others, those who are living or those who have gone before.

Another of the books translated by Alfred was the "Consolations of
Philosophy," by a good and thoughtful Consul of Rome, who was put to
death by Theodoric, the Arian King of the East Goths. He wrote the book
in prison, and there was so much in it that was felt to be in accord
with Christian teaching that some people thought Boethius must have
belonged to the body of Holy Church.

A Christian writer, finding a book seeming to possess much of the spirit
of Christianity, would naturally study it and frequently use it; and
Boethius's book, with more or less adaptation, grew to be a great
favourite with Christians. Its influence can be traced in the work of
the greatest Catholic poet, Dante, and in that of the great English
poet, Chaucer, who rendered it into the English of his day.

Alfred made the translation definitely Christian. For instance, he
writes of "God" and "Christ" where Boethius says "love" or "the good";
and he writes of "angels" instead of "divine substance."

I will give you one or two specimens of the additions to Boethius with
which Alfred is credited.

"He that will have eternal riches, let him build the house of his mind
on the footstone of lowliness; not on the highest hill where the raging
wind of trouble blows, or the rain of measureless anxiety."

"Power is never a good unless he be good who has it."

Here is what he has to say of being well-born: