Philosophia

Philosophia (Love of Wisdom), the Lady Philosophy, known as The Comforter, a savior figure for humanity. She appeared to Boethius (c480-524) while imprisoned, described in his Consolation of Philosophy as a statuesque woman holding books and a scepter, a "dialectical physician" who treated the soul.

She was queen over seven sub-goddesses -- the biblical Seven Pillars of Wisdom. These were the Seven Philosophies: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Axiology, Ethics, Logic, Aesthetics, and Political Philosophy.

Philoosphia leads the Seven Liberal Arts: Astronomy, Music, Arithmetic, Geometry, Rhetoric, Logic and Grammar.

Philosophia visits Boethius in prison (circa 1200). When Boethius was imprisoned, Lady Philosophy came to him often to teach and guide him toward the deepest truths of fate, free will, foreknowledge, providence, virtue, governance, and happiness, resulting in the enrichment and purity of one's soul.

Illumination from Boece's Book of Consolations, 1477. The Roman goddess Fortuna is half white, half black, as one never knows whether the luck she provides is good or bad. In this context, she is the same as the goddess Phama (Fame) who an bless one with high repute or curse one with low. Beloved Wisdom (Philosophia) on the other hand is purely white. Of Her, Boethius writes, "She is whiter than ivory, so I can love no other; there is no cure for me! Oh, my fine lady! Love me, God Damn, I swear by the head of St Gregory, I'll die if she'll not kiss me!"

Philosophia aka Sapientia, by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), from Quatuor libri amorum secundum quatuor latera Germanie (Four Books on Love According to the Four Courners of Germany, 1502).

medieval manuscript illustration of Sapientia (Sophia) as "Mother of the Sciences" nursing scholars/scientists. The scholars are holding hands and one of them's making googy eyes at the other. Sophia's embracing arms protects them from the Inquisition.

Philosophia, by engraver Raphael Morghen (1758-1833) from a 1508 fresco by Raffael. She is shown flanked by statues of Artemis of Ephesus who had become a masonic symbol.