The symposium is one of the foundational documents of western culture and arguably the most profound analysis and celebration of love in the history of philosophy. Ficino, who was also present, recorded what was said, although he himself did not speak, and his report constitutes the text of his commentary to platos dialogue. Sept 2014 10 mb this link contains a free pdf copy of platos symposium. Sears jaynes excellent translation is titled commentary on platos symposium on. 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. Chosen oe of love biiwanhy a oe paavo neve sasi th. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. Click download or read online button to get commentaries on plato volume 2 book now. 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.
Symposium is central in platos philosophy, since it talks about love and ideas. Quite a few comments have been posted about symposium. Marsilio ficinos commentary on platos symposium sears reynolds jayne a. Love is the central topic of two platonic dialogues, the phaedrus and the symposium, and ficinos commentary on the symposium was the only one of his. Ficinos hermias translation and a new apologue coauthored with roger a. She argues that socrates there attributes two incompatible positions to diotima, who in any case is not present at the ban quet. As for the text itself, the title is quite deceptive, as it is more of a compendium or compilation of a smattering of neoplatonic ideas mixed in with classical physiology and a touch of astrology than a commentary on plato s symposium. It is the first major philosophical text on love in western literature. Marsilio ficino project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Ficino wrote it between 1469 and 1474 and it was published in 1482.
This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. This edition makes ficinos tuscan version available to english readers for the first time. Here ficino set up his famous florentine academy, devoted to the study and celebration of plato s teachings. Marsilio ficinos commentary on platos symposium sears. In addition to these substitutions, i have edited jowetts translation for punctuation, grammar, and formatting not consistent with the conventions of standard english. As understood, experience and also experience concerning lesson, amusement, and knowledge can be gained by just checking out a publication commentary on platos symposium on love, by marsilio ficino even it is not straight done, you could recognize more concerning this life, regarding the globe.
This man turned western europe on its psychological ear. Plato s symposium is a series of speeches on love given at a party in ancient greece. Nov 01, 2001 ficino s commentary on plato s symposium, and st augustine s treatise on the trinity, are discussed and shown to throw light on numerous passages in shakespeare s play, which is also placed in the context of ovidian poetry of the 1590s. Eventually ficinos commentary on the symposiuman unorthodox dialogue itself loosely inspired by the originalbecame one of his most popular and influential treatments of plato. Free pdf commentary on platos symposium on love, by marsilio ficino. This english translation by sears jayne is an indispensable tool for a series of classes im teaching on platonic traditions. Shakespeare and the fire of love shepheardwalwyn publishers. The definition of love in platos symposium by donald levy for anyone who wants to think philosophically about love, the only way to begin is to reflect on the problems first raised in platos symposium. Platos symposium and ficinos commentary agree in the vision of spiritual love as an ennobling force, in contrast to carnal love, which debases, a vision which in socrates speech pro duces the famous description of a ladder of love leading up to the pure idea of the good and the beautiful. Isbn 0520081439 ernst cassirer, paul oskar kristeller, john herman randall, jr.
If you have read one paragraph of any james hillman book, you know marsilio ficino is the godfather of archetypal psychology. It is also the most lavishly literary of platos dialoguesa virtuoso prose performance in which the author, like a playful maestro, shows off an entire repertoire of characters, ideas, contrasting viewpoints, and iridescent styles. On the nature of love is a translation of marsilio ficinos commentary to platos symposium. As for the text itself, the title is quite deceptive, as it is more of a compendium or compilation of a smattering of neoplatonic ideas mixed in with classical physiology and a touch of astrology than a commentary on platos symposium. Of his original writings the theologia platonica 1482. Ficinos commentary offers many shades of white in addition to the grey. Ficino, marsilio internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Marsilio ficinos commentary on platos symposium in. Marsilio ficino, born october 19, 1433 in figline near florence, was the son of the. Yet, discussion of the philosophical problems of divine and platonic love often.
Marsilio ficino author of commentary on platos symposium on. Introduction to platos symposium the symposium tells the story of a drinking party in which the guests agree to put aside their desire for wine, women and music and deliver speeches in honor of eros, a word often translated as love but more aptly described as sexual desire or passionate love. How and why love should be praised in platos symposium philosophy core concepts duration. The higher world of ideas or forms provided archetypal patterns of everything that existed on the lower mundane plane. Plato s symposium and ficino s commentary agree in the vision of spiritual love as an ennobling force, in contrast to carnal love, which debases, a vision which in socrates speech pro duces the famous description of a ladder of love leading up to the pure idea of the good and the beautiful. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable men attending a banquet. Marsilio ficino books list of books by author marsilio.
Finally, recent work on the trinity by the theologian colin gunton is drawn upon to suggest the profoundly. Commentary on platos symposium on love the letters of marsilio ficino. Book on the christian religion are the most significant. Marsilio ficino author of commentary on platos symposium. Commentaries on plato volume 2 download ebook pdf, epub. The conversation produces a series of reflections by the allmale participants on gender roles, sex. The men include the philosopher socrates, the general and political figure alcibiades, and the comic playwright aristophanes. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian. Marsilio ficino commentary on the symposium on love guidance. Ficino and the platonic worlds 3 symposium on love, became more widely known when it was translated into french.
Another fascinating work, but out of print translation of ficinos work is his commentary on platos symposium translated by sears jayne. Commentary on platos symposium on love marsilio ficino. Marsilio ficino books list of books by author marsilio ficino. On popular platonismgiovanni pico with elia del medigo. An analysis of his doctrine on love in the symposium and phaedrus introduction love is a human fact, something that happens to humans.
However, in the first place benivieni cautions the reader that such a pla tonic treatment of divine love might be harmful to the christian feelings of the. Contributor jayne, sears reynolds, 1920contentssummary. Commentary on platos symposium on love by marsilio ficino. This book is a translation of ficinos tuscan commentary to platos symposium. He continued to receive the active support of the medici until their expulsion from florence in 1494. Ficino s labors as a translator provided his greekless contemporaries with access to the greatest works of the ancient platonic tradition. Marsilio ficinos interpretation of platos sophist, edited and translated by michael j. On november 7, 1468, nine men gathered at careggi, outside florence, to honour platos birthday.
The origin of the concept of platonic love comes from platos symposium, a dialogue set in an allnight banquet where the partygoers decide to discuss the concept of love eros. The guests decide not to get drunk, but drinking a. The guests decide not to get drunk, but drinking a little and discuss about love. Sears jaynes excellent translation is titled commentary on platos symposium on love and therefore will be referred to in the. Marsilio ficino s commentary on the fatal number in book viii of plato s republic. Responsibility the text and a translation, with an introduction, by sears reynolds jayne. The higher world of ideas or forms provided archetypal patterns of. Renais sance thinkers in the tradition of ficino, on the contrary, assumed that. Marsilio ficino italian philosopher and theologian britannica. Sorcerer love is the name that luce irigaray gives to the demonic function of love as presented in plato s symposium. Marsilio ficino, commentary on platos symposium on love, trans.
The dialogue is original in at least two waysin that it exposes the presupposi tions of greek sexual morality to the sort of critical. Commentary on platos symposium on love marsilio ficino on. As that decade wore on ficino authored commentaries on and summaries of platos writings, many of which he continued to work on for the rest of his career. Ficinos commentary on platos symposium, and st augustines treatise on the trinity, are discussed and shown to throw light on numerous passages in shakespeares play, which is also placed in the context of ovidian poetry of the 1590s. Ficinos commentary on platos symposium introduced plotinus view of love and beauty to the poets and artists of renaissance europe and brought the phrase platonic love into common speech. A course on the afterlife of platos symposium department of. It is also the most lavishly literary of plato s dialoguesa virtuoso prose performance in which the author, like a playful maestro, shows off an entire repertoire of characters, ideas, contrasting viewpoints, and iridescent styles. Thus begins ficinos philosophical masterpiece, asserting at once its fundamental sustaining principle, the fusion of platonic and christian conceptual structures into a unified edifice of thought. Sorcerer love is the name that luce irigaray gives to the demonic function of love as presented in platos symposium.
In it he identified platos theory of love with christian love, and argued that the proper love of another person is in fact preparation for the love of god. Translation of marsilio ficinos commentary on platos symposium, renaissance, neoplatonism. Volume 1 letters of marsilio ficino series by marsilio ficino. Ficino introduced the phrase platonic love, by which he meant a relationship that included both the.
Categories ethics in value theory, miscellaneous categorize this paper isbns. Marsilio ficino stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Text of ficinos commentary on platos symposium translation appendix a. Commentary on platos symposium on love by marsilio ficino commentary on platos symposium on love by marsilio ficino pdf, epub ebook d0wnl0ad if you have read one paragraph of any james hillman book, you know marsilio ficino is the godfather of archetypal psychology. Socrates and aristodemus will attend a banquet at agathon, with aristophanes, appolodore, pausanias and eryximachus. Platos symposium greek and latin texts with facing. Symposium by plato, part of the internet classics archive. Ficinos theory of love, expounded in his commentary to platos symposium commentarium. In platos idea of two coexisting worldsa higher one of being that is eternal, perfect, and incorruptible, a sharp contrast to the material worldficino found precisely what he had sought. Another fascinating work, but out of print translation of ficino s work is his commentary on plato s symposium translated by sears jayne. The first is that love is a midpoint or intermediary between lovers which also teaches immortality. Sep 06, 2012 how and why love should be praised in plato s symposium philosophy core concepts duration. Buy commentary on platos symposium on love by ficino, marsilio, sears jayne isbn.
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