Forwarded from Ghost of de Maistre
"There is a fountain of truth from which two parallel streams run their historical course; the one is philosophy, the other is theology. True philosophy is Platonism and true theology is Christianity. These two varieties of truth are ultimately joined, for Ficino accepted at face value the story of Plato's having come into contact with the Pentateuch, several times quoting Numenius' characterization of Plato as a "Greek speaking Moses."
Although the Scriptures form the basis of true religion and the writings of Plato the basis of true philosophy, according to Ficino there had already been in even more ancient times a long development of philosophical truth. This is found principally in the prisca theologia (or prisca philosophia or philosophia priscorum), a long religio-philosophical tradition, held by Ficino to date back to Moses:
'In those things which pertain to theology the six great theologians of former times concur. Of whom the first is said to have been Zoroaster, head of the magi; the second is Hermes Trismegistus, originator of the priests of Egypt. Orpheus succeeded Hermes. Aglaophemus was initiated to the sacred things of Orpheus. Pythagoras succeeded Aglaophemus in theology. To Pythagoras succeeded Plato, who in his writings encompassed those men's universal wisdom, added to it, and elucidated it.'
Ficino emphasizes that the philosophy of the ancients (prisci) is nothing other than a "learned religion (docta religio)"; and he seems to have identified the whole tradition with a pia quaedam philosophia, which was consummated in Plato, emphasizing, for example, that "Plato was imbued with the divine mysteries of Hermes Trismegistus."
- Source: "Perennial Philosophy: From Agostino Steuco to Leibniz" by Charles B. Schmitt
https://scialetteraria.altervista.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ficino-min.jpg
Although the Scriptures form the basis of true religion and the writings of Plato the basis of true philosophy, according to Ficino there had already been in even more ancient times a long development of philosophical truth. This is found principally in the prisca theologia (or prisca philosophia or philosophia priscorum), a long religio-philosophical tradition, held by Ficino to date back to Moses:
'In those things which pertain to theology the six great theologians of former times concur. Of whom the first is said to have been Zoroaster, head of the magi; the second is Hermes Trismegistus, originator of the priests of Egypt. Orpheus succeeded Hermes. Aglaophemus was initiated to the sacred things of Orpheus. Pythagoras succeeded Aglaophemus in theology. To Pythagoras succeeded Plato, who in his writings encompassed those men's universal wisdom, added to it, and elucidated it.'
Ficino emphasizes that the philosophy of the ancients (prisci) is nothing other than a "learned religion (docta religio)"; and he seems to have identified the whole tradition with a pia quaedam philosophia, which was consummated in Plato, emphasizing, for example, that "Plato was imbued with the divine mysteries of Hermes Trismegistus."
- Source: "Perennial Philosophy: From Agostino Steuco to Leibniz" by Charles B. Schmitt
https://scialetteraria.altervista.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ficino-min.jpg