Chapter XIV

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[94] Migne, _Pat. Lat._ 63, col. 1079-1167. Also edited by Friedlein (Leipsic, 1867).

[95] I know of no earlier employment of the word to designate these four branches of study. But one might infer from Boëthius’s youth at this time that he received it from a teacher.

[96] See Cantor, _Vorlesungen über die Ges. der Mathematik_, i. 537-540.

[97] See Cantor, _o.c._ i. 540-551.

[98] Cassiodorus, _Ep. variae_, i. 45

[99] Upon the dates of Boëthius’s writings, see S. Brandt, “Entstehungszeit und zeitliche Folge der Werke des Boëtius,” _Philologus_, Band 62 (N.S. Bd. 16), 1903, pp. 141 _sqq._ and 234 _sqq._

[100] Social position, his own abilities, and the favour of Theodoric, obtained the consulship for Boëthius in 510, when he was twenty-eight or -nine years old.

[101] Migne, _Pat. Lat._ 64, col. 201.

[102] _In librum de interpretatione_, editio secunda, beginning of Book II., Migne 64, col. 433.

[103] See _De inter._ ed. prima, Book I. (Migne 64, col. 193); ed. secunda, beginning of Book III. and of Book IV. (Migne 64, col. 487 and 517). The Boëthian translations are all in the 64th vol. of Migne’s _Pat. Lat._

[104] See A. Hildebrand, _Boëthius und seine Stellung zum Christentum_ (Regensburg, 1885), and works therein referred to.

[105] See Prantl, _Ges. der Logik_, i. 679 _sqq._

[106] See his Life in Hodgkin’s _Letters of Cassiodorus_; also Roger, _Enseignement des lettres classiques d’Ausone à Alcuin_, pp. 175-187 (Paris, 1905).

[107] Migne 70, col. 1281.

[108] Migne 70, col. 1105-1219.

[109] Gregory’s works are printed in Migne, _Patrologia Latina_, 75-79. His epistles are also published in the _Monumenta Germaniae historica_. On Gregory, his life and times, writings and doctrines, see F. H. Dudden, _Gregory the Great_, etc., 2 vols. (Longmans, 1905).

[110] Migne, _Pat. Lat._ 75, col. 516.

[111] _Ep._ xi. 54 (Migne 77, col. 1171).

[112] This is the view expressed in the _Commentary on Kings_ ascribed to Gregory, but perhaps the work of a later hand. Thus, in the allegorical interpretation of 1 Kings (1 Sam.) xiii. 20, “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe.” Says the commentator (Migne, _Pat. Lat._ 79, col. 356): We go down to the Philistines when we incline the mind to secular studies; Christian simplicity is upon a height. Secular books are said to be in the plane since they have no celestial truths. God put secular knowledge in a plane before us that we should use it as a step to ascend to the heights of Scripture. So Moses first learned the wisdom of the Egyptians that he might be able to understand and expound the divine precepts; Isaiah, most eloquent of the prophets, was _nobiliter instructus et urbanus_; and Paul had sat at Gamaliel’s feet before he was lifted to the height of the third heaven. One goes to the Philistines to sharpen his plow, because secular learning is needed as a training for Christian preaching.

[113] See _post_,