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De vita libri tres (Three Books of Life), Marsilio Ficino, 1529
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De vita libri tres (Three Books of Life), Marsilio Ficino, 1529
Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499), an Italian physician, humanist philosopher, and Catholic priest, wrote the popular De vita libri tres. First published in 1489, the book is a unique blend of medieval medicine, natural magic, astrology, theology, and ideas of ancient Greek philosopher Plato (ca. 428–ca. 347 BCE). The book is in three parts: the first, De vita sana (On Healthy Life), helps melancholic scholars live healthy lives; De vita longa (On Long Life) explains how to prolong one’s life; and finally, De vita coelitus comparanda (On Obtaining Life from the Heavens) explores astrological and spiritual magic.