Marsilio ficino, born october 19, 1433, figline, republic of florence italydied october 1, 1499, careggi, near florence, 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 and the relig ion of the philosophers the harvard community has made this article openly available. 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. The platonic theology is a visionary work and the philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus who was largely. In the meantime he is fully occupied with his work on. Harvard university press platonic theology volume 3. 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. Life, style of philosophy, the platonic academy ficino was born on 19 october, 1433, in figline valdarno, a small community southeast of florence, to his mother alexandra the daughter of a florentine citizen and her husband, dietifeci ficino. Ficino, marsilio, michael jb allen, and james hankins. 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 work, translated into english for the first time, is a key to understanding the art, thought, culture, and spirituality of the renaissance.
Inspired to love, two peoplespecifically two men, for ficino did not consider women capable of. The platonic theology is a visionary work and the philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus who was. 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. Ficino wrote it between 1469 and 1474 and it was published in 1482. In 1491 marsilio will see his platonic theology, which first appeared in print nine years earlier, republished in venice, together with a revised edition of his latin translations of platos dialogues.
Marsilio ficino s influence in the early modern world was vast, reaching into the realms of literature and art, theology and philosophy, science and magic. Latin text edited by james hankins with william bowen. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian. James hankins marsilio ficino on reminiscentia and the transmigration of souls in the middle of the eighteenth and last book of his platonic theology 1482, marsilio ficino makes a rather cryptic remark. Marsilio ficino was not merely a philosopher but also a priest and a theologian, and contrary to much of the 20th century literature on ficinos philosophy, his goal was not to subordinate christian doctrine to platonic philosophy in order to. Description of the book platonic theology, volume 5, books xvxvi i tatti renaissance library. A summa theologica, it was a summa philosophica and a summa platonica, a bold. Marsilio ficino and the relig ion of the philosophers. 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.
John monfasani gives a detailed and careful analysis of his position in the great platoaristotle controversy, a philosophical genre with roots in middle platonism that flourished anew in the renaissance following the heated exchanges among pletho, george of trebizond, and bessarion. Ficino was the preeminent platonist of his time and a distinguished philosopher, schol. A student of the neoplatonic schools of plotinus and proclus, he was committed to reconciling platonism with christianity, in the hope that such a. Marsilio ficino calls the soul the bond of the world copula mundi, because. Yet until now, his principal philosophical work, the platonic theology, has been unavailable in english. Pdf the gaze of the soul and of the angel in the renaissance. Although ficino is commonly known as a translator and keen reader of the philosophical. View marsilio ficino and renaissance revival of plato research papers on academia. International society for neoplatonic studies directory of scholars, organization information, recent publications, conferences, journal articles. Studies in the platonism of marsilio ficino and giovanni. 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.
He was an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism in touch with the major academics of his day and the first translator of platos complete. Marsilio ficino and renaissance revival of plato research. Marsilio ficinos influence in the early modern world was vast, reaching into the realms of literature and art, theology and philosophy, science and magic. Ficino, marsilio article about ficino, marsilio by the. Trattato sullamore di marsilio ficino ispirato al convivio simposio di platone. Sopra lo amore ovvero convito di platone by marsilio ficino 14331499 publication date 19140101 usage public domain mark 1. Marsilio ficino stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. 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. The i tatti renaissance library harvard university press. Grouped into three sections, they cover such topics as priesthood, the influence of hermetic monism, plotinus and. Marsilio ficino 14331499 lived and worked at a time when the. Latin text edited by james hankins with william bowen harvard university press.
Fifteen of these essays by one of the leading authorities on renaissance platonism explore the complex philosophical, hermeneutical, and mythological issues addressed by the florentine, marsilio ficino 143399. The problems that taxed the minds of people during the renaissance were much the same as those confronting us today. Angels in ficinos theology are motionless, like xed stars which maintain. Marsilio ficinos a theological dialogue between god and. Pdf the renaissance rediscovered the soul as the focus of the universe. Marsilio ficino 14331499 marsilio ficino was a florentine philosopher, translator, and commentator, largely responsible for the revival of plato and platonism in the renaissance. Theologia platonica by marsilio ficino 5 editions first published in 1965 not in library. Ficino introduced the phrase platonic love, by which he meant a relationship that included both the physical and the spiritual.
Marsilio ficino on reminiscentia and the transmigration of. Averroes and aquinas in ficino s platonic theology article pdf available in vivarium 474. Platonic theology, volume 1, books iiv the i tatti renaissance library. Platonic theology, volume 2 marsilio ficino, james hankins, william r. Platonic theology is the visionary and philosophical masterpiece of marsilio ficino 14331499, the florentine scholarphilosophermagus largely responsible for the renaissance revival of plato. Books 58 by marsilio ficino, translated by michael j. The second set of works emphasizes ficinos philosophical contributions. It has been described as ficinos philosophical masterpiece. His most important original writings include theologia platonica platonic theology, 1469. Primary texts international society for neoplatonic studies. Hermetic roots of marsilio ficinos anthropocentric thought. Marsilio ficino was a florentine philosopher, translator, and commentator, largely responsible for the revival of plato and platonism in the renaissance.
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