FICINO,
Marsilio, Italian phi losopher of the Platonic school: b. Florence, 19 Oct. 1433; d. Careggi, 1 Oct. 1499. His father was physician to Cosimo de' Medici and the son's early display of talent attracted the notice of Cosimo, who made it possible for him to translate the writings of Plato and of the Neo-Platonists into Latin; he afterward taught Platonic philosophy at the Academy established by Cosimo about 1440. Ficino engaged in this work the more readily, because he viewed the Platonicphilosophy as a sort of preliminary to, and confirmation of, the Christian faith. In his accounts of this philosophy he did not al ways make an accurate distinction between Plato and the New Platonists, as appears from his
Basel 1576). He also wrote
Christiana Religions' (Florence 1474);
Triplica Vita' (Florence 1489) ;
Sole et lumine' (Florence 1493). His chief claim to fame, however, rests on his translations into Latin of the works of Plato and his followers: 'Platonic opera' (Florence 1483434•, Paris 1846);