In the Oratio de hominis dignitate (1486), described by Jacob Burckhardt as "one of the noblest legacies of the Renaissance," Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) declares freedom to be the constitutive element of human dignity, as it allows individuals to be what they wish. As a productive thinker, humanity can strive for the Highest and ascend to the immediate proximity of God. The translation is based on the critical edition from Florence 1942, followed by Garin's edition from 1968. The Hebrew quotations have been corrected, and the notes are taken from Garin's edition. It includes an introduction, a selected bibliography, and an index of names.