ABSTRACT
George Gemistos, who had a vivid interest in ancient thought and culture since his youth, was further influenced by his polytheist Jewish teacher Elissaeus, with whom he spent some time at the Ottoman court. During his visit to Italy in 1438–1439 Gemistos gave lectures on Platonic philosophy to the humanists there. He was perhaps inspired by their admiration and, as they called him the second Plato, he changed his name to Plethon. According to Mamalakis, although apparently interested in the ancient authors already before his journey to Italy, Gemistos remained always an orthodox Christian. According to other scholars, he was a polytheist already before the Council of Florence and his position was only somehow radicalized there. It is generally accepted that Gemistos wrote at least the largest part of his Laws if not the whole book after 1439.
