Ficino is an international electronic seminar and bulletin board for the circulation and exchange of information about the Renaissance and Reformation and the decades which precede and follow. Begun in 1990 by Germaine Warkentin, William Bowen and Willard McCarty, today the list has approximately 800 members who hail from 29 different countries.

The list takes its name from the great fifteenth-century neo-Platonist philosopher Marsilio Ficino, and its inspiration from comments he made in a letter to Bembo:

The convivium alone . . . rebuilds limbs, revives humours, restores spirit, delights senses, fosters and awakens reason. The convivium is rest from labours, release from cares and nourishment of genius; it is the demonstration of love and splendour, the food of good will, the seasoning of friendship, the leavening of grace and the solace of life.

Participants in Ficino come from many disciplines: classics, the vernacular languages, history, philosophy, music, art, and law. They are united, however, by their interest in the culture of the period 1350-1700, and by a spirit of academic fellowship and cooperation.

If you wish to join the listserv, follow the instructions below. Please send the Editor a brief statement about your activities in the field, whatever they may be. A pleasant informative biography is preferable to a professional c.v. As you will discover on joining Ficino, the biographies of fellow members are a valuable and interesting resource.

Thank you,
Richard Raiswell and William Bowen, for Ficino

Membership
Please e-mail the following information to the editor, Richard Raiswell (crrs.ficino@utoronto.ca)

• full name
• position, institution, location, country
• e-mail address
• a biographical sketch (ca. 15 lines; please do not send a CV)

Please note that Ficino is an unmoderated list, but it does not permit any commercial advertising.