Above all, this paper explores plotinus unparalleled philosophical eros for henosis union with the one, highlighting his legendary life as recounted by his biographer and disciple porphyry. Marsilio ficino has 63 books on goodreads with 1537 ratings. The heart of the dialogue opens with a challenge by socrates to the elder and revered parmenides and zeno. The influence of proclus part ii interpreting proclus. Marsilio ficino on the maker of the universe filip karfk this essay analyzes marsilio ficinos account on the maker of the universe in his early commentary on platos symposium and with further elements ficino adds to this theory in his platonic theology, on christian religion, and commentary on the timaeus. Socrates and aristodemus go to a party given for agathon, since agathon has just won a contest for the performance of his tragedy. The discussion culminates in a radical challenge to conventional views by plato s mentor, socrates, who advocates transcendence through spiritual love. Responsibility the text and a translation, with an introduction, by sears reynolds jayne. Marsilio ficino 1433 1499 was the major philosopher of the florentine renaissance.
Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Since ficino asserts that love is the basis of magic, and indeed, the key link that ensures the unity of the cosmos, his commentary on. Marsilio ficino stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. A superb example of the bookmaker s and translator s art, this new edition of plato s symposium exhibits aesthetic, literary, and intellectual excellences rarely found together in a single volume. Linked bibliography for the sep article marsilio ficino. The more i read this book, the more i felt as though i was reading st. This bibliography, based on a lustrumtype model, consists of two lists. Marsilio ficino academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. The symposium or banquet, which forms plato s inspiring account of socrates and his fellows discoursing on the nature of love, was translated from the greek into latin by the renaissance scholar, philosopher and astrologer, marsilio ficino. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The first book was written with an audience of melancholic scholars in mind, and. The occasion of the meeting was the reading by zeno of his treatise.
The symposium is a deft interweaving of different viewpoints and ideas about the nature of love as a response to beauty, a cosmic force or a path to goodness. Quite a few comments have been posted about symposium. Ficino completed his translation of the collected works of plato, the first into any western language, in 1469, and in the same year he wrote his famous commentary on platos symposium. Platonis opera tralatione marsilii ficini, emendatione et ad graecum codicem collatione simonis grynaei, nunc recens summa diligentia repurgata. It is widely considered to be one of the more, if not the most, challenging and enigmatic of platos dialogues. The translator and interpreter of the works of both plato and plotinus as well as of various hermetic and neoplatonic texts, ficino was also a musician, priest, magus and psychotherapist, an original philosopher and the author of a vast and important.
For my money a good translation, very readable and entertaining and good forward explaining the work, which i read afterwards. Proclus on the causes of the cosmos and its creation, cambridge. He was an astrologer, a reviver of neoplatonism in touch with the major academics of his. 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 also known by his latin name, 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. Studies in marsilio ficinos metaphysics and its sources. Marsilio ficino s most popular book is commentary on platos symposium on love. Symposium is perhaps platos masterpiece as a work of art, though other dialogues are of greater philosophical import. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.
The parmenides purports to be an account of a meeting between the two great philosophers of the eleatic school, parmenides and zeno of elea, and a young socrates. Marsilio ficinos commentary on platos symposium in. 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. See also note 79, this page, for the marcellus of ancyra reference to eusebius and hermes. Plethon was possibly around 85 years old, so there was just a limitation by age also. Neoplatonic and dionysian versions of negative theology, american catholic philosophical quarterly 82. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian britannica. If there was a magical lifetime achievement award then the person who i think deserves to receive it is my all time favourite archmage, peter j. My first foray into plato and a good place to start an easy going quick read book. Once readers have memorized the core vocabulary list, they will be. For his translation, gethner has aimed at, and achieved.
Apart from the alleged similarities of the fifth book of astronomica by firmicus maternus, incorporated into his own book mathesis, there are very few references to this work. This book is a translation of ficino s tuscan commentary to plato s symposium. The aim of this commentary is to make plato s symposium as accessible as possible to intermediatelevel greek readers so that they may experience the joy, insight, and lasting influence that comes from reading some of the greatest works in classical antiquity in the original greek. The guests decide not to get drunk, but drinking a little and discuss about love. James hillman book, you know marsilio ficino is the godfather of archetypal psychology. Neoplatonic writer marsilio ficino provides further evidence for this idea. Book 4, ch 6 for the son of god according to hermes and ch 9 for the logos. Ficinos labors as a translator provided his greekless contemporaries with access to the greatest works of the ancient platonic tradition. On one level the book deals with the genealogy, nature and purpose of love, on another level the book deals with the topic of knowledge, specifically how does one know what one knows. Another fascinating work, but out of print translation of ficinos work is his commentary on platos symposium translated by sears jayne. Tom griffith s translation of this foundation work of western culture is unsurpassed for the balance it achieves between readability and fidelity to plato s greek. Unfortunately, the accolades bestowed upon him were a bit misplaced.
Ficinos writings, however, are difficult, and there is no single work of his that attained canonical status once the historiography of western. Proclus proclus complete works extant, lost, and spurious. No scholar has penetrated so deeply and so learnedly into ficinos vast project to revive the philosophy of plato. Marsilio ficino 14331499 was one of the luminaries of the florentine renaissance and the scholar responsible for the revival of platonism. Symposium by plato the speech of eryximachus summary and. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else.
Socrates and aristodemus will attend a banquet at agathon, with aristophanes, appolodore, pausanias and eryximachus. Marcilio ficino in medieval and renaissance philosophy. These lists are preceded by a complete directory of sources periodicals, proceedings, studies in honor of and. Marsilio ficinos most popular book is commentary on platos symposium on love. Zalerts allow you to be notified by email about the availability of new books according to your search query. The national endowment for the humanities provided support for entering this text. Philosophical, aesthetic, and political approaches in renaissance platonism. Full text of philosophy of marsilio ficino internet archive. Buy commentary on platos symposium on love by ficino, marsilio, sears jayne isbn. Feb 11, 2016 the symposium or banquet, which forms platos inspiring account of socrates and his fellows discoursing on the nature of love, was translated from the greek into latin by the renaissance scholar, philosopher and astrologer, marsilio ficino. Dec 10, 2015 the symposium plato audiobook the symposium ancient greek.
Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Platos third eye studies in marsilio ficinos metaphysics and its sources, 1st edition. Marsilio ficino renaissance and reformation oxford. Employing his customary method of attack, the reductio ad absurdum, zeno has argued that if as the pluralists say things are many, then they will be both like and unlike. In the preface of his commentary on platos symposium, ficino whispers a secret to his beloved giovanni cavalcanti. Prolegomena to plato s philosophy 12 purification of the doctrines of plato commentary on the gorgias 14 commentary on the phaedo 15 commentary on the theaetetus 16 commentary on the sophist 17 commentary on the phaedrus 18 commentary on the symposium on the discourse of diotima 19 commentary on the philebus 20 on the. Commentary on platos symposium on love by marsilio ficino. Although plotinuss enneads were not generally known until marsilio ficinos latin translation and commentary was published in 1492, plotinuss theories were available in the writings of the pseudodionysius, trandlated into latin in the late ninth century by john scottus eriugena omeara 115.
The aim of this commentary is to make platos symposium as accessible as possible to intermediatelevel greek readers so that they may experience the joy, insight, and lasting influence that comes from reading some of the greatest works in classical antiquity in the original greek. Under the patronage of cosimo medici he translated the complete dialogues of plato from greek to latin for the first time, as well as the enneads of plotinus. Facing each of the 72 pages of john burnet s greek edition of plato s symposium originally published by oxford university press in 1905 is a single page of corresponding vocabulary and intermediate level grammatical commentary. 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. Symposium of plato by plato paperback university of. Symposium is central in platos philosophy, since it talks about love and ideas. Marsilio ficino 14331499 marsilio ficino was a florentine philosopher, translator, and commentator, largely responsible for the revival of plato and platonism in the renaissance. The men there talk and drink and then decide that each should give a speech in praise of the god, love. All display allens characteristic qualities of accurate scholarship, deep learning, literary elegance, and the occasional dash of controlled speculation. Parmenides dialogue wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Add one setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your university s proxy server configure custom proxy use this if your affiliation does not provide a proxy. Parmenides dialogue project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Marsilio ficino and renaisance of platonism neoplatonism. See book 1, ch 6 for hermes knowledge of the one god. Marsilio ficinos commentary on the fatal number in book viii of platos republic. Ficino was not the first translator of plato in the renaissance, but he was the first to translate the entire corpus of platonic works, and to emphasise their relevance for contemporary readers. Nuptial arithmetic marsilio ficinos commentary on the fatal number in book viii of platos republic michael j. Ficino, marsilio internet encyclopedia of philosophy.
His latin version of the dialogues of plato, published in. Apollodorus tells the story of a drinking party or symposium that occurs long ago. Its great range, from discussions of physical love to an almost mystical. Since ficino asserts that love is the basis of magic, and indeed, the key link that ensures the unity of the cosmos, his commentary on plato s renowned work on love is of great interest.
Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. Sept 2014 10 mb this link contains a free pdf copy of plato s symposium. His bestknown definition of the daemonic function is found in the symposium, where diotima instructs socrates that. The question and answer section for symposium by plato is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Since there is reason to believe that the birth of venus hung opposite primavera, there may be a correlation between these two complementary venuses and the notion of twin venuses discussed in ficinos commentary on platos symposium. Platos symposium greek and latin texts with facing. A long time ago, dear giovanni, i learned from orpheus that love existed, and that it held the keys to the whole world. There is so much more that could be said i could discuss how iamblichus influenced ficinos interpretations of plato and paved the way for his. Definitions of parmenides dialogue, synonyms, antonyms, derivatives of parmenides dialogue, analogical dictionary of parmenides dialogue english. Benardete apollodorus, in my own opinion, i am not unprepared for what you ask about. This is an automatically generated and experimental page. Anne deborah raphael sheppard royal holloway university.
Marsilio ficinos interpretation of plato s sophist, edited and translated by michael j. Ficinos is a wisdom received through reading platos symposium, making this philosophical treatise truly a text for todays philosophers, lovers of wisdom. Another fascinating work, but out of print translation of ficino s work is his commentary on plato s symposium translated by sears jayne. I entered into unknowing, yet when i saw myself there. Graece ad editionem henrici stephani accurate expressa. Book 2, ch 15 on the origin of demons and ch 16 for the protection from demons available to the faithful. Marsilio ficino, pietro bembo, baldassare castiglione.
Books by marsilio ficino author of commentary on platos. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. What emerges is a difference ficino makes between the. Symposium by plato, part of the internet classics archive. Full text of plato s symposium see other formats plato symposium trans. So, who abides in charity abides in god and remains ever in joy. Georgius gemistus plethon text only aeclectic tarot forum. The symposium is a collection of dinner conversations in the subject of love and whilst very of its time, still relevant today. Ive always been a big fan of the symposium and the phaedrus and marsilio ficino is supposed to be one of the top plato commentators of alltime.
This book is a translation of ficinos tuscan commentary to platos symposium. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable men attending a banquet. The first reference since maternus, other than biographical, is from ficinos use of it in the commentary on platos symposium.
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