Marsilio Ficino: His Theology, His Philosophy, His Legacy

MARSILIO FICINO: HIS THEOLOGY, HIS PHILOSOPHY, HIS LEGACY BRILL'S STUDIES IN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY General Editor A J. VANDERJAGT, University of Groningen Editorial Board M. COLISH, Oberlin College J.I. ISRAEL, University College, London J.D. NORTH, University of Groningen R.H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis-UCLA VOLUME 108 MARSILIO FIGINO: HIS THEOLOGY, HIS PHILOSOPHY, HIS LEGACY EDITED BY MICHAEL J. B. ALLEN AND VALERY REES WITH MARTIN DAVIES BRILL LEIDEN • BOSTON • KOLN 2002 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Cover illustration: Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbiittel: Cod. Guelf. 73 Aug.2° (fol. 2r) - detail Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Marsilio Ficino : his theology, his philosophy, his legacy / edited by Michael J.B. Allen and Valery Rees with Martin Davies. p. cm. — (Brill's studies in intellectual history, ISSN 0920-8607 ; v. 109) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9004118551 (alk. paper) 1. Ficino, Marsilio, 1433-1499. I. Allen, Michael J. B. II. Rees, Valery, 1947- III. Davies, Martin, 1951 - IV Series. B785.F434M372001 186'.4—dc21 2001043429 Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsau£nahme Marsilio Ficino : his theology, his philosophy, his legacy / ed. by Michael J.B. Allen - Leiden ; Boston ; Koln : Brill, 2001 (Brill's studies in intellectual history ; Vol. 108) ISBN 90-04-11855-1 ISSN 0920-8607 ISBN 9004118551 © Copyright 2002 by Koninklijke Brill NV,Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy itemsfor internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix List of Illustrations xi Introduction Michael J. B. Allen xiii PART I Ficino the Priest Peter Serracino-Inglott 1 The Camaldolese Academy: Ambrogio Traversari, Marsilio Ficino and the Christian Platonic Tradition Dennis F. Lackner 15 Marsilio Ficino as a Christian Thinker: Theological Aspects of his Platonism Jorg Lauster 45 Late Antiquity and Florentine Platonism: The 'Post-Plotinian' Ficino Christopher S. Celenza 71 Ficino, Augustine and the Pagans Anthony Levi Echoes of Egypt in Hermes and Ficino Clement Salaman Prisca Theologia in Marsilio Ficino and in Some Jewish Treatments Moshe Idel 99 115 137 VI CONTENTS Life as a Dead Platonist Michael J. B. Allen 159 PART II Marsilio Ficino and the Plato-Aristotle Controversy John Monfasani Intellect and Will in Marsilio Ficino: Two Correlatives of a Renaissance Concept of the Mind Tamara Albertini 179 203 Orpheus redivivus: The Musical Magic of Marsilio Ficino Angela Voss 227 Ficino, Theriaca and the Stars Donald Beecher 243 Concepts of Seeds and Nature in the Work of Marsilio Ficino Hiroshi Hirai 257 Narcissus, Divine Gazes and Bloody Mirrors: the Concept of Matter in Ficino Sergius Kodera 285 Ficin