Marsilio ficino on the history of platonic interpretation, florence, 1998, pp. Fragments of marsilio ficinos translations and use of. Marsilio ficino on saturn, the plotinian mind, and the. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content love and natural desire in ficinos platonic theology ardis b. He exhibited great interest in platonism and neoplatonism, but also endeavoured to recover understudied philosophical traditions of the ancient world.
Marsilio ficino 143399 combined elements drawn from different philosophical, religious, and literary traditions to become one of the most famous philosophers of the italian renaissance. It limits its discussion of ficino s theory to the ontological and epistemic status of prime matter in his platonic theology. Platonic theology, volume 2 marsilio ficino, james hankins, william r. Marsilio ficino and frane petric on the ontological priority of matter and space abstract this paper is a comparison of some of the central ontological claims on the nature of prime matter of the renaissance platonist marsilio ficino, and the nature of space of frane. Ficino wrote it between 1469 and 1474 and it was published in 1482. Therefore, to examine the relationship between platonism and thomism in ficinos thought is to examine ficinos position on the unity of philosophy and theology. The platonic theology is a visionary work and the philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus who was largely responsible for the renaissance revival of plato a student of the neoplatonic schools of plotinus and proclus, he was committed to reconciling platonism with christianity, in the hope that such a reconciliation would initiate a. For a more ambitious list of books by platonists, here is a booklist covering platonism and subjects which a platonist, even if he or she disagrees with, should ponder. Paul oskar kristeller, eight philosophers of the italian renaissance. The inner cosmos of cardinal alessandro farnese on the astronomical ceiling fresco of sala del mappamondo at caprarola by renata r. Ficino introduced the phrase platonic love, by which he meant a relationship that included both the physical and the spiritual. Marsilio ficino 14331499 lived and worked at a time when the. Stanford university press stanford california, 1964 chapter 3, ficino, pp. Inspired to love, two peoplespecifically two men, for ficino did not consider women capable of.
Semantic scholar extracted view of marsilio ficinos astral psychology. The high priest of the renaissance marsilio ficino was one of the most famous and influential people of the italian renaissance yet today, he is hardly a footnote in history. He was also an astrologer and a reviver of neoplatonism who was in touch with every major academic thinker and writer of his day, and became the first translator of. Marsilio ficino 143399 combined elements drawn from different. Harvard university press platonic theology volume 3. Marsilio ficino, five questions concerning the mind, pp. Marsilio ficino stanford encyclopedia of philosophy.
Pdf the theory of materia prima in marsilio ficinos. Primary texts international society for neoplatonic studies. Ficino s writings, however, are difficult, and there is no single work of his that attained canonical status once the historiography of western. Platonic theology, volume 1 marsilio ficino, james. His theology, his philosophy, his legacy michael j. Latin text edited by james hankins with william bowen harvard university press. Marsilio ficino 14331499 is best known for writing the platonica theologica. First, it discusses the relation of philosophy to theology in the pt, concluding that. Ficino, marsilio internet encyclopedia of philosophy.
Marsilio ficino 14331499 marsilio ficino was a florentine philosopher, translator, and commentator, largely responsible for the revival of plato and platonism in the renaissance. Ficino, marsilio 14331499, italian philosopher and writer, was born at figline, in the upper arno valley, in the year 1433. The platonic theology is a work consisting of eighteen books by marsilio ficino. Marsilio ficino is well known for his efforts to expand the philosophical canon of his time. Selected letters of marsilio ficino, published by inner traditions. And the 1 splendor of christian theology is thomas aquinas. Ficino refused to let pico see his recently composed platonic theology until he returned ficinos copy of mahomet. Books 58 by marsilio ficino, translated by michael j. His most important original writings include theologia platonica platonic theology, 1469.
This work, translated into english for the first time, is a key to understanding the art, thought, culture, and spirituality of the renaissance. Ficino, the platonic theology 1482 and the three books on life 1492. Platonic theology is the visionary and philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus largely responsible for the renaissance revival of plato. Ficino, marsilio the catholic encyclopedia religionfacts. International society for neoplatonic studies directory of scholars, organization information, recent publications, conferences, journal articles. Marsilio ficino, born in florence in 1433, was one of the greatest exemplars of the renaissance as a rebirth of classical learning. Although ficino is commonly known as a translator and keen reader of the philosophical. In book 15 of his platonic theology on the immortality of the soul, marsilio ficino names averroes and the averroists as his opponents, though he does not say which particular averroists he has in. Abstract this paper is an examination of the theory of materia prima of the fifteenth century platonist marsilio ficino. Astrology for ficino could only be justified if it was used in this way, if its framework of techniques and the physical reality of its symbols provided the ritual container for the human soul to free itself from the limitations of a material consciousness, and begin to know itself as an image of god. The i tatti renaissance library harvard university press. Italian philosopher marsilio ficino devoted a lifetime to the study of the works of plato and their interpretation in the context of christian theology. It has been described as ficino s philosophical masterpiece.
Between 1469 and 1474 he composed his theologia platonica platonic theology, which. He was an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism in touch with the major academics of his day and the first translator of platos complete. Latin text edited by james hankinswithwilliambowen. Quamobrem quisquis platonica, quae iamdiu omnia latina feci, diligentissime legerit, consequetur quidem cuncta, sed duo. Vasoli, il mito dei prisci theologi come ideologia della renovatio, in his quasi sit deus studi su marsilio ficino, lecce, 1999, pp.
See patrizia castelli, marsilio ficino e i luoghi della memoria, in marsilio ficino e il ritorno di platone, ed. Pleasure, in fact, is the seasoning of things, the bait of love, stimulus to genius, nourishment of the will, and the power of memory. Marsilio ficino, italian philosopher, theologian, and linguist whose translations and commentaries on the writings of plato and other classical greek authors generated the florentine platonist renaissance that influenced european thought for two centuries. Marsilio ficino is widely recognized as a leader of the renaissance. According to ficino, love is the desire for beauty, which is the image of the divine. Ficinos writings, however, are difficult, and there is no single work of his that attained canonical status once the historiography of western.
Theologia platonica is also known as the climax of ficinos philosophy of man. Google books theologia platonica, edited by gilles gourbin, paris, 1559 latin, full text. Ficino discusses this doctrine at length because he is convinced that it is essentially connected to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which is the overall theme of theplatonic theology. Medicine heals the body, music the spirit, and theology the soul. Allen and john warden, edited byjames hankins, william bowen i tatti renaissance library, 4. The letters between pico della mirandola and himself seem to reveal most about ficinos nature 7.
His theology, his philosophy, his legacy brills studies in intellectual history, 108. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian. Ficino was the leader of the florentine platonic academy and translator of many neoplatonic and hermetic works, including at the. Ficino thought of the presocratics as authorities and possessors. Catholic encyclopedia 19marsilio ficino wikisource. Three books on life medieval and renaissance texts and.
Among his many students was francesco cattani da diacceto, who was considered by ficino to be his successor as the head of the florentine platonic academy. Marsilio ficinos relationship to the hermetic literary tradition has long. The italian philosopher and humanist marsilio ficino 14331499 influenced renaissance thought through his translation and explication of the works of plato. The eleventh book of ficinosplatonic theologyis entirely devoted to the doctrine of the ideas.
Marsilio ficino and frane petric on the ontological. Ficino s primary aim in platonic theology was to present a series of philosophical arguments for the immortality of the soul, a. Marsilio ficino was born at figline near florence on oct. Ficino follows this line of thought in speaking of the human soul, which he considered as the image of the godhead, a part of the great chain of existence coming forth from god and leading back to the same source, giving us at the same time a view of. The platonic theology, his commentaries on plato and plotinus, argumenta. And so, when marsilio ficino finished his platonic theology on the im the platonic theology is one of ficinos two most important achievements. Hermetic roots of marsilio ficinos anthropocentric thought. Allen, valery rees, martin davies this volume consists of 21 essays on marsilio ficino 143399, the florentine scholar, philosopher and priest who was the architect of renaissance platonism and whose longlasting influence on philosophy, love and music theory, medicine. The present paper discusses the question of marsilio ficinos lost translations of proclus elements of physics and elements of theology. He has been widely recognized by historians of philosophy for his defense of the immortality of the soul, as well as for his translations of plato, plotinus, and the hermetic corpus from greek to latin.
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