Encyclopedia

Lucifer

Originally the Latin name for the morning star, in Christian and esoteric traditions he is identified as the fallen angel whose pride led to his rebellion against God.

69 books · 2337 mentions

Libya

In early modern and classical contexts, a term often referring to the entire African continent or its northern regions, associated with ancient mysteries and the Sibylline oracles.

59 books · 951 mentions

Lucretius

A Roman poet and philosopher whose work De rerum natura preserved Epicurean atomism, influencing early modern natural philosophy and the debate over the nature of the soul.

50 books · 953 mentions

Lebanon

A mountainous region in the Levant frequently mentioned in biblical and esoteric texts, particularly for its cedars and their symbolic association with spiritual incorruptibility.

46 books · 918 mentions

Lyon

A major French city that served as a vital center for the printing of occult, alchemical, and medical texts during the 16th and 17th centuries.

45 books · 784 mentions

Leo (Zodiac Sign)

43 books · 834 mentions

Libra

The seventh sign of the zodiac, represented by the scales and associated with the autumnal equinox and the principle of balance. In astrological medicine, it governs the kidneys and signifies the equilibrium between opposing forces in the cosmos.

42 books · 817 mentions

Leonardo da Vinci

An Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who excelled in painting, science, engineering, and anatomy, embodying the 'Renaissance Man' ideal.

35 books · 3975 mentions

Lactantius

An early Christian advisor to Constantine I whose writings sought to reconcile classical philosophy with Christian doctrine, often cited for his references to the Hermetic corpus.

35 books · 642 mentions

Leiden

A city in the Netherlands famous for its university, which became a leading center for the study of medicine, botany, and Oriental languages.

33 books · 892 mentions

Lagna (Ascendant)

In Jyotisha (Vedic astrology), the degree of the ecliptic that is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of an event or birth.

31 books · 647 mentions

Light of Nature

A Paracelsian and alchemical concept referring to the innate, divine intelligence or intuitive knowledge present in the natural world and the human soul, distinct from revelation.

30 books · 855 mentions

Lot

A biblical figure, the nephew of Abraham, whose story in Genesis is often interpreted allegorically in alchemical and mystical traditions.

30 books · 719 mentions

Lord Ganesha

A prominent deity in the Hindu pantheon, revered as the remover of obstacles and the patron of arts and sciences, frequently appearing in Indian astrological and divinatory texts.

30 books · 490 mentions

Lorenzo de' Medici

An Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic who was a major patron of Renaissance humanists, including Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola.

26 books · 985 mentions

Lycurgus

The legendary lawgiver of Sparta who established the military-oriented reformation of Spartan society in accordance with the Oracle of Delphi.

24 books · 377 mentions

Lucian of Samosata

22 books · 542 mentions

Liberal Arts

The traditional curriculum of secular education in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, consisting of the Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy).

22 books · 404 mentions

Lunar Mansions (Nakshatras)

A division of the ecliptic into segments based on the Moon's daily motion, used across various ancient traditions including Indian, Arabic, and Chinese astrology. These stations are used to determine auspicious times and individual character traits.

22 books · 359 mentions

Lazarus

The subject of a prominent miracle in the Gospel of John, where Jesus restores him to life four days after his death. He serves as a potent symbol of resurrection, divine grace, and the possibility of spiritual rebirth in mystical literature.

21 books · 437 mentions

Livy

A Roman historian whose monumental work provided the Renaissance with a primary source for Roman history, civic virtue, and the role of religion in the state.

20 books · 322 mentions

Library of Windsor Castle

The Royal Library of the British monarch, housing an extraordinary collection of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings and significant historical manuscripts on natural philosophy.

17 books · 1045 mentions

Lesbos

A Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, historically significant as a center of lyric poetry and the home of Sappho. In early modern texts, it is often cited in relation to classical mythology, natural history, and the works of Albertus Magnus.

17 books · 288 mentions

Lucan

Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, a Roman poet best known for his epic poem 'Pharsalia,' which depicts the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey. His work was highly regarded in the Middle Ages and Renaissance for its rhetorical power and stoic themes.

17 books · 286 mentions

Lakshmi

The Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity, frequently invoked in tantric and astrological texts for auspiciousness and material success.

17 books · 247 mentions

Local Motion

In Aristotelian and early modern natural philosophy, local motion refers to the change of place of a body, serving as a fundamental concept in the development of mechanics and celestial physics.

15 books · 286 mentions

Lydia

An ancient kingdom in western Asia Minor known for its historical wealth and its association with the 'Lydian mode' in early music theory and harmonics.

15 books · 191 mentions

Last Judgment

14 books · 256 mentions

Lombardy

A region in Northern Italy that served as a major cultural and political center during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It is frequently mentioned in historical and geographical texts, as well as in the works of Dante and Landino.

14 books · 231 mentions

Law of Nature

A system of right or justice held to be common to all humans and derived from nature rather than from social rules. In the early modern period, it was fundamental to the development of international law and ethics.

14 books · 209 mentions

Lyceum

The school founded by Aristotle in Athens, which became the center of the Peripatetic tradition and a foundational model for Western scientific and philosophical inquiry.

13 books · 298 mentions

Louvain

A Belgian city home to the Old University of Louvain, a major center for Catholic scholarship and humanist learning during the Renaissance. It was a significant site for the publication of theological and scientific works.

13 books · 281 mentions

Litharge

A secondary mineral form of lead monoxide, commonly used in alchemical processes and the refining of precious metals.

13 books · 255 mentions

Lemnos

A Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea, famous in antiquity for its 'Lemnian Earth,' a medicinal clay highly valued in early modern pharmacology and alchemy.

13 books · 227 mentions

Levi

The third son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Levi, significant in theological texts regarding the establishment of the priesthood and liturgical law.

13 books · 212 mentions

Leah

The first wife of the biblical patriarch Jacob, often interpreted in mystical and allegorical traditions as representing the active or laborious life.

13 books · 153 mentions

Lachesis

One of the three Moirai, or Fates, in Greek mythology, responsible for measuring the length of the thread of life and determining an individual's destiny.

13 books · 151 mentions

Lucretia

A legendary figure of ancient Rome whose suicide after being violated by the son of King Tarquin led to the overthrow of the Roman monarchy. In the Renaissance, she was celebrated as a supreme exemplar of female virtue and chastity.

12 books · 252 mentions

Laodicea

An ancient city in Asia Minor, significant in early Christianity as one of the Seven Churches of Asia and often mentioned in theological and apocalyptic commentaries.

12 books · 227 mentions

Laban

A biblical figure from the Book of Genesis whose interactions with Jacob were often interpreted in mystical traditions as representing specific states of natural good.

12 books · 208 mentions

Lycia

An ancient maritime region in southwestern Anatolia, mentioned in Neoplatonic texts in relation to the origins of Proclus and specific religious traditions.

12 books · 198 mentions

Limbo

A theological concept describing the afterlife state of those who die in original sin but without personal guilt, such as unbaptized infants.

11 books · 303 mentions

Leucippus

A 5th-century BCE Greek philosopher credited as the founder of atomism, the theory that the universe is composed of indivisible units called atoms.

11 books · 222 mentions

Lisbon

The capital of Portugal and a major maritime hub during the Age of Discovery, serving as a gateway for global trade and esoteric exchange.

11 books · 147 mentions

Longitude

The geographic coordinate specifying the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface, a critical problem in early modern navigation and cartography.

11 books · 129 mentions

Li Shizhen

A renowned Chinese polymath and herbalist of the Ming dynasty, author of the 'Compendium of Materia Medica' (Bencao Gangmu). His work is considered the most comprehensive and influential book in the history of traditional Chinese medicine.

10 books · 371 mentions

Lucca

A prominent Italian city-state known for its independence and its early adoption of the printing press, often cited in Renaissance literary commentaries.

10 books · 321 mentions

Living Water

A symbolic term in alchemy and Christian mysticism referring to the spiritual grace or the 'Aqua Vitae' required for the transformation of the soul.

10 books · 228 mentions

Logos

10 books · 126 mentions

Liver

9 books · 265 mentions

Leon Battista Alberti

9 books · 254 mentions

Leonhard Euler

A Swiss mathematician and physicist who made foundational contributions to calculus, graph theory, and mechanics during the Enlightenment. His work bridged the gap between classical physics and modern mathematical analysis.

9 books · 250 mentions

Lingnan

A geographical region in southern China comprising Guangdong and Guangxi, often associated with distinct cultural and botanical characteristics. It appears in Chinese encyclopedias and Western travelogues as a land of exotic natural resources.

9 books · 223 mentions

Liaodong

A peninsula in Northeast China that was strategically vital during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is often cited in historical and military texts concerning the defense of the Chinese frontier and regional trade.

9 books · 215 mentions

Lalla

9 books · 175 mentions

Lunar Mansions

9 books · 174 mentions

Lysimachus

A general of Alexander the Great and later King of Thrace, also appearing as a character in Plato's 'Laches.' In botanical texts, the genus Lysimachia (loosestrife) is traditionally said to be named after him.

9 books · 170 mentions

Lute of Wisdom

9 books · 147 mentions