Boethius: “In the bitterest turns…”

Source and attribution

The archive attributes this English wording to The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II and files it under Neoplatonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.

About Boethius

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 480–524/5) was a Roman statesman and philosopher who translated Aristotle’s logic into Latin and wrote the Consolation of Philosophy in prison under Theodoric.

How to read this passage

This passage is indexed under . Those labels identify the concepts it can illuminate; they do not replace the argument surrounding it in The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II.

How to cite this quotation

APA: Boethius. (n.d.). In the bitterest turns of fortune, true friends are proved. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0132

MLA: Boethius. “In the bitterest turns of fortune, true friends….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0132.

Chicago: Boethius. “In the bitterest turns of fortune, true friends….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0132.

Frequently asked questions

What is the source of the quotation “In the bitterest turns of fortune, true friends…”?

The passage is attributed to Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II. The archive attributes this English wording to The Consolation of Philosophy, Book II and files it under Neoplatonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.

What does Boethius mean by philosophy?