What might be some of the reasons Boethius decided to include verse in The Consolation of Philosophy? What effect does the alternation of prose and verse have on the structure and tone of the book?

What are some possible reasons why Boethius decided to present his book in dialogue form with a personified Philosophy? In what ways would the book have been different if it were a straight philosophical treatise without characters and dialogue?

Much debate about Boethius has centered on the quality of his Christian faith. Do you think that Christian ideas are present in Consolation, despite the lack of explicit references to Christianity or the Bible? If so, cite some examples. If not, explain Boethius’s choice to exclude Christian ideas.