Apelles and the meadow · Lexicon

From the book

Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume I

Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Orientation

At a Glance

The wordApelles is the named painter; pratum is a meadow, tabula a panel, pingere painting, and exprimere representing or reproducing.
In the Platonic TheologyThe example answers a precise objection: if higher causes move soul, how can soul move itself?
In this editionThis is an illustrative scene narrated by Ficino.
A place to readThe painter is introduced to answer the self-motion objection.

Meaning

Apelles is the named painter; pratum is a meadow, tabula a panel, pingere painting, and exprimere representing or reproducing. Subito and paulatim distinguish the immediate presentation from gradual work.

Use in the book

The example answers a precise objection: if higher causes move soul, how can soul move itself? The whole meadow presents itself and kindles Apelles’s desire at once. His observing individual flowers and painting them proceeds gradually. Ficino assigns the beginning and end of the activity to the meadow, but its successive temporal manner to the painter’s soul. The external source and object do not remove the inward source of sequence. He then applies the comparison to soul’s wish to paint itself in the likeness of God and angel through contemplation, character, and action. The application joins intellectual and ethical formation; it is not merely an account of visual copying. Self-motion is thus compatible with received direction while remaining distinct from independence of any higher source.

Selected annotated passages.

Places to read

III.1.27The painter is introduced to answer the self-motion objection.
III.1.28Presentation and kindling are acts; gradual consideration and painting are motions.
III.1.30The meadow is beginning and end; soul is the spring of succession.
III.1.31Self-painting extends the analogy to contemplation, character, and action.

Translation in this edition

This is an illustrative scene narrated by Ficino. The supplied passage does not independently establish a historical painting or event in Apelles’s life. “Panel” keeps tabula’s material sense, while “paint itself” preserves the deliberately extended metaphor.

accendere / accensio

accendere / accensio. Printed forms: accendit; accensio.

Kindle / kindling. The meadow kindles desire immediately; this is called an act but denied to be motion because it is not gradual. References: III.1.27, III.1.28. See Apelles and the meadow.

Apelles / pratum

Apelles / pratum. Printed forms: Apelles; Apellis; Pratum; pratum.

Apelles / meadow. The named painter and presented meadow distinguish an external starting point and end from soul’s inward source of succession. References: III.1.27, III.1.29. See Apelles and the meadow.

exprimere / referre

exprimere / referre. Printed forms: exprimatur; referatque.

Represent or reproduce. The painter’s soul determines the successive manner in which the meadow’s different plants are represented. References: III.1.29. See Apelles and the meadow.

flos / herba

flos / herba. Printed forms: florem; herba.

Flower / plant or herb. Successive attention to individual plants illustrates the temporal mode supplied by the painter’s soul. References: III.1.28, III.1.29. See Apelles and the meadow.

tabula / pingere / color

tabula / pingere / color. Printed forms: coloribus; pingendi; pingere; tabula.

Panel / paint / color. Painting proceeds flower by flower and later becomes the metaphor for soul’s gradual intellectual and ethical self-formation. References: III.1.27, III.1.28, III.1.31. See Apelles and the meadow.