Always and everywhere · Lexicon

From the book

Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume I

Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Orientation

At a Glance

The wordSemper ordinarily means always, ubi where, ubique everywhere, and nusquam nowhere.
In the Platonic TheologyGod is not simply one of the things that last always.
In this editionThe English quotation marks around “always,” “where,” and “everywhere” mark adverbs treated as names.
A place to readSimple duration is distinguished from temporal flux and named the very always

Meaning

Semper ordinarily means always, ubi where, ubique everywhere, and nusquam nowhere. Ficino also substantivizes these adverbs: ipsum semper and ipsum ubique become “the very always” and “everywhere itself.” This grammatical move distinguishes a condition of duration or presence from one item lasting or occupying a place.

Use in the book

God is not simply one of the things that last always. In II.5.4 he is identified with sempiternity and with always itself. II.62 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 makes the spatial counterpart: things are in God, and even the “where” exists through God. Thus God can be said to be nowhere in the sense of being contained by no place and nowhere absent in the sense that nothing exists independently of him.

The dramatic exchange between reason and imagination develops this distinction. Imagination takes everywhere to mean the total bodily extension and then doubts that God fills it. Reason instead makes that extension dependent upon a more comprehensive reality. This is why the statements “in all things” and “all things in him” should be read together. Neither a giant spatial body nor a divine object located outside a container captures the chapter’s intended relation.

Places to read

II.5.2, II.5.3, II.5.4Simple duration is distinguished from temporal flux and named the very always
II.6.8Nowhere as uncontained and nowhere absent as universally sustaining
II.6.12, II.6.13Everywhere itself is distinguished from the corporeal extension imagination supplies

Translation in this edition

The English quotation marks around “always,” “where,” and “everywhere” mark adverbs treated as names. Sempiternitas here is not safely defined as merely endless successive time, since the text calls it simple and abiding.

ipsum semper

ipsum semper. Printed forms: ipsum semper.

The adverb always treated as the name of duration itself. God is identified with the very always, not merely with an item lasting for all temporal moments. References: II.5.4. See Always and everywhere.

ubique / nusquam / ubi

ubique / nusquam / ubi. Printed forms: nusquam; Nusquam; ubi; ubique.

Everywhere, nowhere, and where, sometimes treated as substantive names. God is nowhere as uncontained, nowhere absent as sustaining all, and the condition through which where exists. References: II.6.8, II.6.13. See Always and everywhere.