A book of consolation (Greek lógos paramythetikós, Latin consolatio, French consolation, German Trostschrift, Italian discorso consolatorio) is a literary genre that deals with appropriate behavior in the face of human suffering – especially with reference to death. In general the consolation literature of antiquity aimed at mitigating and marginalizing the factors producing suffering; a prime example is Seneca’s Ad Helviam matrem de con…