The Consolation of Philosophy

Virtues build up the body of a holy man.m It often happens that the administration of the highest affairs is delegated to the good, so that overflowing n wickedness may be blunted. To others, He distributes certain mixtures according to the quality of their souls: some He afflicts, o so that they do not become wanton through long-lasting happiness: others He allows to be agitated by hardships, so that q the virtues of the soul may be strengthened through the use and exercise of patience. Some fear what they can bear more than is right: others despise what they cannot bear more than is right: these He leads into sadness for the testing of themselves. Some have purchased the venerable name of the age with the price 10 of a glorious death. p Some, impregnable against punishments, have presented an example to others: that virtue is unconquered by evils. There is no doubt that these things are done rightly, orderly, and for the good of those to whom they seem to happen. For that, too, which happens to the wicked—now sad things, now desired things—is derived from the same causes. And indeed, no one wonders at the sad things, because everyone considers them ill-deserved: whose punishments, on one hand, deter others from crimes, and on the other hand, reform those upon whom they are inflicted. Truly, joyful things speak a great argument to the good, about what they ought to judge concerning such happiness, which they perceive often serving 11 the wicked. In this matter, I also believe that this is dispensed: r that perhaps there is someone of such a hasty and troublesome nature that the lack of worldly goods might exacerbate r him into crimes: for the disease of this one, Providence...

m Virtues build up the body of a holy man. n Rampant. o Afflicts. p They have achieved the fame of posterity through an illustrious death. q Why it happens. r To stir up.

Heathenism original: "Gentilitas" fabulates that this is the effect of God. But those Greek words, The body of a holy man..., should be rendered thus: "Virtues build up the body of a holy man." For although, as the Apostle bears witness in II Corinthians ch. 12, "virtue is made perfect in infirmity," yet the health of the body, wealth, and

other prosperities of that kind do not rarely contribute to the cultivation of virtue. Thus, when God said that Job was a just man and a worshiper of God, the evil Genius original: "malus Genius" answered that it was not surprising, since all things were prosperous for him. Book of Job.