The Theme of the Immortality of the Soul in Plethon’s Philosophy (With the Translation of His Funerary Orations on Cleopa Malatesta and Helena Palaiologina)

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the views of the last major Byzantine philosopher George Gemistos Plethon on the immortality of the human soul. Scholars are still debating whether Plethon was a pagan who completely rejected Christianity, or a Christian who was too fond of Platonism. Methods. Methods employed in this article are source research, information analysis, comparative research. Sources on the subject include: Plethon’s funeral orations on Cleopa Malatesta and on Helena Palaiologina, “Book of Laws”, commentaries on the Chaldean Oracles, “On the Differences of Aristotle from Plato”, “Summary of the Doctrines of Zoroaster and Plato”, “Áddress to the Despot Theodore on the Peloponnese”, Theodore Metochites’ treatise “On Education”. Analysis. An analysis of Plethon’s writings shows that in his doctrine of the human soul and its posthumous destiny Gemistos was far removed from Christianity. Plethon confessed the pre-existence of souls to bodies and metempsychosis, he considered life in body as the main human mission in universe, as a link and boundary between the mortal and immortal worlds. According to Plethon, permanent periodical connection of immortal and mortal (soul and body) in human is better, than endless immortality after one life. His doctrine about soul does not imply neither deification of body, nor bodily resurrection and terrible judgment at the end of time. Results. In Plethon’s monodies, his non-Christian views are expressed in a veiled way, but a careful analysis of the text of the monodies in comparison with the other works of the philosopher shows that his views on the destiny of the soul, on the one hand, were very different from those of the Christian Church, and on the other hand, they looked more optimistic, leaving the soul the opportunity both for gradual improvement in a series of rebirths, and for enjoying the divine life between them, subject to virtuous behavior on earth. Appendix. The article is accompanied by a Russian translation of Plethon’s monodies on Cleopa Malatesta and Helena Palaiologina.