Separate forms and intellectual life · Lexicon

From the book

Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume II

Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Orientation

At a Glance

The wordSegregatus and separatus describe forms removed from composites.
In the Platonic TheologyThe inward experiment of VI.2.10 begins from a distinction within the human composite: life communicated to the body and life vigorous in the soul itself.
In this editionThe edition’s “look down upon the former” and “turn their gaze to the latter” preserve despiciant/aspiciant and their antecedents.
A place to readSocratic separate forms are approached through intellectual life and the soul–angel–God ascent.

Meaning

Segregatus and separatus describe forms removed from composites. A subiectum formatum is a subject receiving form, not the subject matter of a discussion. Ratio here seeks truth discursively; intellectus purus names the pure intellect that already enjoys truth. Gaudium is joy, not appetite for an absent good.

Use in the book

The inward experiment of VI.2.10 begins from a distinction within the human composite: life communicated to the body and life vigorous in the soul itself. By attending to the latter, the philosopher is to verify what Ficino calls the Socratic teaching that imperfect forms in subjects depend upon perfect forms in themselves. The argument is presented as a discipline of life and attention as well as an ontological thesis. “Separated” thinkers reach separated forms by withdrawing their mind from bodily engagements as far as they can.

The ascent has three carefully differentiated moments. The pure soul is reason living with itself and eagerly circling truth’s light. Angel is pure intellect rejoicing in truth already infused. When the soul comes to rejoice like an angel, it perceives God and the reciprocal expressions of self-shining truth, light and joy. Likeness to an angel in activity is not a new assertion that the soul ceases to be soul, and divine truth is not merely one more received mental form. VI.2.11 continues this crescendo in an exceptionally short unit.

Places to read

VI.2.10Socratic separate forms are approached through intellectual life and the soul–angel–God ascent.
VI.2.11Truth, light and joy are reciprocally expressed at the ascent’s culmination.
VI.12.18God and angels are later distinguished from soul’s successive reasoning.

Translation in this edition

The edition’s “look down upon the former” and “turn their gaze to the latter” preserve despiciant/aspiciant and their antecedents. It supplies “it will behold” in VI.2.11 because the Latin continues the previous grammatical sequence.

angelus; Deus

angelus; Deus. Printed forms: angelis; angelumve; angelus; Deo; Deum.

Angel or angelic mind, and God as higher principles distinct from rational soul. The inward ascent and the contrast with temporal discourse preserve differences between soul’s succession, angelic intellect and the divine source. References: VI.2.10, VI.12.18, VI.12.19. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

aspicere; despicere

aspicere; despicere. Printed forms: aspiciant; despiciant.

Aspicere means to look toward; despicere means to look down upon. Despicere refers to looking down upon life communicated to the body; aspicere refers to looking toward the soul’s own inward life. The specific antecedents govern the paired verbs in VI.2.10. References: VI.2.10. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

forma segregata; subiectum

forma segregata; subiectum. Printed forms: formas; informia subiecta; segregatas; subiectis formatis.

Separate forms and the subjects receiving determinate form. The reported Socratic teaching makes imperfect immanent forms depend on perfect forms existing in themselves. References: VI.2.10. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

intellectus

intellectus. Printed forms: intellectu; intellectum; Intellectus; intellectus.

Intellect, distinguished locally from discursive reason and sensory imagination. Ficino reasons from its objects, its incorporeal constructions and angelic pure exercise; no single use makes every intellectual act uninterrupted. References: VI.2.9, VI.2.10. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

The intellectual faculty or knower able to apprehend universal and incorporeal accounts. It first knows universal nature and then returns to particulars; its unity and nonextended reception drive the later arguments. References: VIII.1.2, VIII.1.4, VIII.1.5, VIII.3.1, VIII.3.3, VIII.3.6, VIII.4.1, VIII.4.3, VIII.4.4, VIII.4.5, VIII.6.1, VIII.10.2, VIII.13.2, VIII.14.1, VIII.15.2, VIII.16.3. See Immediate intellection and the return to particulars.

intellectus purus

intellectus purus. Printed forms: intellectus purus.

Pure intellect in the angelic stage of the ascent. The soul’s later angel-like enjoyment is a likeness of activity, not its promotion into an uncreated being. References: VI.2.10. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

ratio secum vivens

ratio secum vivens. Printed forms: ratio secum ipsa vivens.

Reason living with itself in inward intellectual activity. This describes pure soul seeking truth, distinguished from angelic intellect already enjoying infused light. References: VI.2.10. See Separate forms and intellectual life.

veritas; gaudium

veritas; gaudium. Printed forms: gaudentem; gaudium; veritate; veritatem.

Truth and joy, reciprocally linked with light. The ascent culminates in self-shining truth, light rejoicing in truth and joy shining through it. References: VI.2.10, VI.2.11. See Separate forms and intellectual life.