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Heaven divine names and cosmological figures

Spheres and stars

sphaerae, globi, caeli, stellae, sidera; caelum empyreum, prorsus immobile, in aeternitate

Sphaera and globus name a cosmic sphere or globe; caelum heaven; stella an individual star; sidus may designate a constellation or stellar configuration.

From the book

Marsilio Ficino’s Platonic Theology, Volume I

Marsilio Ficino · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Orientation

At a Glance

  • The wordSphaera and globus name a cosmic sphere or globe; caelum heaven; stella an individual star; sidus may designate a constellation or stellar configuration.
  • In the Platonic TheologyFicino's account distinguishes a sphere from the living beings contained in it.
  • In this editionThe supplied apparatus retains prorsus immobile for the reported empyrean scheme at III.2.4 against an opposite witness reading.
  • A place to readAn explicitly attributed classification relates the empyrean, other spheres, and composites differently to eternity and time.

Meaning

Sphaera and globus name a cosmic sphere or globe; caelum heaven; stella an individual star; sidus may designate a constellation or stellar configuration. Their scopes differ even when English uses a general heavenly noun.

Use in the book

Ficino's account distinguishes a sphere from the living beings contained in it. The eight heavenly spheres have corresponding souls, while stars can possess particular souls differing in species because their size, light, powers, and motions differ. The four elemental spheres complete the total of twelve cosmic spheres. These distinctions explain why “soul of heaven,” “soul of a sphere,” and “soul of a star” are not universally substitutable expressions. The vocabulary is flexible: sidus in the zodiacal passage concerns a constellation imagined as a creature with a principal star as its heart, while other heavenly terms occur more broadly. Ficino argues that the simplicity, subtlety, and balanced constitution of celestial bodies make them more receptive to life than gross earthly mixtures. These are propositions of his historical cosmology, accompanied by the concluding theological reservation, rather than a description to be updated silently into modern planetary or stellar mechanics.

The empyrean heaven appears in a separate, expressly attributed classification at III.2.4. Ficino says that there are those who place it within eternity as wholly motionless, the other spheres in eternity and time together, and composite things in time alone. The contrast illustrates different relations to stability and change around soul's role as a bond between eternal and temporal things. This reported scheme does not add an unqualified new count to every other celestial classification in the work. The supplied apparatus retains prorsus immobile, wholly motionless, from M1482 and P1641 against G1559's opposite reading, prorsus mobile. These witness readings are reported by the edition's apparatus; the passage itself supplies neither a physical description nor an etymology of the empyrean.

Further passage references. IV.1.35–IV.1.4323456789; IV.1.71–IV.1.7323; IV.1.96; IV.2.24–IV.2.252; III.2.3–523; apparatus note for III.2.4

Places to read

  1. III.2.3–523An explicitly attributed classification relates the empyrean, other spheres, and composites differently to eternity and time.
  2. IV.1.35–4323456789Elemental globes, eight heavens, their inhabitants, and zodiacal creatures occupy different levels.
  3. IV.1.71–7323 and IV.1.96Subtle balanced bodies are argued to receive life; the conclusion remains under the theological reservation.
  4. IV.2.24–252Saturn’s sphere and the surrounding eighth sphere illustrate natural place through nested surfaces.

Translation in this edition

The supplied apparatus retains prorsus immobile for the reported empyrean scheme at III.2.4 against an opposite witness reading. This attributed scheme should not silently alter the count of twelve cosmic spheres, which combines eight heavens with four elemental spheres.

caelum / sphaera / stella

caelum / sphaera / stella. Printed forms: caelum; sphaeras; stellis.

Heaven / sphere / star. The examples distinguish variable spheres, a reported motionless empyrean, and celestial lights used as analogues of intellectual reception. References: III.1.32, III.2.4, III.2.5. See Spheres and stars.

nobilior / amplior

nobilior / amplior. Printed forms: amplior; nobilior.

Nobler and more extensive. The printed reading makes the larger extent of higher spheres an analogy for greater intellectual number; the apparatus reports a different later-witness reading, not adopted here. References: I.5.26. See Spheres and stars.

sphaera

sphaera. Printed forms: sphaeram.

Sphere, the cosmic whole invoked in the Apollo hymn. The lyre harmonizes the whole sphere, extending musical language to cosmological order. References: II.9.22. See Spheres and stars.

Eighth sphere (cosmic names)

Eighth sphere (Octavae sphaerae). Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Pericionius; life-giving and governing power Urania. IV.1.94. See Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Jupiter (cosmic names)

Jupiter (Iupiter particularis, fulminatorem Iovem, Jupiter the Thunderer, Iovis). A particular divine soul assigned to the heart of Leo in Ficino's reported Pythagorean catalogue. IV.1.43. Name of the knowing power of the soul of air, paired with Juno, in Ficino's reported Orphic catalogue. IV.1.94. Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Sabasius; life-giving and governing power Terpsichore. IV.1.94. See Zodiac; Bacchus and the Muses; Intellectual and animating powers; Spheres and stars.

Mars (cosmic names)

Mars (Mars, Martis). Divine soul assigned to the heart of Scorpio in Ficino's reported Pythagorean catalogue. IV.1.43. Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Bassareus; life-giving and governing power Clio. IV.1.94. See Zodiac; Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Mercury (cosmic names)

Mercury (Mercurius, Mercurii sphaerae). Divine soul assigned to the heart of Cancer in Ficino's reported Pythagorean catalogue. IV.1.43. Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Bacchus Silenus; life-giving and governing power Euterpe. IV.1.94. See Zodiac; Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Moon (cosmic names)

Moon (sphaerae lunaris). Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Bacchus Licnitus; life-giving and governing power Thalia. IV.1.94. See Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Saturn (cosmic names)

Saturn (Saturni). Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Amphietus; life-giving and governing power Polyhymnia. IV.1.94. See Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Sun (cosmic names)

Sun (Solis). Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Trietericus; life-giving and governing power Melpomene. IV.1.94. See Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Venus (cosmic names)

Venus (Venus, Veneris). Divine soul assigned to the heart of Taurus in Ficino's reported Pythagorean catalogue. IV.1.43. Context in the Orphic catalogue: knowing power Lysius; life-giving and governing power Erato. IV.1.94. See Zodiac; Bacchus and the Muses; Spheres and stars.

Algazeles (authorities and cited works)

Algazeles. Named with Avicenna among those who strongly confirmed celestial animation. The source form is retained. IV.1.88. See Spheres and stars.

Aristotle and the Peripatetics (authorities and cited works)

Aristotle and the Peripatetics. Ficino invokes their arguments concerning forms, unmoved movers, ends, cosmic order, possibility, and celestial animation. He also distinguishes their accounts from Platonist positions. His titles, book numbers, and attributions are retained as part of his exposition. I.3.19, I.3.27; I.5.20–2223; II.9.21; II.12.17; II.13.8–122345; IV.1.88–9323456. See Cause; Angel; Order and harmony; Spheres and stars.

Augustine; Aurelius Augustine (authorities and cited works)

Augustine; Aurelius Augustine. The Proem invokes his authority for the proximity of Plato to Christian truth. Later he is cited concerning the doctrinal permissibility of celestial animation. Aureliana auctoritas in Proem.7 refers back to this Augustine. Proem.6–72; IV.1.88. See Philosophy and theology; Spheres and stars.

Avicenna (authorities and cited works)

Avicenna. Named in the discussion of the principal angelic minds and their number, and with Algazeles in support of celestial animation. I.5.20; IV.1.88. See Angel; Number; Spheres and stars.

Peripatetics (authorities and cited works)

Peripatetics. See Aristotle and the Peripatetics above, especially I.3.19; II.12.17; IV.1.88–9323456.

Theophrastus (authorities and cited works)

Theophrastus. Named as Aristotle's disciple and as a source for celestial animation. IV.1.88. See Spheres and stars.

Thomas Aquinas (authorities and cited works)

Thomas Aquinas. Explicitly credited for the distinction between absolute and conditional necessity in divine willing, and later cited concerning celestial animation's relation to Christian doctrine. II.12.15; IV.1.88. See Freedom and necessity; Spheres and stars.

Against the Gentiles (authorities and cited works)

Against the Gentiles. Thomas Aquinas's work cited in the discussion of whether celestial bodies possess souls. IV.1.88. See Spheres and stars.

Enchiridion (authorities and cited works)

Enchiridion. Augustine's work cited concerning celestial animation and Christian doctrine. IV.1.88. See Spheres and stars.

On Heaven (authorities and cited works)

On Heaven. Aristotle and Theophrastus are cited in support of celestial animation. IV.1.88. See Spheres and stars.

On the Soul (authorities and cited works)

On the Soul. Named in the series of Aristotelian references supporting celestial animation. IV.1.88. See Soul; Spheres and stars.

Physics; works on nature (authorities and cited works)

Physics; works on nature. Invoked for purposive natural order and celestial animation. II.13.12; IV.1.88. See Art and nature; Spheres and stars.