Sed dignitates honorabilem reverendumque cui provenerint reddunt.
Num vis ea est magistratibus ut utentium mentibus virtutes inserant vitia depellant?
Atqui non fugare sed illustrare potius nequitiam solent;
quo fit ut indignemur eas saepe nequissimis hominibus contigisse,
unde Catullus licet in curuli Nonium sedentem strumam tamen appellat.
Videsne quantum malis dedecus adiciant dignitates?
Atqui minus eorum patebit indignitas, si nullis honoribus inclarescant.
Tu quoque num tandem tot periculis adduci potuisti ut cum Decorato gerere magistratum putares, cum in eo mentem nequissimi scurrae delatorisque respiceres?
Non enim possumus ob honores reverentia dignos iudicare quos ipsis honoribus iudicamus indignos.
At si quem sapientia praeditum videres, num posses eum vel reverentia uel ea qua est praeditus sapientia non dignum putare?
Minime.
Inest enim dignitas propria virtuti, quam protinus in eos quibus fuerit adiuncta transfundit.
Quod quia populares facere nequeunt honores, liquet eos propriam dignitatis pulchritudinem non habere.
In quo illud est animadvertendum magis.
Nam si eo abiectior est quo magis a pluribus quisque contemnitur, cum reuerendos facere nequeat quos pluribus ostentat, despectiores potius improbos dignitas facit.
Verum non impune; reddunt namque improbi parem dignitatibus vicem quas sua contagione commaculant.
Atque ut agnoscas veram illam reverentiam per has umbratiles dignitates non posse contingere;
si qui multiplici consulatu functus in barbaras nationes forte devenerit, venerandumne barbaris honor faciet?
Atqui si hoc naturale munus dignitatibus foret, ab officio suo quoquo gentium nullo modo cessarent, sicut ignis ubique terrarum numquam tamen calere desistit,
sed quoniam id eis non propria vis sed hominum fallax adnectit opinio, vanescunt ilico, cum ad eos venerint qui dignitates eas esse non aestimant.
Sed hoc apud exteras nationes.
Inter eos vero apud quos ortae sunt, num perpetuo perdurant?
Atqui praetura magna olim potestas nunc inane nomen et senatorii census gravis sarcina;
si quis populi quondam curasset annonam, magnus habebatur, nunc ea praefectura quid abiectius?
Ut enim paulo ante diximus, quod nihil habet proprii decoris, opinione utentium nunc splendorem accipit nunc amittit.
Si igitur reverendos facere nequeunt dignitates, si ultro improborum contagione sordescunt, si mutatione temporum splendere desinunt, si gentium aestimatione vilescunt, quid est quod in se expetendae pulchritudinis habeant, nedum aliis praestent?
Sed dignitates reddung honorabilem . reuerendumque . cui prouenerint? Témo áber die hêrskéfte zûo-geslíngent . máchônt tîe dén êrháften . únde ántsâzîgen ?
Num ea uis est magistratibus . ut mentibus utentium inserant uirtutes . depellant uitia? Íst tánne díu chráft án dien ámbáhten . dáz sie dien ámbahtmánnen túgede gébên . âchuste némên ?
Atqui . non solent fugare nequitiam . sed potius illustrare. Tríuuo . síu nesínt nîeht sítig . tes mánnes úbeli ze tîligônne . núbe ze óffenônne.
Quo fit ut indigenemur sepe eas contigisse nequissimis hominibus. Tánnân geskíhet tíccho . dáz uuír siu zúrnên ze hánden chómen uuésen dien zágostên.
Unde catullus nonium licet sedentem in curuli . tamen strumam appellat. Fóne díu uuárd táz catullus nonium gútter hîez . dóh er án demo hêrstûole sâze. Catullus uuás ueronensis poeta . nobilis . pedíu uuás ímo nonius únuuérd . tér fóne gallia ze roma chómenêr . mít gothorum suffratio ze consulatu gestéig.
Uidesne quantum dedecus malis adiciant dignitates? Nesíhest tu dâr-ána na uuáz únêrôn ámbaht únde uuírde gébên dien úbelên ?
Atqui . minus patebit eorum indignitas . si nullis homoribus inclarescant. Ze tríuuôn íro únuuírde skînent tés tóh mínnera . úbe sie nehéin ámbaht-êra nemâret.
35. ITEM.
Tu quoque num tandem tot periculis adduci potuisti . ut cum decorato putares gerere magistratum . cum in eo respiceres mentem nequissimi scurrȩ et delatoris? Máhtôn sâr díh ánabríngen dehéine fréisâ . dáz tû consulatum mít decorato hínderstân uuóltîst . tén du uuíssôst skírnen . únde méldare ? Tísêr decoratus uuás fautor gothorum . pedíu uuás er méldare dere ciuium. Uuánda er óuh târ-míte spílománnes kebârda hábeta . fóne díu neuuólta er sîn collega nîeht uuérden in consulatu . tóh iz ter chúning uuólti. Táz uuás ímo fréisa uuíder den chúning.
Non enim possumus ob honores . reuerentia dignos iudicare . quod ipsis honoribus iudicamus indignos. Uuír nemúgen tîe nîeht áhtôn êrháfti uuírdîge . úmbe íro ámbaht . tîe uuír sélbes tes ámbahtes áhtoên únuuírdige.
At si quem uideres preditum sapentia . num posses putare eum non dignum . uel reuerentia . uel ea sapentia . qua est preditus? Tén du áber sáhîst uuîsen . máhtîst tû dén áhtôn únuuírdîgen êrháfti . únde sélbes sînes uuîstûomes ?
Minime. Néin dû.
Inest enim uirtuti propria dignitas. Túged hábet an íro sélbûn éigene uuírde. Quam protinus transfundit in eos . quibus adiuncta fuerit. Tîe si sâr dîen gíbet tîen si gelâzen íst.
Quod quia populares honores nequeunt facere . licet eos non habere propriam dignitatis pulchritudinem. Uuánda dáz tie uuérlt-êrâ nîeht ketûon nemúgen . pedíu skînet . táz sie nehéina scôni nehábent éigenero uuírde. Án demo fine skînet tiu causa. Úbe popularis dignitas uuâre causa reuerentie . souuér dánne dignitatem hábeti . démo nebrâste nîeht reuerentie. Pedíu héizet táz argumentum a fine.
In quo illud est animaduertendum magis. Târ án déro stéte uuírt tés cnôto uuára ze tûonne . s. uués causa dero úbelôn dignitas sî . sîd si reuerentie causa neíst.
36. PROPOSITIO.
Nam si eo abiectior est quisque . quo magis a pluribus contemnitur. Úbe mánnolîh sô ueruuórfenero íst . sô er îo fóne mánigorên ferchóren uuírt.
37. ASSUMPTIO.
Cum dignitas nequeat improbos . facere reuerendos . s. quamuis notos. Sô láng taz ámbáht êrháfte getûon nemág . tie úbelen . tóh iz sîe tûe chúnde.
38. CONCLUSIO.
Quos ostentat pluribus despectiores facit. Táz iz sîe óuget . án díu tûot iz sîe fúre êrháfte uersíhtige. Târ skînet . táz tien úbelên íro dignitas íst causa despectionis.
Uerum non inpune. Náls áber in gníuz. Ís uuírt íro gedánchôt. Reddunt namque improbi parem uicem dignitatibus . quas conmaculant sua contagione. Uuánda sámolicha únêra tûont sie dáragágene dîen ámbáhten . tíu sie besmîzent mít íro úbeli.
39. ITEM.
Atque . s. audi . ut cognoscas non posse contingere ueram illam reuerentiam per has umbratiles dignitates. Únde lâ míh tír mêr ságen . dáz tu bechénnêst nehéina uuâra êrháfti chómen fóne dísên lúkkên hêrskéften.
Si qui functus multiplici consulatu . forte deuenerit in barbaras nationes . honorne faciet uenerandum barbaris? Tér ióh tíccho consul uuírdet . feruuállôt tér ódeuuano férro únder énderske líute . tûot ín dánne dâr êrháften sîn héimiska êra ?
Atqui . si hoc munus . i. reuerentia naturale foret dignitatibus . quoquo gentium . i. ubique terrarum . nullomondo cessaret ab offitio suo. Uuâre díu êrháfti ánabúrtig tien ámbahten . sô negesuíche si ín nîonêr. Sicut ignis ubique terrarum . numquam tamen calere desistit. Álso daz fíur nîomêr âne sîna hízza neíst.
Sed quoniam id eis . s. offitium dignitatis non adnectit propria uis . sed fallax opinio hominum . uanescunt ilico . cum ad eos uenerint . qui non estimant eas esse dignitates. Uuánda áner ín dîa êra nîeht negíbet íro sélbero túged . núbe lúkkêr uuân dero ménniskôn . dîe sie êrôn uuírdige áhtônt . fóne díu ingânt sie ín sâr . sô sie ze dîen chóment . tîe die êrâ fúre nîeht nehábent.
Sed hoc apud exteras nationes. Nû geskíhet táz únder frémedên.
40. ITEM.
Inter eos uero apud quos ortȩ sunt . num perpetuo perdurant? Únder dîen sie ióh fóne êres uuúrten . sínt sie mít tîen stâte ?
Atqui pretura olum magna potestas . nunc inane nomen. Táz chúnne dâr-âna . dáz pretura íu uuás éin míchel geuuált . únde iz nû íst échert úppîg námo. Et grauis sarcina senatorii census. Únde héuig árbéit . tero hêrrôn scázzes. Sub augusto uuás tero senatorum numerus mille . únde íro census . tén sie iârlichen infáhen sóltôn . tés uuás sô suetonius ságet octingentorum milium summa. Úbe pretores ten scáz récchen sóltôn . dáz nemáhta âne árbéite nîeht sîn.
Si quis quondam curasset annonam populi . magnus habebatur . nunc ea prefectura quid abiectius? Tér óuh tes púrglíutes frûondo íu flégen sólta . dér uuás máhtîg . uuélih ámbaht íst áber nû smáhera ? Únz án augustum sô gnûogta romanis tero frûondo ze demo iâre . díu áfter italia únde sicilia gesámenôt uuárd . sô fóne ímo egyptus uuárd redacta in prouintiam . dáz chît in flíhtlánt . tô gesázta er ín dánnân abundantiam . ad septem menses. Tér uuás nôte máhtîg . tér sô mícheles tínges flág.
41. DE COMITIIS.
Fóne liuio . únde fóne ánderên historicis uuízen uuír . dáz tie ámbaht-sézzedâ ze romo hîezen magistratus . únde dignitates. Téro ámbahto uuás nâh tien expulsis regibus consulatus taz hêrôsta . témo fólgeta legataria dignitas . uuánda dáz ten consulem ánagîeng ze tûonne . táz frúmeta sîn legatus. Álso reges trûogen in capite coronam . álde diadema . sô trûogen consules târ-fúre fasces in capite . dáz uuâren insignia maiestatis . táz chît zîerdâ . únde bechénnedâ dero mágen-chréfte. Álso uuír ín demo hûs héizên mágen-sûl . die méistûn sûl . íh méino . díu den fírst tréget . sô hîez tíu chráft tero consulum . álde dero regum . álde dero dictatorum . mágen-chráft . uuánda sî diu méista uuás. Tîe déro maiestati regum . álde consulum uuíder-hôrig uuâren . únde sie dâr-úmbe fóre ín úbertéilet uuúrten . dîe hábetôn flúht ze dien líuten áfter dero rûmiskûn êo . dáz sie ín dero fréisôn húlfîn. Tíu flúht hîez prouocatio. Sô áber dánnân díccho eruuûohsen maxime dissensiones . tîe dissensiones ze uerzérenne . sáztôn sie dictatorem . tés maiestas sólih uuâre . dáz nîoman dés nehábeti prouocationem ad populum . dáz ímo fóre démo ertéilet uuúrte. Témo fólgeta îo magister militum . únde dén uuéleta ér ímo sélbo . álso der consul téta sînen legatum. Nâh ín uuâren tribuni plebis . keuuáltigôsten . téro uuâren uuîlôn zuêne . uuîlôn ióh zêne . únde díccho uuúrten dîe sô creati . dáz sie hábetîn consularem potestatem . dáz chît similem consolibus. Tîe hîezen fóne dío tribuni plebis . uuánda sie iudicia plebis úber síh nâmen. Tára-nâh uuâren pretores . únde censores . únde questores. Pretores fúre-fûoren den consulem . in exercitu . únde ríhtôn ímo sîn pretorium . íh méino sîn tentorium . târ ér ínne sáz ad iudicandum et contionandum . táz chît ze ríhtenne . únde ze sprâchônne. Tánnân hîez er pretor a preeundo . quasi preitor. Censores uuîelten frôno-scázzes . tér in ȩrario gehálten uuás . fóne díu hîezen sie a censu censores. Questores uuâren des scázzes fórderara . dicti tamquam quesitores. Tára-nâh uuâren prefecti . dáz chît flégara . die úber mísselichíu negotia uuâren. Sô uuâren ediles . tîe dero edium hûotôn . únde dîe besáhen. Duumuiri únde triumuiri hîezen dîe úber fráuali díngotôn. Fóne díu zíhet suetonius augustum . dáz er acerrimus uuâre in sui triumuiratu. Fúre duumuiros únde triumuiros . uuúrten sîd presides. Decemuiratus uuárd échert éinêst kesézzet . tô romani fúre duos consules decemuiros chúren . dáz sie éinzên fasces trûogîn . únde éinzên áfter hérto dero reipublicȩ flâgîn. Proconsules uuâren in loco consulum. Pontifices flâgen dero religionis. Imperatores . duces . comites . sínt chúnt.
42. DE ORDINE CIUIUM ROMANORUM.
Târ-míte tóug ze bechénnene . dáz romani ciues keskéiden uuâren . in patres . únde in plebem. Tero patrum uuâren tres ordines. Ter hêrôsto ordo uuás clarissimorum. Fóne díu lésên uuír in passione sebastiani sancti. Clarissimis cottidie uiris marcelliano et marco suadebat sȩculi blandimenta respuere. Ánderíu uuás illustrium. Án déro uuás boetius. Pedíu chît tér titulus tísses pûoches. Anicii . manlii . seuerini illustris uiri. Tiu drítta uuás exspectabilium. Álso beata agatha fóne íro sélbûn chád. Ingenua sum . et exspectabilis genere. Plebis uuâren zuô ordines . equestris . únde pedestris. Tér uuás eques . tér decem milia máhta gezíugûn déro suârôn féndingo . díe sesteria hîezen. Tíe mínnera hábetôn . dîe mûosôn gân. Sô zît uuás ámbaht ze sézzene . sô sáztôn siu die patres per suffragia plebis. Íro gelúbeda . únde íro béta . dáz uuâren suffragia. Tîe fóne ánderên búrgen dára-chómene uuâren . tîe hábetôn dîe sélbûn êa . âne dáz sie nîeht nemáhtôn ferre suffragia. Tánnan skînet . táz tîe-dar hîezen patres . únde senatores . ióh âne ámbaht míchela dignitatem hábetôn.
43. ITEM.
Ut enim paulo ante diximus . quod nihil habet proprii decoris . opinione utentium . nunc splendorem accipit . nunc amittit. Álso ih târ-fóne gréhto chád . dignitas tíu nîeht éigenero zîerdo nehábet . tíu guuínnet sia . únde ferlíuset sia . sô dîe uuânent . téro si íst.
44. CONCLUSIO.
Si igitur dignitates nequeunt facere reuerendos. Suspensio. Si ultro sordescunt contagione improborum. Et hic. Si desinunt splendere mutatione temporum. Et hic. Si uilescunt estimatione gentium. Et hic. Quid est quod habeant in se expetende pulchritudinis . nedum . i. ne dicam . aliis prestent? Depositio. Úbe hêrskéfte êrháfte getûon nemúgen . úbe sîe ióh hônet tero gûotelôsôn úbeli . únde úbe sie fóre áldi ferblîchent . táz chît slíngen gestânt . únde úbe sie fóne férrên líuten fersmáhet uuérdent . uuáz hábent sie dánne án ín lúst-sámero scôni ? íh nedárf chéden . uuáz sie íro ánderên gébên.
But dignitees, to whom they ben comen, maken they him honorable and reverent?
Han they nat so gret strengthe, that they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces?
Certes, they ne be nat wont to don awey wikkednesse , but they ben wont rather to shewen wikkednesse.
And ther-of comth it that I have right grete desdeyn , that dignitees ben yeven ofte to wikked men;
for which thing Catullus cleped a consul of Rome, that highteNonius , “postum ” or “boch”; as who seyth, he cleped him a congregacioun of vyces in his brest, as a postum is ful of corupcioun, al were this Nonius set in a chayre of dignitee.
Seest thou nat thanne how gret vilenye dignitees don to wikked men?
Certes, unworthinesse of wikked men sholde be the lasse y-sene, yif they nere renomed of none honours.
Certes, thou thyself ne mightest nat ben brought with as manye perils as thou mightest suffren that thou woldest beren themagistrat with Decorat; that is to seyn, that for no peril that mighte befallen theeby offenceof the king Theodorike, thou noldest nat be felawe in governaunce with Decorat; whan thou saye that he hadde wikked corage of a likerous shrewe and of an accusor.
Ne I ne may nat, for swiche honours, iugen hem worthy of reverence, that I deme and holde unworthy to han thilke same honours.
Now yif thou saye a man that were fulfild of wisdom, certes, thou ne mightest nat deme that he were unworthy to the honour, or elles to the wisdom of which he is fulfild?’
—‘No,’ quod I.
—‘Certes, dignitees,’ quod she , ‘apertienen proprely to vertu; and vertu transporteth dignitee anon to thilke man to which she hir-self is conioigned.
And for as moche as honours of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of honour, it is wel seyn cleerly that they ne han no propre beautee of dignitee.
For if it so be that he that is most outcast that most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne may nat maken shrewes worthi of no reuerences. than maketh dignites shrewes more dispised than preised. the whiche shrewes dignit (sic) scheweth to moche folk. and forsothe not vnpunissed; Ed. for if a wight be in so muche the more outcast, that he is dispysed of moste folke, so as dignyte ne may not maken shrewes worthy of no reuerence, than maketh dignite shrewes rather dispysed than praysed, the whiche shrewes dignite sheweth to moche folk. And forsothe not vnpunisshed.And yit men oughten taken more heed in this.
For yif it so be that a wikked wight be so mochel the foulere and the more outcast, that he is despysed of most folk, so as dignitee ne may nat maken shrewes digne of reverence, the which shrewes dignitee sheweth to moche folk, thanne maketh dignitee shrewes rather so moche more despysed than preysed;
and forsothe nat unpunished: that is for to seyn, that shrewes revengen hem ayeinward up-on dignitees; for they yilden ayein to dignitees as gret guerdoun , whan they bi-spotten and defoulen dignitees with hir vilenye.
And for as mochel as thou mowe knowe that thilke verray reverence ne may nat comen by thise shadewy transitorie dignitees, undirstond now thus :
yif that a man hadde used and had many maner dignitees of consules, and were comen peraventure amonge straunge naciouns, sholde thilke honour maken him worshipful and redouted of straunge folk?
Certes, yif that honour of poeple were a naturel yift to dignitees, it ne mighte never cesen nowher amonges no maner folk to don his office, right as fyr in every contree ne stinteth nat to eschaufen and to ben hoot.
But for as moche as for to ben holden honourable or reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir propre strengthe of nature, but only of the false opinioun of folk, that is to seyn,that wenen that dignitees maken folk digne of honour; anon therfore whan that they comen ther-as folk ne knowen nat thilke dignitees, hir honours vanisshen awey, and that anon.
But that is amonges straunge folk, mayst thou seyn;
but amonges hem ther they weren born, ne duren nat thilke dignitees alwey?
Certes, the dignitee of the provostrie of Rome was whylom a gret power; now is it nothing but an ydel name, and the rente of the senatorie a gret charge.
And yif a wight whylom hadde the office to taken hede to the vitailes of the people, as of corn and other thinges, he was holden amonges grete; but what thing is now more out-cast thanne thilke provostrie?
And, as I have seyd a litel her-biforn, that thilke thing that hath no propre beautee of him-self receiveth som-tyme prys and shyninge, and som-tyme leseth it by the opinioun of usaunces.
Now yif that dignitees thanne ne mowen nat maken folk digne of reverence, and yif that dignitees wexen foule of hir wille by the filthe of shrewes, and yif that dignitees lesen hir shyninge by chaunginge of tymes, and yif they wexen foule by estimacioun of poeple: what is it that they han in hemself of beautee that oughte ben desired? as who seyth, non; thanne ne mowen they yeven no beautee of dignitee to non other.
"But thou wilt say dignities makes honorable, reuerenced to whom they hap.
Haue the[n] dignities this force? that they can ingraff in vsers myndes vertue & expulse vice.
Nay, they are wont, not to chace iniquitie but to adorn it;
so as we disdayne somtyme that they should hap to wickedst men :
wherfore Catullus, tho Nonius sate as Curule, calld him Lump of flesh.
Dost thou see how great a shame somtyme dignity receuith?
Which indignitie should not be so euident, if honour should not show it.
You allso, could you haue bene brought by so many perils to accompany Decoratus
in office, when in him you sawe a mynde of a wicked Ruffin, and slanderer tongue?
For we can not for honors sake iudge them worthy Reuerence whom we suppose vnworthy of their dignities.
But if thou sawest a wyse man, couldst thou not think him wourthy of reuerence euin for that wisdom he enioyes?
Yes surely,
for ther is a peculier dignitie for vertue, which alltogither is bestowde on them to whom she haps.
Which because they cannot euer haue popular honors, they may not enioy the beauty of their worth :
wherin this is to be noted,
that if it be the lesse worth, that it is dispised of many, when they can not make them reuerenced, thorow the contempt that many makes it, Then honour makes many wicked ;
but yet not without punishment; for wicked men giues this good turn to dignitie, that they spot them with their own infection.
And that thou mayst know that true honour can not hap by these shaded dignities, gather it this:
Yf a man haue oft tymes bene Consul, & fortune to com to barbarous Nations, shall there honour make him be esteemd?
Yf this be a naturall gyft to all dignities, whither euer they go, they should vse the self office, As the fyre in ech Country neuer leaues to burue.
But because not their own force but false humayne opinion hath bred it, straight they vanish, when to them they com that esteemes not such dignities.
but thus much for foren Nations.
Among them that made them, doo they euer last?
The Prefectures office was once a greate powre, now a vayne name, and a combersom waight of Senators Censure.
He was wont be greate that cared for the peeples prouisions. No[w], what baser than that office?
For as a little afore I said, That it had nothing in it self of his own proper valure, that takes or loses luster by the vsers opinion.
Yf then honors can not make men reuerenced, which are despisd by wicked mens infection, if by change of tyme they leave to be famous, yf by vulgar opinion despysd, what beauty haue they in them selves, or can giue others?
Complete text
Book I: THE SORROWS OF BOETHIUS