1576 - Marsilio Ficino On The Black Plague
A "poisonous vapor created in the air, an enemy of the vital spirit.” That’s how Ficino described the Black Death that swept through Florence and other parts of Italy in 1478-80. Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), for those who’ve been living under a rock since the early renaissance, was a Florentine philosopher and scholar who spearheaded the revival of Plato and Neoplatonism. His translations and commentaries on Platonic texts, along with his own writings, profoundly influenced Western thought, injecting it with mystical and magical ideas from the Hermetic tradition. Ficino's work on astrology, magic, and the soul provided a framework for later esoteric thinkers, shaping the development of Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and Renaissance magic. He is particularly revered for bridging the gap between classical philosophy and Christian theology, paving the way for a spiritual worldview that embraced both reason and mystical experience.
This book is Ficino’s analysis and advice about the plague. As you might expect, Ficino uses astrological ideas to discuss the plague, seeing it as the result of an imbalance in celestial forces. He also brings in ideas of the micro and macrocosm from Hermetic thought. Some of Ficino's recommended remedies, like using gems and specific plants, can be interpreted as sympathetic magic. This practice relies on the belief that objects with similar qualities can influence each other. For example, he suggests using theriac, a complex concoction with many ingredients, including viper flesh, believed to have protective qualities.
In short, this is a fascinating 16th century book, published by Giunti, the legendary renaissance publishing house, and written by one of the greatest esoteric thinkers of all time. And it is about The Black Death. This is a badass book.
1576. MARSILIO FICINO CONTRO ALLA PESTE. Firenze: Apresso i Giunti. In 8° [8], 120, [16] pp. Binding in full contemporary vellum (somewhat loose) with handwritten title on the spine, two small holes on the title page that do not touch the text. Marginalia on the inside cover. Antique book stamp facing first page. Decorated initials pp. 1, 77, 97. Complete.
A "poisonous vapor created in the air, an enemy of the vital spirit.” That’s how Ficino described the Black Death that swept through Florence and other parts of Italy in 1478-80. Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), for those who’ve been living under a rock since the early renaissance, was a Florentine philosopher and scholar who spearheaded the revival of Plato and Neoplatonism. His translations and commentaries on Platonic texts, along with his own writings, profoundly influenced Western thought, injecting it with mystical and magical ideas from the Hermetic tradition. Ficino's work on astrology, magic, and the soul provided a framework for later esoteric thinkers, shaping the development of Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and Renaissance magic. He is particularly revered for bridging the gap between classical philosophy and Christian theology, paving the way for a spiritual worldview that embraced both reason and mystical experience.
This book is Ficino’s analysis and advice about the plague. As you might expect, Ficino uses astrological ideas to discuss the plague, seeing it as the result of an imbalance in celestial forces. He also brings in ideas of the micro and macrocosm from Hermetic thought. Some of Ficino's recommended remedies, like using gems and specific plants, can be interpreted as sympathetic magic. This practice relies on the belief that objects with similar qualities can influence each other. For example, he suggests using theriac, a complex concoction with many ingredients, including viper flesh, believed to have protective qualities.
In short, this is a fascinating 16th century book, published by Giunti, the legendary renaissance publishing house, and written by one of the greatest esoteric thinkers of all time. And it is about The Black Death. This is a badass book.
1576. MARSILIO FICINO CONTRO ALLA PESTE. Firenze: Apresso i Giunti. In 8° [8], 120, [16] pp. Binding in full contemporary vellum (somewhat loose) with handwritten title on the spine, two small holes on the title page that do not touch the text. Marginalia on the inside cover. Antique book stamp facing first page. Decorated initials pp. 1, 77, 97. Complete.
A "poisonous vapor created in the air, an enemy of the vital spirit.” That’s how Ficino described the Black Death that swept through Florence and other parts of Italy in 1478-80. Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), for those who’ve been living under a rock since the early renaissance, was a Florentine philosopher and scholar who spearheaded the revival of Plato and Neoplatonism. His translations and commentaries on Platonic texts, along with his own writings, profoundly influenced Western thought, injecting it with mystical and magical ideas from the Hermetic tradition. Ficino's work on astrology, magic, and the soul provided a framework for later esoteric thinkers, shaping the development of Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and Renaissance magic. He is particularly revered for bridging the gap between classical philosophy and Christian theology, paving the way for a spiritual worldview that embraced both reason and mystical experience.
This book is Ficino’s analysis and advice about the plague. As you might expect, Ficino uses astrological ideas to discuss the plague, seeing it as the result of an imbalance in celestial forces. He also brings in ideas of the micro and macrocosm from Hermetic thought. Some of Ficino's recommended remedies, like using gems and specific plants, can be interpreted as sympathetic magic. This practice relies on the belief that objects with similar qualities can influence each other. For example, he suggests using theriac, a complex concoction with many ingredients, including viper flesh, believed to have protective qualities.
In short, this is a fascinating 16th century book, published by Giunti, the legendary renaissance publishing house, and written by one of the greatest esoteric thinkers of all time. And it is about The Black Death. This is a badass book.
1576. MARSILIO FICINO CONTRO ALLA PESTE. Firenze: Apresso i Giunti. In 8° [8], 120, [16] pp. Binding in full contemporary vellum (somewhat loose) with handwritten title on the spine, two small holes on the title page that do not touch the text. Marginalia on the inside cover. Antique book stamp facing first page. Decorated initials pp. 1, 77, 97. Complete.