Episode 34: The Platonic Academy

I Take History With My Coffee Podcast
Episode 34
Title: The Platonic Academy

“I believe that even you, together with some of our friends, are complaining that I have now been away from the city for too long. But cease complaining, for never am I less absent from the Academy than when I am out of the city. Indeed, city affairs often draw me away from you, whereas living in the country restores me to you. Here am I wholly yours and free from burdens. For when I walk, the very flowers round about put me in mind of you; when I sleep my dreams always bring you back to me. Farewell, and give my greetings unreservedly. But to which man? To which men? I shall name no one, as with a single name I have named all the members of the Academy.”

     Marsilio Ficino, “Solitude is Necessary for Scholars”, Letters, 1999 translation


Welcome back to the I Take History With My Coffee podcast and thank you for continuing our exploration of the Early Modern period.

Late in his life, Cosimo de Medici began questioning the values that had helped him become Florence's wealthiest and most powerful man.  In 1464, in poor health and spiritually troubled, Cosimo sent for the man he had sponsored and encouraged, Marsilio Ficino.  Cosimo wished his friend to explain Plato’s Philebus - On the Highest Good.  And he reminded Ficino to bring his lyre as Cosimo wished for the comfort of the man’s words and music.  Ficino was delayed, but he wrote an outline of the main points of Plato’s dialogue.  Great possessions and great virtues are useless, perhaps even harmful, unless supplemented by wisdom.  

Later that year, when Cosimo was on his deathbed, Ficino discussed another of Plato’s dialogues, the Axiochus or On Death.  Ficino would later write that after hearing this work, Cosimo “began to deplore the misery of this life, and he so inveighed against the errors of mortals that he called death a gain, and, since he aspired already to celestial beatitude, he said acutely and elegantly many things in contempt of life.”

Marsilio Ficino was the most prominent figure of a shift within Florentine humanism.  By the mid-15th century, there was a renewed interest in the works of Plato.  Some of this renewed interest is attributed to the fall of Constantinople as Greek scholars fled to the West.  But some of it can be traced back to the Council of Florence when visiting scholars like Gemistos Plethon lectured on Plato.  For more about the impact of the Council of Florence, listen to Episode 28.  

Gradually, there was a turning away from Aristotle within a segment of humanism.  The concern was no longer about discovering or editing texts.  These humanists moved away from moral philosophy, the virtues of the good citizen, and the concept of the active life.  Instead, there was a shift towards a more speculative and metaphysical view of man’s place within the universe—a view based on Plato’s philosophy.  The Medici, both as sponsors and learners, remained at the center of this intellectual evolution.  

Ficino was born in 1433 as the eldest son of a physician. While information about his early life and education is scarce, we are gradually replacing the unreliable accounts of his early biographers with more credible insights from his earlier writings. His early education included a strong foundation in Latin grammar and rhetoric and a thorough knowledge of standard Latin authors like Cicero and Virgil. He likely attended courses on Aristotelian physics and medicine at the University of Florence, but we lack confirmation of him earning a medical degree.

His preserved early writings reflect a wide range of interests, spanning treatises on natural philosophy in the scholastic tradition, moral treatises, personal letters in the style of the humanists, and letters and sermons in the Tuscan vernacular.  He displayed familiarity with St. Augustine, medieval Aristotle, and his Arabic commentators.

Remarkably, at the age of twenty-three in 1456, Ficino had already composed an extensive work on Platonic philosophy, though it hasn't survived. In the following years, he began translating Greek texts into Latin. Tradition holds that after hearing Gemistos Plethon’s lectures, Cosimo conceived of establishing a Platonic Academy in Florence.  There is scant evidence that this was ever an explicit goal of Cosimo’s.  However, This interest led Cosimo to commission Ficino in the translation of Plato’s works and other sources of Platonist thought.  In 1462, Cosimo provided Ficino with a small farm near the Medici villa at Careggi. 

Located just a few miles north of Florence, the villa has played a significant role in the cultural and intellectual life of its time. Cosimo acquired the property in the mid-15th century. He recognized the strategic importance of the villa, both for its proximity to Florence and its scenic surroundings.  Careggi served as a retreat for the Medici family. It offered them a peaceful escape from the political intrigues of Florence.  But Cosimo's interest in the villa extended beyond its aesthetic appeal. He transformed Careggi into a hub for intellectual and artistic pursuits. Under his patronage, the villa became a center for humanist scholars and artists.

Ficino’s translation of the Hermetic Corpus in 1463 achieved great success. Subsequently, he translated all of Plato's dialogues, completing them around 1468.  In 1469, Ficino authored his renowned commentary on Plato's Symposium and his major philosophical work, the Platonic Theology, in the following years. In 1473, he became a priest and wrote an apologetic treatise on the Christian religion. He also started collecting his letters, many of which contained philosophical treatises. His other commentaries on Plato were published in 1496. Ficino passed away in 1499.

A crucial element of Ficino's life was his close association with the influential Medici family, beginning with Cosimo and continuing through the life of Lorenzo de Medici, who provided him with significant patronage. His intellectual and political leanings aligned with the Medici, contributing to his prominence in the cultural and philosophical environment of the time.

Ficino showed remarkable gifts in his writings: a thorough knowledge of the Greek language and ancient philosophical literature.  This gave his translations a merit that is still recognized today. His philosophical works are also distinguished for the clarity and consistency of his basic ideas. His learning included theology, medicine, and astrology. He was a practicing musician and an expert on musical theory, and he knew and loved Latin and Tuscan poetry and literature. He was of small stature and a melancholy temper, full of hypochondria and superstition. He liked intelligent company and was agreeable in his conversation, gaining the friendship and admiration of princes and scholars and many businessmen, writers, and artists. Thus, he became the leader and center of the Platonic Academy.

Much historical debate has been centered on whether Ficino's Academy was merely symbolic or if it had a physical reality. The term "Academy" originally referred to where Plato taught in ancient Athens. Ficino, assigned by Cosimo to translate Plato's works, claimed to have revived the Academy in Florence. While he and his contemporaries referred to it as the "Academy," it's essential to understand that it wasn't a conventional, formally structured institution. Instead, it was a loosely organized circle of friends. Ficino's vision for this group was to create a spiritual community, drawing inspiration from the lay religious associations of his era and the idealized model of Plato's Academy, among other ancient philosophical schools.  

It is more accurately described as a circle of individuals centered around Ficino. This group did not share a uniform doctrine.   Within this circle were scholars and writers with diverse ideas and interests, sometimes diverging from Ficino's beliefs. For instance, figures like Pico della Mirandola, although influenced by Ficino, had an independent background and thought, with direct exposure to the scholastic traditions of Padua and Paris and proficiency in Hebrew and Arabic. He vehemently opposed astrology and was deeply impacted by Savonarola ( a figure we will come across later).  Among the Academy's members, like Lorenzo de Medici and Cristoforo Landino, were poets and writers who tended to echo Ficino's ideas.

Within this informal circle, intellectual discussions took place. Participants gathered for banquets on special occasions, like Plato's birthday, where each member delivered a philosophical speech. Ficino organized recitals, called declamations, before a smaller audience and conducted private readings of works by Plato and other authors with a select group of younger disciples. Moreover, he delivered public lectures on Plato and Plotinus in a church or a nearby auditorium.   

The Academy attracted distinguished visitors from various Italian cities and abroad. Ficino maintained connections with Academy members through his correspondence, and he used these letters to spark the interest of outsiders in the group's activities. The extensive list of Ficino's pupils and his correspondence network attests to his profound influence during his lifetime. His writings and activities were highly respected in Florence, throughout Italy, and much of Europe.

His writings, particularly his work "Platonic Theology" and his letters, present a sophisticated and intricate system of ideas. His philosophical views are interwoven with similes, allegories, and extensive quotations from his favorite authors. This rich tapestry of thought makes his writings valuable for those interested in his time's intellectual and philosophical currents.

Marsilio Ficino's Platonism drew from various sources, extending beyond humanism. His sources included Plato and Neoplatonists and figures like Zoroaster and Pythagoras. Furthermore, he acknowledged that Platonism had adherents among ancient Latin writers, early Church authors, and medieval philosophers. Notable figures like Boethius, Avicenna, and St. Augustine were familiar to him.  He absorbed other influences, like Epicureanism and Aristotelian philosophy, while his scholastic background is evident in his works. 

Ficino wrote some of his works in the Tuscan vernacular. His background as a priest exposed him to the theological climate of his time and the popular religious literature associated with the lay fraternities in Florence. Moreover, his medical studies and astrological knowledge, customary among physicians of his era, added further dimensions to his intellectual repertoire. His genuine enthusiasm for cosmological and metaphysical speculation led him to formulate ideas and theories that profoundly impacted the intellectual landscape of his time.

Ficino's philosophical thought is a complex and multifaceted system encompassing various aspects of metaphysics, ethics, religion, and the relationship between philosophy and theology.  His philosophy combines Neoplatonic thought with elements of Christian theology, and it centers on the contemplative ascent of the human soul toward God, emphasizing love, immortality, and the harmonious relationship between religion and philosophy. 

Ficino envisions the universe as a hierarchical structure, with God at the apex, followed by angels, souls, celestial and elementary spheres, and the various species on Earth. He introduces a unique scheme of five essential substances: God, the angelic mind, the rational soul, quality, and the body. This arrangement differs from the Neoplatonism of his predecessors, partly to make it more symmetrical and to emphasize the privileged place of the human soul. He believes that the human soul is the center of the universe, sharing attributes with higher and lower beings. He revives the Neoplatonic doctrine of the world soul and integrates astrology into a system of mutual influences. He emphasizes the active role of thought and love in connecting all things, giving special status to the human soul as the center of nature.

Unlike earlier humanists like Bruni and Salutati, Ficino delves into the spiritual or contemplative life, influenced by medieval mystics and Neoplatonism. He suggests that the human mind can turn away from the external world and focus on inner substance, leading to purification and an ascent through higher degrees of truth and being. The ultimate goal is God's immediate knowledge and vision, representing the purpose of human existence.  Ficino describes the soul's ascent to God as accomplished with the help of two wings: the intellect and the will. Knowledge and love of God are two aspects of the same experience, with a leaning toward the superiority of will and love over intellect and knowledge. The goal is to attain a deep and abiding connection with God.

In his chief work, "Platonic Theology," he primarily argued for the soul’s immortality. He considers this doctrine the central tenet of his Platonism and argues that it is essential to fulfill the purpose of human existence.  In his view, contemplation represented a gradual ascent towards the highest goal, direct knowledge of God. As this goal was proposed as the ultimate aspiration for all humans, Ficino argued that it was insufficient to believe that only a few wise individuals could attain it briefly in their earthly lives. To make the contemplative life a valid ideal for all, Ficino posited a future life in which many people could continuously and permanently achieve the vision and enjoyment of God. 

Ficino was the first to introduce the terms 'Platonic' or 'Socratic' love, though now this is often associated with superficial and fashionable ideas.  Plato's ideas influence his theory of love and combines elements from various traditions, including Aristotle, St. Paul's Christian love, and medieval courtly love. Ficino's divine love is not a mere sublimation of sexual love, and he did not condemn sexual love in itself. Instead, he saw it as a spiritual connection between two individuals engaging in the contemplative life. While this contemplative life is a profoundly personal and individual experience for each person, a natural sense of community and friendship exists among those who pursue this ideal. He emphasizes that love for another person is a preparation for the love of God, which is the ultimate goal of human desire. Ficino expressed this by stating that friendship was the binding force that connected the members of his Academy or that genuine friendship necessitated three participants: two friends and God, who served as the common foundation of their friendship.  True love and friendship are based on the original love for God, and God is the perpetual guardian of any genuine friendship.  

Whereas Aquinas sought to reconcile Aristotle with the Christian faith, Ficino attempted to reconcile Plato and Christianity.  As a priest and canon of Florence Cathedral, he sees harmony between true religion (Christianity) and true philosophy (Platonism). He believes that philosophy should support and confirm Christian faith and that his mission is to revive true philosophy for the benefit of true religion. He displays a degree of tolerance toward other religions, suggesting that they, too, are indirectly related to the one true God.

Ficino's ideas had a profound and enduring influence in Italy and Europe. His writings, especially those on love and the immortality of the soul, were widely read and quoted, impacting a range of thinkers and writers from the Renaissance through the Enlightenment.

In the next episode, we will look at the golden age of art during the Florentine Renaissance.

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