Encyclopedia

Microcosm

The philosophical concept that the human being is a miniature reflection of the entire universe (macrocosm), a cornerstone of Renaissance magic and medicine.

73 books · 1886 mentions

Marsilio Ficino

An Italian priest and scholar who led the Florentine Academy and translated the 'Corpus Hermeticum' and Plato, sparking the Renaissance revival of Neoplatonism.

70 books · 3522 mentions

Mars

The Roman god of war and the planetary body associated in alchemy with the metal iron and the qualities of heat, dryness, and aggression.

70 books · 1209 mentions

Mercury

The Roman messenger god (Hermes) and the name of both a planet and a primary alchemical principle (the 'Sophic Mercury') representing volatility and the spirit.

66 books · 1258 mentions

Martin Luther

The primary figure of the Protestant Reformation whose theological shifts regarding faith and scripture fundamentally altered the intellectual landscape of Western Europe.

59 books · 1425 mentions

Macrocosm and Microcosm

A philosophical concept positing a structural correspondence between the human being and the universe, serving as a cornerstone of Hermeticism and Renaissance natural philosophy.

59 books · 1195 mentions

Milan

A major Italian city and center of learning during the Renaissance, home to influential courts and printers that disseminated works on astrology, medicine, and the humanities.

56 books · 2132 mentions

Moon

The Earth's natural satellite, representing the feminine principle, the element of water, and the metal silver in alchemical and astrological systems.

50 books · 982 mentions

Munich

A German city that became a center for the Counter-Reformation and later a hub for scientific and esoteric societies in the 18th and 19th centuries.

48 books · 877 mentions

Macedonia

An ancient kingdom and later Roman province, significant in intellectual history as the homeland of Alexander the Great and a crossroads of Hellenistic culture.

45 books · 860 mentions

Mount Olympus

The highest mountain in Greece, traditionally regarded as the home of the Olympian gods and a symbol of the divine or celestial heights in Western literature.

44 books · 683 mentions

Muhammad

The founder of Islam, discussed in early modern Western texts in contexts ranging from polemical theology to the transmission of Arabic science.

42 books · 740 mentions

Minerva

The Roman goddess of wisdom, arts, and strategic warfare, often used in early modern iconography to symbolize the intellect and the civilizing power of knowledge.

38 books · 679 mentions

Morienus

A legendary 7th-century alchemist and hermit who is said to have transmitted the secrets of the philosopher's stone to the Umayyad prince Khalid ibn Yazid.

36 books · 880 mentions

Memphis

An ancient capital of Egypt and a major cult center, often cited in Hermetic texts as a site of primordial wisdom and priestly initiation. It appears in early modern works as a symbol of the antiquity and grandeur of Egyptian civilization.

36 books · 714 mentions

Monad

A term derived from Greek philosophy representing the ultimate unity or the source of all being, central to Pythagoreanism and later Neoplatonic thought.

35 books · 735 mentions

Medea

A figure from Greek mythology and a powerful sorceress often interpreted in alchemical literature as an allegory for the transformative power of the chemical art. She frequently represents the process of rejuvenation and the mastery over the forces of nature.

35 books · 515 mentions

Multiplication

An alchemical stage in the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, where the power and quantity of the transmuting agent are increased.

33 books · 1046 mentions

Mary

The mother of Jesus, who in the esoteric tradition is often associated with the 'Materia Prima' or the 'Star of the Sea' in alchemical allegories.

33 books · 682 mentions

Macrobius

A Roman provincial and philosopher whose commentary on Cicero's 'Dream of Scipio' was a primary source for Neoplatonic cosmology and the liberal arts in the Middle Ages.

31 books · 599 mentions

Mountains

Physical and symbolic elevations often representing the 'Mons Philosophorum' in alchemy or the source of mineral and spiritual extraction in natural philosophy.

30 books · 619 mentions

Macrocosm

A philosophical concept representing the universe as a whole, often contrasted with the microcosm (man) in Hermetic and alchemical traditions to illustrate the principle of correspondence.

29 books · 534 mentions

Mount Etna

An active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, often associated in mythology with the forge of Vulcan and in alchemy with subterranean fire.

29 books · 479 mentions

Melancholy

One of the four temperaments in humoral theory, associated with black bile and the planet Saturn, often linked in the Renaissance to genius and artistic inspiration.

28 books · 477 mentions

Mesopotamia

The historical region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, considered a cradle of civilization and a primary source of ancient astrological and magical knowledge. It is frequently cited in Renaissance occult philosophy as the origin of the Chaldean wisdom and the first sciences.

28 books · 432 mentions

Mortification

In alchemy, the process of breaking down a substance through putrefaction to release its inner spirit, mirroring the spiritual practice of subduing the physical senses.

27 books · 704 mentions

Melchizedek

A mysterious biblical figure described as the King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, often interpreted as a prefiguration of Christ in esoteric traditions.

27 books · 454 mentions

Metaphysics

A branch of philosophy concerned with the fundamental nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, and potentiality and actuality. In the Renaissance, it was often intertwined with theology and the study of the divine.

27 books · 402 mentions

Magnesia

In alchemical literature, a term referring to a primary substance or 'materia prima' required for the creation of the Philosopher's Stone.

26 books · 608 mentions

Mercury of the Philosophers

A fundamental alchemical principle representing the fluid, transformative, and mediating spirit required for the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. It is distinct from common quicksilver, signifying the 'living' essence of matter in the Great Work.

26 books · 555 mentions

Mount Parnassus

A mountain in central Greece sacred to Apollo and the Muses, serving as a perennial symbol of poetic inspiration and the heights of human knowledge in Western literature.

26 books · 482 mentions

Michael

An archangel in the Abrahamic faiths, Michael is viewed in Western esotericism as the celestial warrior and protector of the faithful against demonic forces.

26 books · 452 mentions

Michael Psellus

A Byzantine monk, philosopher, and historian whose writings on demonology and Neoplatonism were highly influential on Renaissance occultists like Marsilio Ficino.

26 books · 415 mentions

Mundane Monochord

25 books · 705 mentions

Mary Magdalene

A prominent follower of Jesus in the New Testament, often depicted in esoteric traditions as a symbol of mystical devotion and the recipient of secret knowledge. In alchemical and virtue-based treatises, she represents the contemplative life and the process of spiritual purification.

25 books · 577 mentions

Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun, associated in Western esotericism and astrology with the god of war, the metal iron, and the qualities of heat, dryness, and aggression.

24 books · 533 mentions

Mercury

The innermost planet of the solar system, central to alchemical theory as the 'spirit' of matter and associated with the messenger god Hermes, representing communication and transformation.

24 books · 528 mentions

Mantua

An Italian city-state that became a vibrant center of Renaissance culture, art, and humanism under the Gonzaga family.

24 books · 488 mentions

Macrocosm

The concept of the universe as a whole, viewed as a large-scale reflection of the human being in Hermetic and Renaissance philosophy.

23 books · 595 mentions

Mount Meru

The sacred five-peaked mountain of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology, considered to be the center of all the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual universes.

23 books · 565 mentions

Mines

Physical and allegorical sites of mineral generation and extraction, central to alchemical theories regarding the growth of metals within the earth.

23 books · 443 mentions

Metempsychosis

The philosophical and religious concept of the transmigration of the soul into a new body after death, central to Pythagoreanism and Neoplatonism.

23 books · 367 mentions

Microcosm

The philosophical concept that the human being is a 'little world' reflecting the structure and laws of the macrocosm, a cornerstone of Paracelsian and Hermetic thought.

22 books · 373 mentions

Martyrdom

The act of suffering death for one's religious or philosophical beliefs, regarded in early modern thought as the ultimate witness to truth and divine grace. It is a recurring theme in hagiography, Neoplatonic discussions of the soul's ascent, and Reformation-era polemics.

22 books · 348 mentions

Mainz

A German city on the Rhine that became a pivotal center of European intellectual life as the birthplace of the printing press and a major ecclesiastical electorate.

22 books · 334 mentions

Michael (Archangel)

An archangel in Abrahamic religions who leads the celestial armies against the forces of evil; in Western esotericism, he is often associated with the Sun and the protection of the soul.

22 books · 321 mentions

Manu

In Hindu mythology, the progenitor of humanity and the first king to rule the earth. He is the purported author of the 'Manusmriti' (Laws of Manu), a foundational text on dharma and social conduct in Indian tradition.

21 books · 335 mentions

Minos

The mythical King of Crete and judge of the underworld in Greek mythology, often appearing in Renaissance commentaries on Dante and Platonic dialogues regarding justice and law.

20 books · 487 mentions

Mary (Mother of Jesus)

The mother of Jesus Christ, central to Christian theology and often interpreted mystically in esoteric traditions as a symbol of the soul or divine wisdom.

20 books · 342 mentions

Miletus

An ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia, renowned as the birthplace of the Milesian school of philosophy and figures like Thales.

20 books · 316 mentions

Montpellier

A city in southern France renowned for its historic medical school, which was a major center for the study of anatomy and pharmacology in the early modern period.

19 books · 584 mentions

Mount of Olives

A mountain ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, significant in Christian theology and eschatology as the site of several key events in the life of Jesus.

19 books · 405 mentions

Mithridates

Likely referring to Mithridates VI of Pontus, known for his resistance against Rome and his legendary development of mithridatum, a universal antidote against poisons.

19 books · 290 mentions

Mount Ida

A mountain in Crete or Phrygia sacred in Greek mythology as the birthplace of Zeus or the site of the Judgment of Paris, often appearing in Renaissance pastoral and mythological works.

19 books · 284 mentions

Mean Motion

In astronomy, the average angular speed of a celestial body in its orbit, assuming a perfectly circular path at a constant rate.

18 books · 543 mentions

Midheaven (Medium Coeli)

18 books · 299 mentions

Marbled paper

A method of aqueous surface design which produced patterns similar to smooth marble, discussed in early modern texts on secret arts, chemistry, and bookbinding.

18 books · 237 mentions

Mexico

A major territory of the New World whose ancient civilizations and hieroglyphs were subjects of intense fascination for early modern polymaths like Athanasius Kircher.

17 books · 377 mentions