The Renaissance of Plotinus: The Soul and Human Nature in Marsilio Ficino's Commentary on the Enneads

Plotinus was a key figure in Western philosophy, but during the Middle Ages, his works were lost. Marsilio Ficino's 1492 Latin translation of the Enneads revived his philosophy and explored the relationship between metaphysics and anthropology. This book highlights a significant chapter in Platonic scholarship, shaping later readings of the Enneads until the nineteenth century.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Plotinus (204/5–270 C.E.) is a pivotal figure in the history of Western philosophy, yet during the Middle Ages, he remained largely unknown. None of the treatises comprising his Enneads were translated, and ancient translations were lost. Although scholars had indirect access to his philosophy through the works of Proclus, St. Augustine, and Macrobius, among others, it was not until 1492, with the publication of the first Latin translation of the Enneads by the humanist philosopher Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499), that Plotinus was reborn to the Western world.

Ficino's translation was accompanied by a comprehensive commentary, in which he explored the intricate relationship between metaphysics and anthropology that informed Plotinus's philosophy. Specifically, he delved into Ficino's interpretation of Plotinus's views on the soul and human nature. This book uncovers a crucial chapter in the history of Platonic scholarship, one that shaped subsequent readings of the Enneads until the nineteenth century. It will captivate scholars and students interested in the history of Western philosophy, intellectual history, and book history.

Weight: 421g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367512545