From the book
Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume I
Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordComparare brings things into a comparison; similis names likeness, whereas aequalis and par name equality.
- In the Platonic TheologyThe announced comparison of five levels is designed to expose differences in dependence and perfection.
- In this edition“Like” and “equal” should remain distinct.
- A place to readThe five grades are to be compared with one another
Meaning
Comparare brings things into a comparison; similis names likeness, whereas aequalis and par name equality. Proportio concerns a relation or relative arrangement. The respect of comparison must be supplied: likeness in quality, equality in magnitude, equality of causal power, and proportion between kinds are different claims.
Use in the book
The announced comparison of five levels is designed to expose differences in dependence and perfection. A particularly concrete distinction appears in natural generation: an effect resembles its cause qualitatively before it equals it quantitatively. Children resemble their parents in constitution and shape before, and more often than, matching their size. This is an example in Ficino’s argument that action proceeds through qualities, not a claim that resemblance and equality are synonyms. The same precision matters in the hour-long bodily-condition test: equal powers are said to produce equal effects, so an unchanged power would preserve the condition for another equal period. Finally, form’s greater proportio to matter than quantity supplies an argument about separability, not a numerical ratio measured in the passage.
Places to read
Translation in this edition
“Like” and “equal” should remain distinct. “Constitution” renders complexio in the parental comparison; the resemblance includes a bodily condition, not just visible facial similarity. The passage’s rarius et posterius says that equality is less frequent and later, not impossible.
complexio / figura
complexio / figura. Printed forms: complexione; figura.
Bodily constitution and figure or shape. The parental resemblance example concerns both constitution and appearance; complexio is not merely skin colour in this passage. References: I.2.12. See Comparing, resembling and equalling.
convenio / discrepo
convenio / discrepo. Printed forms: convenit; Discrepat.
To agree in a respect and to differ. Angel agrees with soul in multiplicity and differs in immobility; comparative grammar identifies the exact shared and distinguishing features. References: I.6.3. See Comparing, resembling and equalling.
filius / parens
filius / parens. Printed forms: filii; parentum.
Child or offspring and parent. Newborn resemblance supports the priority of qualitative causation; later equality of size is less frequent and subsequent. References: I.2.12. See Comparing, resembling and equalling.
similis / aequalis
similis / aequalis. Printed forms: aequales; persimiles; similes.
Like in a specified respect and equal in a specified respect. Children are said to resemble parents in constitution and figure before equalling their size, separating qualitative likeness from quantitative equality. References: I.2.12. See Comparing, resembling and equalling.