Chaucer did not English Boethius second-hand, through any early French version, as some have supposed, but made his translation with the Latin original before him.
Jean de Méung's version, the only early French translation, perhaps, accessible to Chaucer, is not always literal, while the present translation is seldom free or periphrastic, but conforms closely to the Latin, and is at times awkwardly literal. A few passages, taken haphazard, will make this sufficiently clear.
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Et dolor œtatem jussit inesse suam. And sorou haþ comaunded his age to be in me (p. 4).
Et ma douleur commanda a vieillesse Entrer en moy / ains quen fust hors ieunesse. -
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Mors hominum felix, quœ se nec dulcibus annis
Inserit, et mœstis sœpe vocata venit.
Þilke deeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þat ben swete (i. mirie). but comeþ to wrecches often yclepid. (p. 4)
On dit la mort des homes estre eureuse Qui ne vient pas en saison plantureuse Mais des tristes moult souuent appellee Elle y affuit nue / seche et pelee. -
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Querimoniam lacrymabilem. Wepli compleynte (p. 5). Fr. ma complainte moy esmouuant a pleurs.
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Styli officio. Wiþ office of poyntel (p. 5). Fr. (que ie reduisse) par escript.
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Inexhaustus. Swiche ... þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid (p. 5). Fr. inconsumptible.
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Scenicas meretriculas. Comune strumpetis of siche a place þat men clepen þe theatre (p. 6). Fr. ces ribaudelles fardees.
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Prœcipiti profundo. In ouer-þrowyng depnesse (p. 7).
[L]As que la pensee de lomme Est troublee et plongie comme En abisme precipitee Sa propre lumiere gastee. -
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Nec pervetusta nec incelebris. Neyþer ouer-oolde ne vnsolempne (p. 11). Fr. desquelz la memoire nest pas trop ancienne ou non recitee.
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Inter secreta otia. Among my secre restyng whiles (p. 14). Fr. entre mes secrettes et oyseuses estudes.
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Palatini canes. Þe houndys of þe palays (p. 15). Fr. les chiens du palais.