Consolation Of Philosophy

“Who [...] has allowed these hysterical sluts to approach this sick man's bedside? They have no medicine to ease his pains, only sweetened poisons to make them worse. These are the very creatures who slay the rich and fruitful harvest of Reason with the barren thorns of Passion.” 

These are the first words spoken by Philosophy as she stands by Boethius's bedside, revealing at once her commanding and imperious nature. The quote reflects a contrast commonly drawn in Boethius's day between poetry—understood as the realm of emotion and passion—and philosophy—understood as the realm of clear-headed reason. Philosophy arrives on the scene just as the Muses—the goddesses of poetry—minister Boethius and “takes over the show,” declaring that her medicine will be more suitable than the “sweetened poisons” of the Muses. 

“You are the man, are you not, who was brought up on the milk of my learning and fed on my own food until you reached maturity? I gave you arms to protect you and keep your strength unimpaired, but you threw them away.” 

Spoken a short time after the previous quote, this shows a contrasting tender and caring side to Philosophy, a gentle “nurse” who wants to heal Boethius with the medicine of wisdom. She implies that Boethius was brought up as a philosopher, but the cares of a political life caused him to discard and forget his philosophical background. 

“Fortune's very mutability deprives her threats of their terror and her enticements of their allure.” 

Philosophy declares that it is foolish to rail against fortune for doing what is in her very nature. The fact that she fluctuates constantly means that nothing she does is permanent, and fortunes will always change again.