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Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"
Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" is here in full — 424 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
[[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]
[Sidenote: _B._ No.]
No q{uod} .I.
[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.
þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" is here in full — 424 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
[[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]
Line 2
[Sidenote: _B._ No.]
Line 3
No q{uod} .I.
Line 4
[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt greteÞou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.
Line 5
þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

art auxiliary verb US /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

distemper noun US /dɪˈstempər/

any of various infectious viral diseases of animals

From this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

ellis noun US /ˈelɪs/

plural of “elli” — (Norse mythology) goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match

From this reading “þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.”

hast auxiliary verb US /hæst/

an old form of “have”, used with “thou”

From this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

needs adverb US /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading “[[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]”

principal noun US /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

From this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

remedies noun US /ˈremədiz/

plural of “remedy” — act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil

From this reading “[[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]”

self noun US /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

principal cause noun + noun

In this reading “[Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.”

All words in this reading · 52

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

28

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

680

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

BnounUS /biː/

aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil

From this reading [Sidenote: _B._ No.]

BOETHIUSnoun

a Roman who was an early Christian philosopher and statesman who was executed for treason; Boethius had a decisive influence on medieval logic (circa 480-524)

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

distempernounUS /dɪˈstempər/

any of various infectious viral diseases of animals

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

ellisnounUS /ˈelɪs/

plural of “elli” — (Norse mythology) goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

entre

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

forto

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

grete

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

hastauxiliary verbUS /hæst/

an old form of “have”, used with “thou”

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

haue

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

Headnote

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

hele

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading No q{uod} .I.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

knowe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

knowen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

LIGHTadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

maladie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

NEEDSadverbUS /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading [Sidenote: _B._ No.]

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

oþer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

pg

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

pleynelyche

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

principalnounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

qnounUS /kjuː/

the 17th letter of the Roman alphabet

From this reading No q{uod} .I.

recoueryng

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

REMEDIESnounUS /ˈremədiz/

plural of “remedy” — act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil

From this reading [[pg 28]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.]

ryȝt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

selfnounUS /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

Sidenote

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _B._ No.]

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

uod

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading No q{uod} .I.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

whiche

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

wot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

þat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

þe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

þi

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

þin

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

þoruȝ

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe entre of recoueryng of þin hele.

Þou

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _P._ Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper.] now wot I q{uod} she oþer cause of þi maladie {and} þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680 knowe þi self what þou art.

Chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" by Boethius holds 424 sentences, grouped into 85 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" contain?

Chapter 4 holds 424 sentences of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae", unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" by Boethius exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 424 sentences, grouped into 85 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 4 of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"

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Yes. All 8354 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42083 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #42083, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1671 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" section by section

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Vocabulary met early in Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"

Words and structures a reader meets early in Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae", each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ligature
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tilde
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sidenotes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Include
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.