The Individual in the Afterlife: Theological and Sociopolitical Concerns in King Alfred's Translation of Augustine's Soliloquies

Abstract

This article argues that Alfred's translation of Augustine's Soliloquia provides vital insight into Alfred's own philosophical positions in areas where the Alfredian voice differs from the Augustinian: philosophical concerns, especially those surrounding the self and free will; theological arguments, particularly regarding the immortality of the soul and the survival of its individuality; and socio-political issues, specifically the relationship between the social order in Alfred's kingdom and the order of Creation. While a number of critics have used a social constructionist approach to examine the self in Alfred's Soliloquies, this article frames both Augustine's and Alfred's views from the point of view of naturalized phenomenology, concluding that Alfred's phenomenological and epistemological desires are different from Augustine's. These disagreements can be found in the “fissures” that emerge in Alfred's translation, places where a space is created in the Augustinian text and filled with material from other patristic sources or Alfred's own words. In making these changes, it appears that Alfred is asserting his own self, desires, and beliefs over and above Augustine's, emphasizing the things of this world in ways that seem to contradict Augustine's own theory of use and enjoyment. Rather than being a minor translation to be read alongside the Boethius, Alfred's Soliloquies are an important touchstone in the development of medieval philosophy.