The Consolation of Philosophy

...converted from their stupor, they will not dare to call themselves our equals, among whom they know wise men have thought such things."

In the letter of Theodoric to Gundibald, King of the Burgundians, these things are read: "Wherefore, greeting you with the accustomed grace, we have deemed it proper to send, through the bearers of these letters, the clocks for your presence, with their organizers. One, in which human skill seems to gather what is known to traverse the spaces of the whole heaven; another, where the path of the sun is known without the sun, and the spaces of the hours are terminated by dripping water. Have in your own country that which you once saw in the Roman city. It is worthy that your grace should enjoy our goods, which is joined to us also by affinity."

But Theodoric, intending to send a lyre-player citharœdum a singer who plays the cithara to Chlodoveus, King of the Franks, also consulted our Boethius, and gave him the care of choosing someone suitable. This appears from a letter of Theodoric himself to Boethius, in which these words are read: "Since the King of the Franks, enticed by the fame of our banquet, had sought a lyre-player from us with great prayers, we promised that it should be fulfilled for the sole reason that we knew you to be skilled in Musical Erudition. For it belongs to you to choose a learned man, you who have been able to reach that discipline itself, which is placed on a height."

The same king also, writing to Chlodoveus (whom Cassiodorus calls Luduin) after he was elated by his victory over the Alamanni, exhorts him to bind the conquered to himself with moderation and clemency, and finally adds: "We have also sent a lyre-player learned in his art as you requested, who, by singing with his mouth and hands in a harmonious voice, may delight the glory of your power: whom we believe will be welcome to you for the reason that you judged he should be directed to you with great effort." These, therefore, were the studies of Boethius.

While he was occupied with these things, Elpis, the faithful companion of his cares, joys, and studies, was snatched away from him by death. Her epitaph (it is uncertain whether it was written by Boethius or by someone else) is read as follows: