Linguaggio, simbolo, memoria. Pico e l’ircocervo

This article examines the role of language, symbols, and memory in the thought of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, focusing on a particular passage in his Apologia where he mentions the "hircocervus". The author explores the meaning of this symbol, linking it to medieval philosophical debates on intelligibility and truth, as well as to the Kabbalistic tradition. By analyzing Pico’s sources a connection emerges between the "hircocervus" and Flavius Mithridates’ translation of the Song of Songs, highlighting the complex interplay between philosophy, Kabbalah, and the art of memory in Renaissance thought. At the same time, this symbol provides a crucial clue for investigating Pico’s mnemonic structures.