Marsilio Ficino: A Real Ladies’ Man

Meditations on the Soul is a collection of several letters written by fifteenth-century Italian philosopher Marsilio Ficino. Through these letters, Ficino provides philosophical insights and social commentaries that define a proper view of humankind. One of the topics Ficino touches on in Meditations on the Soul is the subject of women. Remarkably, Ficino expresses a view of women that would have run counter to the medieval culture in which he lived. Ficino clearly demonstrates his counter-cultural view of women in his description of marriage, in his advice to fathers regarding the futures of their daughters, and in his opinion concerning the virtues that a woman should possess, all in order to declare the intrinsic value, worth, and dignity present in the jewel of the crown of creation: woman.  

In Meditations on the Soul, Ficino highlights the dignity of the female person when he presents readers with an idea of what marriage should be and the way a wife should be treated that would have been revolutionary for the time in which he lived. Historically, marriage in medieval times was often an arrangement in which the wife was considered a subservient member, lower in the social condition than her husband, and perhaps closer to the status of a servant or a piece of property to be traded. However, in Ficino’s instruction to a friend, he calls for the act of giving a woman in marriage to be considered the entrusting of her to a husband’s “protection, safekeeping, support, and care” (181). Ficino writes that the wife, in turn, offers the man “sweet solace from [his] labors” and provides him with a strong incentive towards moral philosophy (182). These statements illustrate the role the wife plays in her husband’s consolation as well as in his character development. Ficino also writes that the husband has a responsibility to support and strengthen his wife. He writes that just as the duty of the servant is to regard his master’s interest as his own, it is the duty of the husband to “love his wife as his own body” (191) and, in the spirit of a true lover, to give himself up “to the beloved” (174). At a time when a husband’s duty to love and cherish his wife was not widely recognized, Ficino offers counter-cultural instruction that emphasizes the man’s duty to protect and care for his wife, rather than to use her for his own gain and pleasure. Ficino’s philosophy of marriage, as well as his instruction to husbands, elevates the status of the wife, enabling her to entrust herself to her husband’s care and “follow him most willingly” (191) as he “most carefully [leads] her” (191). In his illustration of the husband’s role in his wife’s guidance as well as of the wife’s role in her husband’s mental and spiritual growth, Ficino places both husband and wife on the level of a balanced and mutually sacrificial partnership.

Beginning on page 180 of Meditations, the philosopher indicates some elements necessary to a sacrificial partnership as he outlines a father’s responsibility to ensure that the man his daughter marries is virtuous. In a letter addressed to a man named Francesco Berlinghieri, whom Ficino calls his “fellow philosopher” (180), Ficino states that he understands Berlinghieri’s daughter has “reached the age for marriage” (181) and asks him to consider her future carefully (181). Throughout the letter, Ficino references a situation that was historically commonplace for his time, in which families would arrange for their daughters to marry wealthy men solely for the purpose of monetary gain without a thought to the moral character of their future sons-in-law or their daughters’ emotional welfare (180-181). Ficino advises Berlinghieri that it would be wise for him to choose a husband for his daughter based on the young man’s virtue rather than on his fortune (180), stating that the safekeeping of something one cherishes is best entrusted to someone who is “prudent, strong, just and trustworthy” (180). In his thoughtful concern for the daughter of his friend, Ficino’s deep respect and care for all women shines through. His view of the fragile nature of womanhood is shown to be one of chivalry as he regards this fragility not as a burden, but as a reason that justifies why women should be cherished and protected. Ficino’s use of tender language as he describes Berlinghieri’s daughter as “precious” (181) and his tribute to the worth of a woman of “good character” (181) who is in herself  “sufficient dowry” (181) demonstrate the philosopher’s profound reverence for the delicately formed, designed-to-be-treasured part of God’s creation known as woman.

Later, Ficino describes that which comprises “good character” in a woman, naming many virtuous attributes which emphasize a woman’s God-given ability to possess strength of character. On page 192 of Meditations, Ficino empowers women by stating that they should seek to have the “spirit of a man” (192). He then goes on to list several virtuous characteristics and behaviors essential to the spirit of a man. He writes that a man should treat his country with “love and reverence” (194), love others as himself (195), love himself “in God” (195), and “cleave to God with all his strength” (195). Ficino adds that a man should strive to act justly, “render[ing] to each his due” (195) and abiding by the laws of his country (194). He also writes that a man should take care to control his emotions and feelings (195), that he should give honor and respect to those above him (195), “family companionship”  to those equal to him (195), and support and advice to those under him (195). At a time when women were traditionally viewed as being more prone to moral weakness and having considerably less intelligence than men, Ficino administers a cultural shock to readers by listing all of these positive traits that speak of honor, justice, and strength—traits that were then more commonly associated with men—stating that women should aim to embody these attributes as well. These statements demonstrate Ficino’s belief in a woman’s capacity to be a virtuous participant in something higher than herself. By laying out these criteria for women to follow, Ficino not only encourages them to love God, themselves, and others and to act as just, law-abiding citizens, but he also gives women an empowering standard by which to gauge the character and integrity of men.

While it is certainly remarkable to see a medieval author empowering women by encouraging thinking that ran counter to the social pattern for his time, describing marriage as much more than a source of pleasure for the husband or a tool to bring wealth to the bride’s family, exhorting fathers to look to the best interests of their daughters when considering their futures, and encouraging women to strive for spiritual, moral, and emotional integrity while holding men to the same standard, it is not at all surprising. It is not surprising because this author, Marsilio Ficino, was not only a philosopher but also a Catholic priest who knew and valued the teachings of Jesus Christ. Throughout his writing, Ficino imitates the standard set by Jesus in the Gospels concerning how women should be regarded and treated. Ficino’s attitude towards women in Meditations on the Soul mirrors the counter-cultural attitude Jesus held towards women when He spoke with the woman at the well who expressed surprise that He even acknowledged her (John 4:1-26, NIV), when He defended the sinful woman who anointed His feet, scandalizing the Pharisees (Luke 7:44-47, NIV), and, when He—as a thirty-year-old Jewish man—performed His first miracle at the request of a woman, His Mother, Mary (John 2:1-10, NIV). Through Ficino’s channeling of Jesus’ chivalrous mindset towards women, he not only teaches women how they should act, but also how they should expect to be treated. Ficino sets a high standard for the moral character and conduct of both men and women, wholeheartedly demonstrating the importance of both their roles as beings created by God, Who created them in His own image, male and female (Genesis 1:27, NIV).