St. Severinus Boethius October 23

 St. Severinus Boethius

Feastday: October 23

Death: 524

Author and Publisher - Catholic Online

Roman philosopher, theologian, and statesman, one of the last notable philosophers in the classical Roman tradition. Known, in full as Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius, he was born to the ancient noble family of Rome, the Anicii, and studied at Athens and Alexandria, receiving a deep classical education. In 510, he was named a consul under the Ostrogothic king Theodoric and became his magister officiorurn (master of offices) in 520, a post which demonstrated Theodoric’s deep trust and respect for Boethius’ abilities. However, relations between them soon deteriorated, as Boethius was staunchly orthodox in his Christianity while Theodoric was a devoted Arian. When Boethius defended the ex-consul Albinus on charges of treason, Theodoric had him seized, condemned, and put to death. A brilliant philosopher and statesman, Roethius authored translations of Aristotle, the Isagoge by Porphyry, and a Commentary on the Topics of Cicero. He also authored treatises on the Holy Trinity (De Sancti Trinitate) and orthodox Christology, and a biography of the Christian monk and writer Cassiodorus (d. 580). His most famous work, De Consolatione Philosophiac (The Consolation of Philosophy), was written while he was in prison. In it, he proposed that the study of philosophy made attainable knowledge of virtue and God. He is considered a martyr for the Catholic faith and was canonized under the name St. Severinus.

For other people named Boethius, see Boethius (disambiguation).

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius,[a] commonly called Boethius[b] (/boʊˈiːθiəs/; also Boetius /-ʃəs/; c. 477 – 524 AD), was a Roman senator, consul, magister officiorum, and philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born about a year after Odoacer deposed the last Western Roman Emperor and declared himself King of Italy. Boethius entered public service under Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great, who later imprisoned and executed him in 524 on charges of conspiracy to overthrow him.[4] While jailed, Boethius composed his Consolation of Philosophy, a philosophical treatise on fortune, death, and other issues, which became one of the most popular and influential works of the Middle Ages. As the author of numerous handbooks and translator of Plato and Aristotle, he became the main intermediary between Classical antiquity and following centuries.