by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480 - 524)
Si vis celsi iura tonantis
Language: Latin
Our translations: ENG
Si vis celsi iura tonantis Pura sollers cernere mente, Aspice summi culmina caeli. Illic iusto foedere rerum Veterem servant sidera pacem. Non sol rutilo concitus igne Gelidum Phoebes impedit axem Nec quae summo vertice mundi Flectit rapidos Ursa meatus, Numquam occiduo lota profundo Cetera cernens sidera mergi Cupit oceano tingere flammas. Semper vicibus temporis aequis Vesper seras nuntiat umbras Revehitque diem Lucifer almum. Sic aeternos reficit cursus Alternus amor, sic astrigeris Bellum discors exulat oris. Haec concordia temperat aequis Elementa modis, ut pugnantia Vicibus cedant umida siccis lungantque fidem frigora flammis, Pendulus ignis surgat in altum Terraeque graves pondere sidant. Isdem causis vere tepenti Spirat florifer annus odores, Aestas Cererem fervida siccat, Remeat pomis gravis autumnus, Hiemem defluus inrigat imber. Haec temperies alit ac profert Quidquid vitam spirat in orbe. Eadem rapiens condit et aufert Obitu mergens orta supremo. Sedet interea conditor altus Rerumque regens flectit habenas Rex et dominus fons et origo Lex et sapiens arbiter aequi Et quae motu concitat ire, Sistit retrahens ac vaga firmat. Nam nisi rectos revocans itus Flexos iterum cogat in orbes, Quae nunc stabilis continet ordo Dissaepta suo fonte fatiscant. Hic est cunctis communis amor Repetuntque boni fine teneri, Quia non aliter durare queant, Nisi converso rursus amore Refluant causae quae dedit esse.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Boethius, Theological Tractates. The Consolation of Philosophy. Translated by H. F. Stewart, E. K. Rand, S. J. Tester. Loeb Classical Library 74. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1973, pages 372-374.
Note: Boethius wrote his De consolatione philosophiae (On the Consolation of Philosophy) while in prison awaiting execution by the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great. It is a dialog in alternating prose and verse between Boethius and a personification of Philosophy; this is the sixth verse passage of Book IV, and is spoken by Philosophy.Text Authorship:
- by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480 - 524), no title, appears in De consolatione philosophiae, no. 6 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Henkemans (1913 - 1995), "Alternus amor", 1968, copyright © 1968 [ mixed chorus and orchestra ], from Tre aspetti d'amore, no. 3, Amsterdam: Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2023-04-12
Line count: 48
Word count: 210