Ficino, Marsilio

(1433– 99)

   Philosopher and Mystic.

   Ficino was born near Florence. Under the patronage of Cosimo de’ Medici, he studied Greek philosophy and by 1477 he had translated all the dialogues of Plato. He was the founder of the Platonic Academy in Florence, which became an important intellectual centre. In 1473 he was ordained and in 1477 he published his De Religione Christiana, an original synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian theology. He believed that philosophy and theology were parallel paths leading to ultimate reality. On one occasion he maintained that ‘philosophy and religion are sisters’. Subsequently he produced his Theologia Platonica de Immortalitate Animorum. He also translated the works of Plotinus and Pseudo-dionysius. Ficino’s influence was enormous. His translations became standard works; he conducted a correspondence with John colet and it was largely through his efforts that the leading European scholars of his time became familiar with the writings of the Greek philosophers.

   M.J.B. Allen, The Platonism of Marsilio Ficino: A Study of his Phaedrus Commentary (1984);

   P.O. Kristell, The Philosophy of Marsilio Ficino (1943).