Lorenzo, dedication and public authority

Use in the book

Ficino opens and closes the Proem by addressing Lorenzo. He says the dedication is not needed to acquaint an ignorant patron with philosophy: Lorenzo is praised as already possessing unusual understanding. Ficino instead credits his beneficence with providing leisure for philosophical work. The dedication repays a benefit through an authorial duty and is presented as something Plato would welcome, because Lorenzo is said to unite philosophy with the highest authority in public affairs. These are Ficino’s encomiastic claims about the dedicatee. The passage alone does not establish a formal constitutional title, prove the justice of Lorenzo’s political position, or make every philosophical judgement in the book the patron’s own.

Places to read

1. Proem.1The direct address places the opening account of Plato within a dedication
2. Proem.11Philosophical attainment, beneficence, leisure, duty and public authority are joined

Translation in this edition

“Magnanimous Lorenzo” preserves the address; the prior name directory identifies the dedicatee as Lorenzo de’ Medici. “Authority in public affairs” follows the broad Latin more closely than an invented office name. Otium means the supported leisure enabling study here, unlike the inactivity contrasted with act in I.5.4.

arcana / edo

arcana / edo. Printed forms: arcana; editurus.

Secrets or difficult inherited teachings, and to publish or bring them forth. The dedication claims Lorenzo already understands what will be disclosed to others; the language participates in praise of the dedicatee’s philosophical capacity. References: Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.

auctoritas

auctoritas. Printed forms: auctoritate; auctoritati.

Authority, warrant or public standing. Augustine’s authority supports Ficino’s project, law’s authority meets resistance, and Lorenzo’s authority concerns public affairs; the objects distinguish the uses. References: Proem.7, Proem.8, Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.

beneficium / officium

beneficium / officium. Printed forms: beneficio; officio.

A benefit or beneficence; a duty or service. Lorenzo’s support provides leisure, while Ficino’s dedication is the service offered in return; the two nouns name different sides of the relationship. References: Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.

dedico / gratulor

dedico / gratulor. Printed forms: dedicandum; gratulaturus.

To dedicate and to rejoice or congratulate. Ficino dedicates the work in return for support and imagines Plato rejoicing at Lorenzo’s conjunction of philosophy with public authority. References: Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.

Laurenti / magnanimus

Laurenti / magnanimus. Printed forms: Laurenti; magnanime.

Lorenzo in direct address, praised as magnanimous. The vocative marks the Proem’s dedicatee and its encomiastic tone; it is not a philosophical definition of magnanimity. References: Proem.1, Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.

res publicae

res publicae. Printed forms: rebus publicis.

Public affairs. Ficino praises Lorenzo for uniting philosophy with the highest authority in public affairs; the wording does not itself specify a constitutional office. References: Proem.11. See Lorenzo, dedication and public authority.