1588 - The Divine Plato in the Famed Translation of Ficino
We suspect that the philosopher Plato needs no introduction. Nor, we hope, does anyone interested in this catalog need to be told who Marsilio Ficino is. Nonetheless, it warrants mentioning that this is one of the more important publications in the history of publishing. Marsilio Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, first published in 1484, ignited a massive resurgence of Platonic philosophy during the Renaissance. His translation and commentaries made Plato's ideas accessible to a wider audience, sparking intellectual debates and influencing prominent thinkers like Pico della Mirandola, Giordano Bruno, and Michelangelo. Ficino's interpretation of Plato, infused with Neoplatonic elements, laid the groundwork for Renaissance Platonism, a philosophical movement that shaped art, literature, and thought for centuries to come. This edition of Plato's works remains a cornerstone of Western philosophy and had profound implications for Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, and occult traditions. By reviving and reinterpreting Plato's works through a Neoplatonic lens, Ficino created a bridge between ancient wisdom and Renaissance thought. His commentaries emphasized the mystical and spiritual aspects of Plato's philosophy, which fed into the emerging fascination with Hermeticism and occult practices. In short, this book is a piece of living intellectual history. Also, it is pleasingly large.
1588. Plato (translated and edited by Marsilio Ficino). Divini Platonis Opera Omnia. Lugduni: Apud Nathanaelem Vincentium. Folio (320 x 210 mm). [12], 667, [33] pp. Roman and italic type, Greek type. Complete collation: 6 a-z⁶ A-Z⁶ Aa-Ll⁶ Mm⁸. Contemporary full vellum, covers paneled in blind with gilded ornament, brown morocco lettering piece on spine, speckled edges. A meticulously corrected and diligently revised edition of Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, carefully collated against the Greek text. Includes six additional dialogues not previously published in this edition. Vellum with some gentle warping and light soiling. Minor cracking to the lower front joint, with slight bumping and browning to extremities. Internally crisp and clean, with occasional light spotting. An exceptional example of this seminal Renaissance edition of Plato.
We suspect that the philosopher Plato needs no introduction. Nor, we hope, does anyone interested in this catalog need to be told who Marsilio Ficino is. Nonetheless, it warrants mentioning that this is one of the more important publications in the history of publishing. Marsilio Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, first published in 1484, ignited a massive resurgence of Platonic philosophy during the Renaissance. His translation and commentaries made Plato's ideas accessible to a wider audience, sparking intellectual debates and influencing prominent thinkers like Pico della Mirandola, Giordano Bruno, and Michelangelo. Ficino's interpretation of Plato, infused with Neoplatonic elements, laid the groundwork for Renaissance Platonism, a philosophical movement that shaped art, literature, and thought for centuries to come. This edition of Plato's works remains a cornerstone of Western philosophy and had profound implications for Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, and occult traditions. By reviving and reinterpreting Plato's works through a Neoplatonic lens, Ficino created a bridge between ancient wisdom and Renaissance thought. His commentaries emphasized the mystical and spiritual aspects of Plato's philosophy, which fed into the emerging fascination with Hermeticism and occult practices. In short, this book is a piece of living intellectual history. Also, it is pleasingly large.
1588. Plato (translated and edited by Marsilio Ficino). Divini Platonis Opera Omnia. Lugduni: Apud Nathanaelem Vincentium. Folio (320 x 210 mm). [12], 667, [33] pp. Roman and italic type, Greek type. Complete collation: 6 a-z⁶ A-Z⁶ Aa-Ll⁶ Mm⁸. Contemporary full vellum, covers paneled in blind with gilded ornament, brown morocco lettering piece on spine, speckled edges. A meticulously corrected and diligently revised edition of Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, carefully collated against the Greek text. Includes six additional dialogues not previously published in this edition. Vellum with some gentle warping and light soiling. Minor cracking to the lower front joint, with slight bumping and browning to extremities. Internally crisp and clean, with occasional light spotting. An exceptional example of this seminal Renaissance edition of Plato.
We suspect that the philosopher Plato needs no introduction. Nor, we hope, does anyone interested in this catalog need to be told who Marsilio Ficino is. Nonetheless, it warrants mentioning that this is one of the more important publications in the history of publishing. Marsilio Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, first published in 1484, ignited a massive resurgence of Platonic philosophy during the Renaissance. His translation and commentaries made Plato's ideas accessible to a wider audience, sparking intellectual debates and influencing prominent thinkers like Pico della Mirandola, Giordano Bruno, and Michelangelo. Ficino's interpretation of Plato, infused with Neoplatonic elements, laid the groundwork for Renaissance Platonism, a philosophical movement that shaped art, literature, and thought for centuries to come. This edition of Plato's works remains a cornerstone of Western philosophy and had profound implications for Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, and occult traditions. By reviving and reinterpreting Plato's works through a Neoplatonic lens, Ficino created a bridge between ancient wisdom and Renaissance thought. His commentaries emphasized the mystical and spiritual aspects of Plato's philosophy, which fed into the emerging fascination with Hermeticism and occult practices. In short, this book is a piece of living intellectual history. Also, it is pleasingly large.
1588. Plato (translated and edited by Marsilio Ficino). Divini Platonis Opera Omnia. Lugduni: Apud Nathanaelem Vincentium. Folio (320 x 210 mm). [12], 667, [33] pp. Roman and italic type, Greek type. Complete collation: 6 a-z⁶ A-Z⁶ Aa-Ll⁶ Mm⁸. Contemporary full vellum, covers paneled in blind with gilded ornament, brown morocco lettering piece on spine, speckled edges. A meticulously corrected and diligently revised edition of Ficino's Latin translation of Plato's complete works, carefully collated against the Greek text. Includes six additional dialogues not previously published in this edition. Vellum with some gentle warping and light soiling. Minor cracking to the lower front joint, with slight bumping and browning to extremities. Internally crisp and clean, with occasional light spotting. An exceptional example of this seminal Renaissance edition of Plato.