It is true, that the bishop of Pavia wanted to purchase of him an old house at Milan, and praise might be tendered and accepted in part of payment.

* Note: Gibbon translated vitro, marble; under the impression, no doubt that glass was unknown .-- M.] [Footnote 93: Pagi, Muratori, &c., are agreed that Boethius himself was consul in the year 510, his two sons in 522, and in 487, perhaps, his father.

A desire of ascribing the last of these consulships to the philosopher had perplexed the chronology of his life.

In his honors, alliances, children, he celebrates his own felicity--his past felicity, (p.

109 110)] A philosopher, liberal of his wealth and parsimonious of his time, might be insensible to the common allurements of ambition, the thirst of gold and employment.