This article points out that the field of modern Translation Studies tends to focus on textual studies of modern translations and then argues that old translations may equally well serve to illustrate translation strategies. Referring to the concept of “equivalence”, the author draws attention to the translation of the Latin philosopher Boethius by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. There are two attested contemporary references to Chaucer’s translations. The author discusses the choice of the source text and various translation strategies used by Chaucer. They range from word-by-word renditions over glosses to underlying philosophical issues. The author concludes that Chaucer chose a “close” translation strategy in order to render the meaning of the source text.