Marsilio Ficino

Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) framed his personal philosophy by drawing on the conceptual network of Platonism and Neoplatonism. He was the first to translate into Latin all the dialogues of Plato as well as the Enneads of Plotinus and texts of Iamblichus, Proclus, and Dionysius the Areopagite. He also commented on the dialogues of Plato and the Enneads. First, this chapter casts light on the context of Plotinus’ influence on Ficino, emphasizing the strategies but also the limits of the attempt to develop a ‘third way’ between Platonism and Christianity. Then, some conclusions are drawn from the comparison, concerning the conception of multiplicity and differentiation of Being as well as the axiological conversion to the One. But the main task of this chapter is to elucidate the Ficinian account of Intellect as One-Being. While current historiography tends to privilege the points of agreement between Plotinus and Ficino on these issues, the present chapter primarily focuses on the diversity of their respective systems.