Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume II

3We must not, however, suppose that the spiritual images of colors are either produced by bodies or received in mirrors and in the brain. They are nothing other than splendors of light striking bodies. Although this visible light shines forth in bodies, it is made and sustained by the invisible light of heavenly souls, which overflows from its immense abundance, issues outward, and becomes visible. It is fastened to no body, yet it can be joined to the light of our spirit, which depends upon our soul, and offer that light its own splendors. Likewise, the meanings of words that reach the hearing are themselves spiritual: they are neither produced by a body nor fixed in a body, but are transmitted from soul to soul, and are made and preserved by the power of souls. Let us briefly conclude the preceding argument with the following division. If the soul is something bodily, either the images of bodies will touch its surface as they touch a mirror, or their qualities will penetrate the depths of its substance as tastes and odors penetrate water. If the first occurs, we may perhaps sense bodies that are present, but we shall be unable to think of those that are absent, since we shall not preserve their images. If the second occurs, sensation will always arise gradually and together with a bodily alteration, and memory will do the same; the qualities, lacking any discriminating judgment, will be confused with one another.