Abstract
This thesis sought to fill a gap in the current understanding of the rhetorical theory and practice coming out of Late Antiquity. An artifact that aided this goal was the Consolation of Philosophy that presented an opportunity to explore how rhetoric both adapted to and reflected the challenges of the period. Kenneth Burke’s (1941) cluster analysis method and Hans-Georg Gadamer’s (Linge, 2008) hermeneutic methodology reveal that the author Boethius employed classical conceptions of logic and the Roman consolatory tradition to describe his experience of life, incarceration, and betrayal. These concepts were then molded through an Orthodox lens of how the world functions. In doing so, the Consolation of Philosophy crafted philosophy as a guide to life with the Divine, beyond earthly concerns. Thus, this thesis provides a new frame of understanding for the rhetoric of Late Antiquity.