The number “three" was one favored by poets, theologians, and musicians of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, whether or not they were Neoplatonists. Music texts of the period, for example, refer to triple meter as "perfect" time, as we still sometimes do today. Ficino, too, in Neoplatonic fashion frequently divides his philosophical paradigms into threes and multiples of three. It is not surprising, then, to find on Botticelli's canvas a trio of threes: three nature spirits, three Graces, and three deities.
On the far right side of the painting the wind of spring, Zephyr, blows and pursues the earth-nymph Chloris. Frances Yates quite properly sees this wind as Ficino's own spiritus mundi, the spirit we have been trying to explicate all along.5 From the breath of Chloris come forth flowers, as she is transformed into Flora, in a kind of photographic stop-action in oil. Flora is the herald of spring, the season of Venus. On the other side of the canvas the three Graces do their round dance—Chastity in the middle with her hair close-bound and a wistful look on her face; Pleasure, to the left, has snakelike hair and loose garments; and close to Venus is Beauty, moderately dressed. The three deities are; first Venus herself, pictured with heavy breasts and swelling belly. Rather maternal in appearance, she seems to be giving her approval for what is taking place around her. Blinded Cupid is above her, taking aim with his burning arrow. And Mercury stands at the far left, pointing to the clouds.