On the Nature of Love Ficino on Plato's Symposium

On the Nature of Love is a translation of Marsilio Ficino’s commentary to Plato’s Symposium. This edition makes Ficino’s Tuscan version available to English readers for the first time. On November 7, 1468, nine men gathered at Careggi, outside Florence, to honour Plato’s birthday. After the meal, the Symposium was read, and the guests – now reduced to seven – spoke on the nature of love. Ficino, who was also present, recorded what was said, and his report constitutes the text of his commentary. His work was eagerly taken up by court circles throughout Europe and became part of their standard fare for the next two centuries. In more recent times, Ficino’s commentary has exercised the minds of theologians, philosophers, and psychologists.

Arthur Farndell has been a member of the team of scholars translating The Letters of Marsilio Ficino for over forty years. He has also translated many of Ficino’s other commentaries on Plato’s Dialogues, published by Shepheard-Walwyn in four volumes as All Things Natural, Evermore Shall Be So, Gardens of Philosophy and When Philosophers Rule.