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Heaven divine names and cosmological figures

Hierobotanum and mineral powers

hierobotanum, Achates, adamas, magneti, Corneola, Onyx, Corallus; fascinandos, roborandos, obtundit, sistit, mitigat, repellit.

The passage names a herb and several stones, then gives distinct operative verbs: bewitching, strengthening, blunting, stopping, calming, and repelling.

From the book

Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume I

Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Orientation

At a Glance

  • The wordThe passage names a herb and several stones, then gives distinct operative verbs: bewitching, strengthening, blunting, stopping, calming, and repelling.
  • In the Platonic TheologyFicino argues that dense mixed bodies cannot of themselves account for effects upon human souls and even storms; a stronger living and wise nature must work within them.
  • In this editionThe reading fecundiam is rendered “fertility.”
  • A place to readsluggish bodily mixture is contrasted with alleged effects on souls; herb, agate, diamond, and magnet supply examples

Meaning

The passage names a herb and several stones, then gives distinct operative verbs: bewitching, strengthening, blunting, stopping, calming, and repelling. Virtus in this setting means effective power, not moral virtue. The names are retained as the supplied text's identifications rather than independently certified mineralogical or botanical classifications.

Use in the book

Ficino argues that dense mixed bodies cannot of themselves account for effects upon human souls and even storms; a stronger living and wise nature must work within them. He reports the Magi's claim that hierobotanum aids physicians' divinations. Agate is said to foster sight, blunt poison, and confer strength and fertility. A nearby diamond is said to deprive a magnet of what it attracts. Carnelian stops bleeding and calms anger; onyx inflames anger and frightens sleepers; coral, on the testimony attributed to Metrodorus and Zoroaster, banishes terrors and repels lightning and hail.

The opposing emotional effects of carnelian and onyx matter to the argument: these are allegedly determinate powers, not one undifferentiated beneficial influence. The conclusion concerns the rank of the nature said to produce them. These are historical natural-lore claims, not remedies or protections established here, and should not be used as medical or safety advice. The magnet reappears later in a different explanatory role, as an analogy for an invisible mover.

Places to read

  1. IV.1.19–202sluggish bodily mixture is contrasted with alleged effects on souls; herb, agate, diamond, and magnet supply examples
  2. IV.1.21–222the stones' differentiated effects support the inference to an infused superior nature
  3. IV.1.74magnetic attraction later illustrates a hidden cause, without repeating the diamond claim

Translation in this edition

The reading fecundiam is rendered “fertility.” The prior lexicon reports an apparatus variant concerning eloquence; that later variant must not be silently added to the list of effects in this continuous reading text. Individual verbs preserve the diversity of the claims rather than an assertion that all the stones simply heal.

Achates / adamas

Achates / adamas. Printed forms: Achates; adamas.

Agate; diamond as named in the source. Agate allegedly benefits sight, resists poison, and grants strength and fertility; nearby diamond allegedly removes the magnet's attraction. References: IV.1.20. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

Corneola / Onyx / Corallus

Corneola / Onyx / Corallus. Printed forms: Corallus; Corneola; Onyx.

Carnelian, onyx, and coral in the source's nomenclature. Their alleged effects differ: checking blood and anger, kindling anger and dream-terror, and repelling terrors and storms. References: IV.1.21. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

fascinare / roborare

fascinare / roborare. Printed forms: fascinandos; roborandos.

To bewitch and to strengthen. Alleged bodily effects on souls support an inference to an infused power superior to the mixed bodies. References: IV.1.19. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

hierobotanum

hierobotanum. Printed forms: hierobotanum.

The herb named in the source. The Magi are said to claim that it aids physicians' divinations; the lexical record retains the attribution and does not identify or prescribe it. References: IV.1.20. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

Metrodorus / Zoroaster

Metrodorus / Zoroaster. Printed forms: Metrodorus; Zoroaster.

Authorities named for the coral claim. Ficino invokes their testimony; the record does not independently verify either the attribution or the alleged effects. References: IV.1.21. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

obtundere / fecundia

obtundere / fecundia. Printed forms: fecundiam; obtundit.

To blunt; fertility in the supplied reading. The agate claim uses different verbs for different powers; the edition's alternative eloquence reading is not added to its continuous text. References: IV.1.20. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.

sistere / mitigare / repellere

sistere / mitigare / repellere. Printed forms: mitigat; repellit; sistit.

To stop, calm, and repel. The natural-lore list differentiates action upon bleeding, anger, and lightning or hail rather than one uniform healing property. References: IV.1.21. See Hierobotanum and mineral powers.