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Papahagi, Adrian. Boethiana Mediaevalia: A Collection of Studies on the Early Medieval Fortune of Boethius Consolation of Philosophy. Bucharest: Zeta Books, 2010. 238 pp. ISBN 978-973-1997-79-7. RHONDA MCDANIEL

aleography and textual studies reveal much about the transmission and reception of works during the Middle Ages and Adrian Papahagis careful studies of the early medieval manuscripts concerning Boethius De Consolatione Philosophiae show just how much they can tell us. These studies have been published previously as articles in various journals or collections, but this book brings all of Papahagis previously published scholarship concerning the early medieval manuscripts of the Consolatio from the ninth through twelfth centuries together under one cover. Several of the studies take into account the most recent developments, especially in the discussion concerning King Alfreds participation (or lack thereof) in the reception and transmission of Boethius best-known work. This collection includes a brief foreword by the author followed by chapters on the Carolingian transmission and reception of the Consolatio, the orbes diagrams found in various manuscripts, the translations of Notker and Alfred, and an edition of the collected glosses on the Consolatio found in Paris, BN Lat. MS 13953. As a bonus, there is a brief note on the possible relationship between the Old English Consolatio and the Old English Distichs of Cato. Also included are an extensive bibliography, indices of manuscripts and names, and black and white plates illustrating various aspects of the discussions. The first two chapters address matters of the Carolingian recovery of the Consolatio and the grappling of Carolingian scholars with the Platonic philosophy of the work, especially concerning the relationship between fate and providence. Papahagi builds a strong circumstantial case for Theodulfs Fleury, rather than Alcuins Tours, as the center of recovery and early study of the Consolatio based upon the manuscript evidence. The earliest evidence of reception also appears in manuscripts that originated in Fleury. Papahagi focuses on the glosses and commentary concerning Boethius statements on fate and providence in Book IV, prose 6 and uses them to show the development of glossing over four generations of scholars in the ninth and tenth centuries from simple interpretatio Christiana to more involved philosophical commentary, including the questioning of Boethiuss orthodoxy. In terms of questioning orthodoxies, these two chapters are also where Papahagi provides some reinforcement for Malcolm Goddens rejection of King Alfred as the author of the Old English Boethius.

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In illustration of an aspect of the argument made in the second chapter, Papahagi provides an analysis of the glossae collectae on Boethiuss work found in the tenth-century manuscript Paris, BM Lat. MS13953. He maintains that the glosses contained in this manuscript represent a middle stage beyond the basic interpretatio Christiana but prior to full-blown commentary on the philosophical difficulties of the text. This analysis is followed by an edition of the full set of Old High German and Latin glosses on the Consolatio found in this manuscript. This is not, as Papahagi clearly states, a critical edition, but an edition with the focused purpose and scope of giving one example of the state of Boethius scholarship in the late ninth century. The last three chapters address specific aspects of the Old English version of the Consolatio. First Papahagi considers the metaphor of the wheel of Fate found in the Old English version and argues that it may have developed from the graphic depictions of Boethiuss orbes simile in ninth through twelfth-century manuscripts. Photos and drawings of the various orbes under analysis are provided to illustrate the argument. Papahagi also compares the Old English translation to the Old High German translation of the Consolatio rendered by Notker, concluding that the differences between the two are matters of audience and purpose. Finally, Papahagi makes a brief lexical argument for the influence of the Old English Boethius on the Old English Distichs of Cato, based upon the use of the word wandrian. This collection highlights Papahagis thorough, methodical approach to scholarship and his skill at presenting persuasive arguments based upon textual and paleographical evidence. It also makes available to English-speaking audiences the fruit of much scholarship in other European languages. One drawback, however, is the uneven provision of translations of the primary texts, which probably reflects the various practices of the original venues of publication. Further, one must be proficient in French, German, and Italian to fully appreciate the comments by other scholars quoted in these chapters, though even without such proficiency readers can still generally infer the meaning of the quotations from Papahagis own comments. All in all, this collection of studies provides an excellent source of information about the transmission and reception of Boethius bestknown work in the early Middle Ages.

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