and astronomy). From the works of B. of logic have reached us in the introduction of categorical syllogism, hypothetical syllogism, On separation, On the difference between the conclusions based on the well-known judgments. The main product of AB, which is frequently translated into all European languages, is for the consolation of philosophy in 5 books.

Work is a dialogue (with 39 poetic prose inserts) prisoner with Mrs. philosophy that comforts him in misfortune. There are mixed basis Stoic philosophy to the philosophy of Christian and Neoplatonic. Finally confirmed that the B. was also the author of theological treatises How the Trinity is one God, not three, on the Catholic faith, etc.. B. deservedly called the last Roman and at the same time the first scholastic. He has had a significant influence on the development of medieval science and scholastic philosophy. Latin West through translations of his acquaintance with the works of Aristotle which gave rise among medieval scholars dispute about universals, which played such an important role in scholasticism. B. persistently sought in his translations from the Greek accurate and unambiguous terms, as well as the correctness of expression.