The Consolation of Philosophy

Creator of the Sky,

Who sittest on Thine eternal throne on high,

Who dost quick motions cause

In all the heavens, and givest stars their laws,

That the pale Queen of Night,

Sometimes receiving all her brother's light,

Should shine in her full pride,

And with her beams the lesser stars should hide;

Sometimes she wants her grace,

When the sun's rays are in less distant place;

And Hesperus that flies,

Driving the cold, before the night doth rise,

And oft with sudden change

Before the sun as Lucifer doth range.¹

Thou short the days dost make,

When Winter from the trees the leaves doth take;

Thou, when the fiery sun

Doth Summer cause, makest the nights swiftly run.

Thy might doth rule the year,

As northern winds the leaves away do bear,

So Zephyrus from west

The plants in all their freshness doth revest;

And Syrius burns that corn

With which Arcturus did the earth adorn.

None from Thy laws are free,

Nor can forsake their place ordained by Thee.

Thou to that certain end

Governest all things; deniest Thou to intend

The acts of men alone,

Directing them in measure from Thy throne?

For why should slippery chance

Rule all things with such doubtful governance?

Or why should punishments,

Due to the guilty, light on innocents?

But now the highest place

Giveth to naughty manners greatest grace,

And wicked people vex

Good men, and tread unjustly on their necks;

Virtue in darkness lurks,

And righteous souls are charged with impious works,

Deceits nor perjuries

Disgrace not those who colour them with lies,

For, when it doth them please

To show their force, they to their will with ease

The hearts of kings can steer,

To whom so many crouch with trembling fear.

O Thou that joinest with love

All worldly things, look from Thy seat above

On the earth's wretched state;

We men, not the least work thou didst create,

With fortune's blasts do shake;

Thou careful ruler, these fierce tempests slake,

And for the earth provide

Those laws by which Thou heaven in peace dost guide."