Metaphysically, then, all things work towards the Good despite appearances. As a spiritual affirmation and an ethical exhortation in the face of injustice and suffering, the Consolation would stand as a remarkable work. For Boethius, however, Philosophia's task is only half completed. The patient is purified of sickness and error, and he is now ready for full understanding. Since all things are governed by the Good which is their ultimate nature, one might say that the wicked are evil, but one cannot say categorically that they are.
Evil is a negation of being, and the wicked negate their own existence.
In this sense, evil is a weakness, not a power, and this is why evil individuals invariably punish themselves just by being evil. One cannot fully grasp why good men can suffer whilst evil men seem to rule without first understanding the possibility of divine foreknowledge and human free will. Though these concepts seem to be incompatible, they are not. Providence is divine reason prior to time, whilst Fate is order unfolded in time. Evil is therefore a problem of understanding, not a disharmony in the world.