Antonio di bartolommeo miscomini, 7 november, 1482. The book is well organized, his prose is clear, he defines his terms and summarizes his predecessors well, and his examples are cogent. This is sixvolume edition and translation of ficinos eighteenbook platonic theology. On popular platonismgiovanni pico with elia del medigo. Though an ordained priest, he was also a practicing astrologer and magician whose daunting lifes work was to reconcile religious faith with philosophical reason which included integrating pagan magical practice with christianity. Two years earlier, in 1482, ficino had published the platonica theologia, in which he set out to prove the harmony between christian theology and platonism.
Linked bibliography for the sep article marsilio ficino. Although it does not go beyond the confines officinos perspective and is governed by standards of historical accuracy, it makes explicit in its explanation officino. Marsilio ficino project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. 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. Books 14 is a visionary work of the florentine scholarphilosophermagus, marsilio ficino, who was largely responsible for the renaissance revival of plato. Marsilio ficino academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. A student of the neoplatonic schools of plotinus and proclus, he was committed to reconciling platonism with christianity, in the. Divini platonis opera omnia marsilio ficino interprete. Sep 22, 2006 ficino refused to let pico see his recently composed platonic theology until he returned ficino s copy of mahomet. This work, translated into english for the first time, is a key to understanding the art, thought, culture, and spirituality of the renaissance.
Ficino thought of the presocratics as authorities and possessors of undisputed wisdom. Full text of marsilio ficino, philosopher, and head of the platonic academy of florence see other formats ho\oler thef, mutilation, and underlining of books zl,rt p philosopher, and head of the platonic. Ficino, marsilio article about ficino, marsilio by the free. The letters between pico della mirandola and himself seem to reveal most about ficinos nature 7. He exhibited great interest in platonism and neoplatonism, but also endeavoured to recover understudied philosophical traditions of the ancient world. Marsilio ficino is well known for his efforts to expand the philosophical canon of his time.
Studies in the platonism of marsilio ficino and giovanni pico variorum. A student of the neoplatonic schools of plotinus and proclus, ficino was committed to reconciling platonism with christianity, in the hope that such a reconciliation would initiate a spiritual revival and a return of the golden age. Harvard university press platonic theology volume 3. Ficino refused to let pico see his recently composed platonic theology until he returned ficinos copy of mahomet. This article seeks to explore the way in which ficino treated the philosophy of heraclitus in the theologia platonica in order to formulate his own philosophical ideas. 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. Ficino thought of the presocratics as authorities and possessors. Comando comandi and luca di san gimignano, carried out ficinos early. Theologia platonica immortalitate animorum abebooks. The 1 tatti renaissance library ames hankins, general editor ficino platonic theology 1 volume itrl 2 the 1 tatti renaissance library james hankins, general editor editorial board michael j. Ficino even has an entire book of the platonic theology devoted to refuting avveroistic ideas, in which the lions share of argumentation harks back in content, if not always in form, to thomas aquinas and the scholastic tradition.
Full text of marsilio ficino, philosopher, and head of. The natural magic of marsilio ficino historical dance. Marsilio ficino 14331499 marsilio ficino was a florentine philosopher, translator, and commentator, largely responsible for the revival of plato and platonism in the renaissance. A series of studies investigates under different points of view the idea of platonic theology as defined by ficino, but also in the forms it assumed before and after his work. It has been described as ficinos philosophical masterpiece. For ficino, the notion that one should combine book learning with good. May 18, 2017 marsilio ficino 19 october 1433 1 october 1499 an italian scholar and catholic priest who was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early italian renaissance wikipedia. Books 58 by marsilio ficino, translated by michael j. He was an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism in touch with the major academics of his day and the first translator of platos complete. Impressum florentie per antonium miscominum anno salutis.
Marsilius ficinus october 19, 1433 october 1, 1499 was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early italian renaissance, an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism who was in touch with every major academic thinker and writer of his day, and the first translator of platos complete extant works into latin. This book presents a philosophical position examined philosophically. A student of the neoplatonic schools of plotinus and proclus, he. Istituto nazionale di studi sul rinascimento atti di convegni 27 cm 17 x 24, viii320 pp. Marsilio ficino 143399 combined elements drawn from different. Theologia platonica by marsilio ficino 5 editions first published in 1965 not in library. Ficino, marsilio article about ficino, marsilio by the. Platonism and thomism in marsilio ficinos platonic theology ardis b. The platonic theology was a work of synthesis, but not of systematic philosophy. Marsilio ficino and the relig ion of the philosophers. Between 1469 and 1474 he composed his theologia platonica platonic theology. Platonic theology is the visionary and philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus largely responsible for the renaissance revival of plato. Offering a probable account of the creation and nature of the cosmos, the discussion incorporates such questions as what is the function of arithmetic and geometry in the design of. Kristeller the scholastic background of marsilio ficino, 4550, 52, 93, n.
Marsilio ficino was an italian scholar and catholic priest who was one of the most influential. Marsilio ficinos commentary on the fatal number in book viii of platos republic. True, the book examines in some detail ficinos relation to his platonic and scholastic sources, and this is an issue of primary interest to those who study the history of culture or the his torical development of philosophy. Sopra lo amore o ver convito di platone by marsilio ficino 2 editions first published in 1914. Trattato sullamore di marsilio ficino ispirato al convivio simposio di platone. Snyder, marsilio ficino and frane pe230 tric on the ontological priority when it comes to petrics endorsement of the prisca theologia, his belief in the existence of an anima mundi, and in his acceptance of other hermetic and neoplatonic doctrines and themes. Platonic theology, volume 1 marsilio ficino, james. Isbn 0520081439 ernst cassirer, paul oskar kristeller, john herman randall, jr.
Ficino, the platonic theology 1482 and the three books on life 1492. Marsilio ficino on plato, the neoplatonists and the christian. The platonic theology is a visionary work and the philosophical masterpi. In he was accused of magic before pope innocent viii 1 and needed strong defense to preserve him from the condemnation of. Marsilio ficino e il ritorno di ermete trismegisto marsilio ficino and the return of hermes trismegistus, florence.
Marsilio ficino on plato, the neoplatonists and the christian doctrine ofthe trinity bymichaelj. Ficino s immeasurable contribution to the intellectual tradition of philosophy, astrology and theology cannot be disregarded. Marsilio ficino 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. This edition thus brings together the most important renaissance interpretation of platonism with the fundamental texts. The natural magic of marsilio ficino angela voss marsilio ficino of florence 143399 is chiefly remembered for his role as the head of the platonic academy, a cultural centre where the foremost artists and humanists of the day gathered to promote a new renaissance attitude towards philosophy, religion and the arts. Books iiv volume 2 of i tatti renaissance library volume 1 of platonic theology, marsilio ficino, isbn 0674007646, 9780674007642. A renaissance humanist and leader of the florentine platonic academy whose wideranging interests encompassed philosophy, music, medicine, astrology, and magic, marsilio ficino 143399 is best known for having initiated the renaissance revival of plato. Medicine heals the body, music the spirit, and theology the soul. Snyder, the theory of materia prima in marsilio ficinos platonic theology, vivarium 47 2008.
For a discussion of ficinos theory of matter, see james g. Featuring philosophical commentary from marsilio ficino a leading scholar of the italian renaissance who translated all the works of plato into latin this work is the first english translation of ficino s commentary of platos dialogue between the philosopher parmenides and the youthful socrates. Marsilio ficino on plato, the neoplatonists and the. Il filosofo, qui riprende il rapporto tra luno e il molteplice di plotino, interpretandolo in chiave cristiana. Nos autem in omnibus, quae scribimus, eatenus affirmari a nobis aliisque volumus, quatenus christianorum theologorum concilio videatur. It has been described as ficino s philosophical masterpiece. In that same year, ficino had completed a latin translation of the platonic dialogues, which were quickly devoured bytheflorentineliterati,includingficinosfriendandgenerouspatronlorenzodemedici,whohadrecentlyaccededtopoweroverthe florentinerepublic. First edition of ficinos masterpiece of renaissance theology, arguing for the immortality of the human soul, using platonic works as a foundation.
Aside from this work and his commentaries, the most important source for ficinos philosophy is his letters, which he began to collect around 1473. In the rush of enthusiasm for every rediscovery from antiquity, he exhibited a great interest in the arts of astrology, which landed him in trouble with the catholic church. Marsilio ficino 14331499 is a familiar figure to students of renaissance philosophy, well known as a transmitter of many aspects of the platonic heritage. Fragments of marsilio ficinos translations and use of. 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. Marsilio ficino, italian philosopher, theologian, and linguist whose. Ficino saw his platonic theology, his magnum opus, as a christian corrective to the great postplotinian synthesis of proclus, the antichristian later platonist, whose own platonic theology so entranced ficino, mixing as it did religious ritual with mentalistic spiritual exercise, esoteric sympatheiai with scholastic, exegetical platonism. Marsilio ficino and frane petric on the ontological.
Allen and john warden, edited byjames hankins, william bowen i tatti renaissance library, 4. In the original platonic theology ficino wrote what he called 18 books, but tattis book 1 here, contains a translation of books 14. Diaccetos student, giovanni di bardo corsi, produced a short biography of. Ficino, marsilio internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Not only did he bring the past into the present, he did so in a way that brought new consideration to what he understood to be the purpose of philosophy. The book, chapter and paragraph divisions follow that of m. Titian, portrait of pope paul iii, 1543, museo di capodimonte, naples. Marsilio ficino was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early italian renaissance. Marsilio ficino stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. I have expanded abbreviations and diacritics, repunctuated and adopted the uv distinction. If one were to consider what platos primary interests were, they would be. Of his original writings the theologia platonica 1482.
Project muse marsilio ficinos critique of the lucretian. He was also an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism in touch with every major academic thinker and writer of his day citation needed and. October 19, 1433 october 1, 1499 was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early italian renaissance, an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism. Marsilio ficino on reminiscentia and the transmigration of souls. Ficino translated into latin works of plato published 1484, plotinus, iamblichus, proclus, porphyry, and psellus, as well as some of the areopagites. Allen we are accustomed to thinking of marsilio ficino i4331499 as the great renaissance champion of plato from a christian point of view and the leader of those who wished to effect an accommodation between platonism or more accurately. However, in ficinos thought, this issue is also a philosophical issue.
Platonic theology ficino the platonic theology latin. Arnaldo della torre, storia dellaccademia platonica di firenze florence, 1902, p. 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. Marsilio ficino 14331499 e giovanni pico della mirandola 14631494 sono artefici e promotori di tale palingenesi filosofica. Ficino article about ficino by the free dictionary. Book on the christian religion are the most significant. I find that stylistically and in terms of content ficino s platonic theology is far and away superior to aquinas summa. A summa theologica, it was a summa philosophica and a summa platonica. The letters between pico della mirandola and himself seem to reveal most about ficino s nature 7. 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. Platonic theology by marsilio ficino, theologia platonica.
Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian britannica. Marsilio ficino, a leading scholar of the italian renaissance who translated all the works of plato into latin, examines platos timaeus, the most widely influential and hotly debated of the platonic writings. Ficino to remove marsilio from the studies of greek and philosophy in favor of those of. Ficino wrote it between 1469 and 1474 and it was published in 1482. Ficino, marsilio religion, spiritualism, and occult the florentine philosopher marsilio ficino 14331499 is chiefly remembered for his revival of platonic philosophy into the christian west, but has been generally less recognized for his radical revisioning of the very premises of traditional astrology.
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