# The Consolation of Philosophy — Chapters explained > Chapter companions for The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. - [Epigraph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/epigraph.md): The epigraph presents two passages: one from Aristotle's Ethics on bearing great misfortunes with nobility, and another on the wise person's indestructible crown and the self-judging nature of virtue and vice. - [Proem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/proem.md): The Proem introduces Boethius, a noble Roman of the late fifth and early sixth centuries, who enjoyed wealth, honor, and happiness under the Gothic king Theodoric. After his two sons were made joint consuls in 522 AD, Bo - [The Consolation of Philosophy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/the-consolation-of-philosophy.md): Boethius, imprisoned and lamenting his fallen fortunes, is visited by the personification of Philosophy. She diagnoses his spiritual sickness—his attachment to worldly goods and false happiness—and begins to heal him thr - [Book I: The Sorrows of Boethius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/book-i-the-sorrows-of-boethius.md): Boethius laments his fallen state in prison, abandoned by Fortune and haunted by grief. The figure of Philosophy appears, drives away the Muses of Poetry, and begins to diagnose the sickness of Boethius' mind. She remind - [Song I: Boethius' Complaint](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-i-boethius-complaint.md): Boethius laments his fall from happiness to misery, describing how his youthful poetic talents have turned to mournful songs. He reflects on the fickleness of Fortune, the onset of premature aging due to grief, and the i > 83 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=the_consolation_of_philosophy_se_1085kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest. - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/i.md) - [Song II: His Despondency](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ii-his-despondency.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Song III: The Mists Dispelled](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iii-the-mists-dispelled.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iii.md) - [Song IV: Nothing Can Subdue Virtue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iv-nothing-can-subdue-virtue.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Song V: Boethius’ Prayer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-v-boethius-prayer.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/v.md) - [Song VI: All Things Have Their Needful Order](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vi-all-things-have-their-needful-order.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vi.md) - [Song VII: The Perturbations of Passion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vii-the-perturbations-of-passion.md) - [Book II: The Vanity of Fortune’s Gifts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/book-ii-the-vanity-of-fortune-s-gifts.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/i.md) - [Song I: Fortune’s Malice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-i-fortune-s-malice.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Song II: Man’s Covetousness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ii-man-s-covetousness.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iii.md) - [Song III: All Passes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iii-all-passes.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Song IV: The Golden Mean](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iv-the-golden-mean.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/v.md) - [Song V: The Former Age](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-v-the-former-age.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vi.md) - [Song VI: Nero’s Infamy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vi-nero-s-infamy.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vii.md) - [Song VII: Glory May Not Last](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vii-glory-may-not-last.md) - [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/viii.md) - [Song VIII: Love Is Lord of All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-viii-love-is-lord-of-all.md) - [Book III: True Happiness and False](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/book-iii-true-happiness-and-false.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/i.md) - [Song I: The Thorns of Error](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-i-the-thorns-of-error.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Song II: The Bent of Nature](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ii-the-bent-of-nature.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iii.md) - [Song III: The Insatiableness of Avarice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iii-the-insatiableness-of-avarice.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Song IV: Disgrace of Honours Conferred by a Tyrant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iv-disgrace-of-honours-conferred-by-a-tyrant.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/v.md) - [Song V: Self-Mastery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-v-self-mastery.md) - [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vi.md) - [Song VI: True Nobility](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vi-true-nobility.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vii.md) - [Song VII: Pleasure’s Sting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vii-pleasure-s-sting.md) - [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/viii.md) - [Song VIII: Human Folly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-viii-human-folly.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ix.md) - [Song IX: Invocation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ix-invocation.md) - [The Unity of Happiness and God](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/x.md) - [Song X: The True Light](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-x-the-true-light.md) - [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/xi.md) - [Song XI: Reminiscence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-xi-reminiscence.md) - [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/xii.md) - [Song XII: Orpheus and Eurydice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-xii-orpheus-and-eurydice.md) - [Book IV: Good and Ill Fortune](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/book-iv-good-and-ill-fortune.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/i.md) - [Song I: The Soul’s Flight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-i-the-soul-s-flight.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Song II: The Bondage of Passion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ii-the-bondage-of-passion.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iii.md) - [Song III: Circe's Cup](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iii-circe-s-cup.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Song IV: The Unreasonableness of Hatred](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iv-the-unreasonableness-of-hatred.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/v.md) - [Song V: Wonder and Ignorance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-v-wonder-and-ignorance.md) - [The Order of Providence and Fate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vi.md) - [Song VI: The Universal Aim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vi-the-universal-aim.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vii.md) - [Song VII: The Hero’s Path](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-vii-the-hero-s-path.md) - [Book V: Free Will and God’s Foreknowledge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/book-v-free-will-and-god-s-foreknowledge.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/i.md) - [Song I: Chance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-i-chance.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Song II: The True Sun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-ii-the-true-sun.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iii.md) - [Song III: Truth's Paradoxes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iii-truth-s-paradoxes.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Song IV: A Psychological Fallacy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-iv-a-psychological-fallacy.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/v.md) - [Song V: The Upward Look](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/song-v-the-upward-look.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/vi.md) - [Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/epilogue.md) - [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters/endnotes.md) HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_consolation_of_philosophy_se/chapters