All Things Natural: Ficino on Plato's Timaeus (4) (Commentaries by Ficino on Plato's Writings)

Marsilio Ficino, a leading scholar of the Italian Renaissance who translated all the works of Plato into Latin, examines Plato’s Timaeus, the most widely influential and hotly debated of the Platonic writings. Offering a probable account of the creation and nature of the cosmos, the discussion incorporates such questions as What is the function of arithmetic and geometry in the design of creation? What is the nature of mind, soul, matter, and time? and What is our place in the universe? To his main commentary Ficino adds an appendix, which amplifies and elucidates Plato’s meanings and reveals fascinating details about Ficino himself. Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Translator’s Note on the Latin Texts......Page 12 Marsilio Ficino’s Compendium on the Timaeus......Page 16 1 The subject matter of the book......Page 18 3 Introduction to the dialogue......Page 19 4 An allegory of history; contents of the prologue......Page 20 5 The fall of Phaethon; floods; fires; a description of Minerva......Page 22 6 The finest directions concerning prayers and entreaties......Page 23 7 The world has three causes higher than itself, depends on the incorporeal cause, and is ever in flux......Page 25 8 The Good Itself, rather than subsequent causes, is the cause of all things, and it has no direct relationship with anything......Page 28 9 The dependence of matter on the Good Itself; the action of the mind and soul upon matter; and the intelligible world......Page 30 10 The Sun, light, radiance, brilliance, heat, procreation; likewise unity, goodness, intellect, soul, nature, the body of the world, the image of the higher worlds......Page 31 11 Individual orders are taken back to individual heads, and the universal order is taken back to the universal head, by which all things are composed through action and power......Page 33 12 Matter was not in disarray prior to the world in time, but was arranged according to some principle of order or origin......Page 35 13 Two views concerning the origin of the world......Page 36 14 A threefold inference drawn from Plato’s view of the world, and what is undisputed about his view......Page 37 15 By the grace of the Good the world has been brought into being in the likeness of the divine principle and the divine word......Page 39 16 Why the world is one, why it is spherical, and why its movement is spherical......Page 40 17 Why the world is divided into five or six regions; how the number seven is right for it; circular number; and how the world is arranged in the likeness of the intelligible world......Page 41 18 Why there are distinct parts within the world and why there is opposition among them; also concerning the four elements......Page 42 19 Numbers linear, plane, and solid; why a single intermediary is sufficient between planes but is not sufficient between solids; how mathematical ratios are related to physical ratios......Page 44 20 The first consideration: why the number four in relation to the elements befits the world......Page 47 21 The second consideration: proving the same......Page 48 22 The third consideration: confirming the same......Page 49 23 The fourth consideration of the same; and the powers and ratios of the elements......Page 50 24 The whole world is composed of four elements; how these elements are under a particular principle in the heavens and under a different principle beneath the Moon......Page 52 25 Circular motion is the property of every sphere in constant movement; and light is the principal property of fire......Page 55 26 A confirmation of what was said earlier; concerning fire, ether, the composition of the heavens, and the daemons in the heavens and beneath the heavens......Page 57 27 On the spirit of the world, that is, on intellect, soul, intelligence, and nature......Page 59 28 On the composition of the soul, and why the soul needs five elements for its constitution......Page 62 29 Why the soul is compared to a compound and to musical harmony......Page 66 30 The propositions and proportions related to Pythagorean and Platonic music......Page 69 31 In musical harmonies one is produced from the many; how harmony is defined......Page 73 32 Which harmonies arise from which proportions......Page 76 33 On the harmonious composition of the soul......Page 81 34 The main points about the harmonic numbers which lead to the composition of the soul......Page 86 34*From the intervals of the spheres Plato seeks the intervals of the ratios between the parts of the soul......Page 89 35 How the intervals of the double and triple numbers are filled......Page 90 36 The division of the soul; motion; and time......Page 92 37 The arrangement of the living world through its limbs; the opposite movements of revolutions; and the intersectors of axes and orbits......Page 95 38 Right and left in the cosmos; the movements of the firmament, of the planets, and of the fixed stars; the arrangement of the soul......Page 98 39 The great harmony, within the cosmic being, between the soul and the heavens and between the heavens and the elements, in relation to the higher worlds and the orders of divinities......Page 100 40 Those things which come into being directly from God, and those things which come into being through intermediaries; the words of God in relation to the gods; and the providence of the gods......Page 102 41 Man’s relationship to soul and body......Page 104 42 How the world is composed of mind and necessity......Page 106 43 Natural phenomena are based on the principles of mathematics; concerning the elements and compounds......Page 108 44 More on man: how much regard he gives to the soul, and how much to the body......Page 111 45 On the outward and inward breath, according to Plato and Galen......Page 114 46 On the good health and poor health of the body and the soul......Page 116 The Chapter Divisions of the Timaeus with brief commentaries as given by Marsilio Ficino......Page 120 Notes to the Compendium......Page 184 Soul Numbers......Page 213 Glossary......Page 215 Bibliography......Page 219 Index......Page 220 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 10 Translator’s Note on the Latin Texts 12 Marsilio Ficino’s Compendium on the Timaeus 16 1 The subject matter of the book 18 2 The arrangement of the book and its parts 19 3 Introduction to the dialogue 19 4 An allegory of history; contents of the prologue 20 5 The fall of Phaethon; floods; fires; a description of Minerva 22 6 The finest directions concerning prayers and entreaties 23 7 The world has three causes higher than itself, depends on the incorporeal cause, and is ever in flux 25 8 The Good Itself, rather than subsequent causes, is the cause of all things, and it has no direct relationship with anything 28 9 The dependence of matter on the Good Itself; the action of the mind and soul upon matter; and the intelligible world 30 10 The Sun, light, radiance, brilliance, heat, procreation; likewise unity, goodness, intellect, soul, nature, the body of the world, the image of the higher worlds 31 11 Individual orders are taken back to individual heads, and the universal order is taken back to the universal head, by which all things are composed through action and power 33 12 Matter was not in disarray prior to the world in time, but was arranged according to some principle of order or origin 35 13 Two views concerning the origin of the world 36 14 A threefold inference drawn from Plato’s view of the world, and what is undisputed about his view 37 15 By the grace of the Good the world has been brought into being in the likeness of the divine principle and the divine word 39 16 Why the world is one, why it is spherical, and why its movement is spherical 40 17 Why the world is divided into five or six regions; how the number seven is right for it; circular number; and how the world is arranged in the likeness of the intelligible world 41 18 Why there are distinct parts within the world and why there is opposition among them; also concerning the four elements 42 19 Numbers linear, plane, and solid; why a single intermediary is sufficient between planes but is not sufficient between solids; how mathematical ratios are related to physical ratios 44 20 The first consideration: why the number four in relation to the elements befits the world 47 21 The second consideration: proving the same 48 22 The third consideration: confirming the same 49 23 The fourth consideration of the same; and the powers and ratios of the elements 50 24 The whole world is composed of four elements; how these elements are under a particular principle in the heavens and under a different principle beneath the Moon 52 25 Circular motion is the property of every sphere in constant movement; and light is the principal property of fire 55 26 A confirmation of what was said earlier; concerning fire, ether, the composition of the heavens, and the daemons in the heavens and beneath the heavens 57 27 On the spirit of the world, that is, on intellect, soul, intelligence, and nature 59 28 On the composition of the soul, and why the soul needs five elements for its constitution 62 29 Why the soul is compared to a compound and to musical harmony 66 30 The propositions and proportions related to Pythagorean and Platonic music 69 31 In musical harmonies one is produced from the many; how harmony is defined 73 32 Which harmonies arise from which proportions 76 33 On the harmonious composition of the soul 81 34 The main points about the harmonic numbers which lead to the composition of the soul 86 34*From the intervals of the spheres Plato seeks the intervals of the ratios between the parts of the soul 89 35 How the intervals of the double and triple numbers are filled 90 36 The division of the soul; motion; and time 92 37 The arrangement of the living world through its limbs; the opposite movements of revolutions; and the intersectors of axes and orbits 95 38 Right and left in the cosmos; the movements of the firmament, of the planets, and of the fixed stars; the arrangement of the soul 98 39 The great harmony, within the cosmic being, between the soul and the heavens and between the heavens and the elements, in relation to the higher worlds and the orders of divinities 100 40 Those things which come into being directly from God, and those things which come into being through intermediaries; the words of God in relation to the gods; and the providence of the gods 102 41 Man’s relationship to soul and body 104 42 How the world is composed of mind and necessity 106 43 Natural phenomena are based on the principles of mathematics; concerning the elements and compounds 108 44 More on man: how much regard he gives to the soul, and how much to the body 111 45 On the outward and inward breath, according to Plato and Galen 114 46 On the good health and poor health of the body and the soul 116 The Chapter Divisions of the Timaeus with brief commentaries as given by Marsilio Ficino 120 Notes to the Compendium 184 Soul Numbers 213 Glossary 215 Bibliography 219 Index 220 0856832588,9780856832581 Shepheard-Walwyn Annotation. Ficino's commentary & nbsp;on Plato & rsquo;s Timaeus offers the English reader, for the first time, an opportunity to share the insights of this highly influential Renaissance philosopher into one of Plato's most important and controversial works. Here are discussed the perennial questions which affect us all: What is the nature of the universe? How did it begin? Does it have a cause outside itself? What is our place in it? What is the nature of mind, soul, matter and time?The central portion of the work, focusing on number, harmony, and music, has exerted a strong influence on the history of Western musical theory. Ficino added an appendix which amplifies and elucidates Plato & rsquo;s meanings and reveals fascinating detail about Ficino himself. & nbsp;This volume provides rich & nbsp;source material for all who are interested in philosophy, the history of cosmic theory, and Platonic and Renaissance studies. & nbsp;This completes the four-volume series, including Gardens of Philosophy, 2006 (ISBN 978-0-85683-240-6), Evermore Shall Be So, 2008 (978-0-85683-256-7) and When Philosophers Rule, 2009 (978-0-85683-257-4), which contain all Ficino & rsquo;s commentaries not previously translated into English

Marsilio Ficino, a leading scholar of the Italian Renaissance who translated all the works of Plato into Latin, examines Plato’s Timaeus, the most widely influential and hotly debated of the Platonic writings. Offering a probable account of the creation and nature of the cosmos, the discussion incorporates such questions as What is the function of arithmetic and geometry in the design of creation? What is the nature of mind, soul, matter, and time? and What is our place in the universe? To his main commentary Ficino adds an appendix, which amplifies and elucidates Plato’s meanings and reveals fascinating details about Ficino himself.