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Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was a 6th century nobleman, politician, and most notably-a philosopher. In his lifetime he saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the establishment of the Ostrogoths. He served a year as Consul but eventually came under suspicion of treasonous dealings with the Eastern Roman Empire. King Theodric the Great imprisoned Boethius and eventually executed him. While awaiting his fate in prison Boethius wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, a book about the weighty issues of life. Framed as a dialogue between Boethius and Philosophy (personated by a woman), Boethius discusses inequality and the overruling importance of Providence. Along with his translations of Aristotle and other Greek classics, Boethius' writings had a profound impact on scholars of the Middle Ages.