Encyclopedia

Mount Tabor

A mountain in Lower Galilee traditionally identified as the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. In mystical traditions, it represents a locus of divine illumination and the intersection of the earthly and celestial realms.

17 books · 218 mentions

Magnanimity

An Aristotelian virtue concerning 'greatness of soul,' frequently discussed in Renaissance moral philosophy as the hallmark of the noble and virtuous individual.

17 books · 206 mentions

Mao Yuanyi

A Ming dynasty military officer and scholar who compiled the Wubei Zhi, the most comprehensive military encyclopedia in Chinese history.

16 books · 574 mentions

Marseille

A major port city in southern France, historically a significant center for Mediterranean trade and a gateway for the transmission of Eastern and Hermetic knowledge.

16 books · 258 mentions

Marin Mersenne

A French Minim friar and polymath known as the 'secretary of learned Europe' for his extensive correspondence and work in acoustics and natural philosophy.

15 books · 879 mentions

Mark Antony

A Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, often cited in historical and moralizing literature.

15 books · 378 mentions

Marcasite

A mineral (iron sulfide) often confused with pyrite in early modern mineralogy and alchemy. It was studied for its metallic properties and its role in the 'lesser' operations of the alchemical art.

15 books · 346 mentions

Magadha

An ancient Indian kingdom in southern Bihar, which was the center of several powerful empires and a significant site for the development of Jainism and Buddhism.

15 books · 343 mentions

Megara

An ancient Greek city-state known for its school of philosophy and its strategic importance in the conflicts between Athens and Sparta.

15 books · 319 mentions

Michael Maier

A German physician and alchemist who served as a counselor to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II and authored influential alchemical emblem books.

15 books · 291 mentions

Menelaus

A Greek mathematician and astronomer from Alexandria, famous for his work on spherical trigonometry and the theorem named after him in his treatise Sphaerica.

15 books · 269 mentions

Martianus Capella

A Late Antique author whose allegorical work 'The Marriage of Philology and Mercury' defined the seven liberal arts for the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

15 books · 257 mentions

Metatron

An archangel in Jewish angelology and Kabbalah, often identified as the celestial scribe or the 'Prince of the Countenance' who mediates between the divine and the human.

15 books · 247 mentions

Moral Philosophy

The branch of philosophy concerned with human conduct, ethics, and the nature of the good life, central to Renaissance humanism.

15 books · 225 mentions

Mount Athos

A mountain and peninsula in Greece that is a major center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism and a repository for ancient Greek and Byzantine manuscripts.

15 books · 190 mentions

Meridian

The great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the celestial poles and the zenith of a specific location, used to measure time and celestial coordinates.

14 books · 300 mentions

Madrid

The capital city of Spain, which became the permanent seat of the Spanish court under Philip II and a major center for the publication and patronage of scientific and esoteric works.

14 books · 239 mentions

Mercury

In alchemy, one of the three primes representing the volatile principle; in astronomy, the planet associated with communication and transformation.

14 books · 235 mentions

Melancholic humor

One of the four humors in Galenic medicine, associated with the element of earth and the spleen; it was famously linked to genius and artistic inspiration during the Renaissance.

14 books · 216 mentions

Marcus Tullius Cicero

A Roman statesman, lawyer, and philosopher whose works on rhetoric and ethics were foundational to Renaissance humanism and the development of Latin prose.

14 books · 182 mentions

Matthew

One of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the traditionally recognized author of the first Gospel in the New Testament.

14 books · 155 mentions

Marcus Varro

A prolific Roman scholar whose works on antiquities, agriculture, and language were primary sources for Renaissance humanists understanding ancient Roman religion.

14 books · 155 mentions

Marcion

An early Christian figure whose dualistic teachings, which distinguished between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, were condemned as heresy.

13 books · 379 mentions

Manuscript Extent

A bibliographical term referring to the physical size or length of a manuscript, often measured in folios or 'granthas' (units of 32 syllables). In the context of Indian manuscripts, it is crucial for cataloging and determining the completeness of a work.

13 books · 374 mentions

Metamorphosis

The concept of transformation or change of form, central to both Ovidian mythology and alchemical processes of transmutation and spiritual evolution.

13 books · 310 mentions

Magdeburg

A major German city that served as a stronghold of the Protestant Reformation and was the site of a devastating siege during the Thirty Years' War.

13 books · 228 mentions

Materialism

A philosophical system holding that matter is the fundamental substance in nature and that all phenomena, including consciousness, are results of material interactions.

13 books · 227 mentions

Mercurial Water

13 books · 225 mentions

Martial

A Roman poet from Hispania best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, which were widely read and imitated for their wit and social commentary in the early modern period.

13 books · 224 mentions

Magnetism

A physical and occult force studied in natural philosophy and alchemy, often viewed as a sympathetic attraction between bodies that mirrored spiritual or cosmic affinities.

13 books · 208 mentions

Meroë

An ancient city on the east bank of the Nile, known in antiquity as the capital of the Kingdom of Kush and often cited in early geographical and astronomical texts.

13 books · 197 mentions

Manna

The miraculous food provided to the Israelites in the desert, often interpreted alchemically as a celestial dew or a symbol of the spiritual nourishment of the soul.

13 books · 189 mentions

Maya

A legendary figure in ancient Indian tradition credited with the authorship of the Surya Siddhanta and other technical treatises on architecture and astronomy. He is often depicted as the great architect and scientist of the Asuras.

12 books · 268 mentions

Michael Scot

A 13th-century mathematician, scholar, and astrologer at the court of Frederick II, who gained a legendary reputation as a powerful wizard and alchemist. He is credited with translating works of Aristotle and Averroes from Arabic into Latin.

12 books · 210 mentions

Menstruum

In alchemy, a solvent capable of dissolving solids, particularly the 'Universal Menstruum' or Alkahest sought for the preparation of the Philosopher's Stone.

12 books · 205 mentions

Mechanical Arts

A medieval and early modern classification of practical skills (such as weaving, navigation, and alchemy) that were increasingly elevated in status during the Scientific Revolution.

12 books · 173 mentions

Michael (Angel)

An archangel in Abrahamic traditions viewed as the leader of the heavenly hosts; in Western esotericism, he is often invoked for protection and associated with the Sun or the element of fire.

12 books · 172 mentions

Matter and Form

The Aristotelian hylomorphic doctrine stating that physical objects are composed of a substrate (matter) and a defining essence (form), central to medieval and early modern natural philosophy.

12 books · 162 mentions

Momus

The personification of satire, mockery, and unfair criticism in Greek mythology, often used in Renaissance literature to represent the cynical critic of divine or human works. He appears in philosophical dialogues and satirical texts as a figure who challenges the perfection of the gods' creations.

12 books · 154 mentions

Michael Sendivogius

A Polish alchemist and physician who claimed to have discovered the secret of the philosopher's stone and is credited with early observations of oxygen.

11 books · 670 mentions

Magistery

11 books · 290 mentions

Mortal Sin

11 books · 277 mentions

Mean Proportional

11 books · 215 mentions

Mecca

The holiest city in Islam, located in the Hejaz region of modern-day Saudi Arabia, frequently discussed in early modern European travelogues and theological treatises.

11 books · 209 mentions

Malachi

The final prophet of the Hebrew Bible whose book concludes the Old Testament and is frequently cited in messianic and kabbalistic interpretations.

11 books · 196 mentions

Media

An ancient region of North-Western Iran frequently cited in historical and occult texts regarding the origins of the Magi and Zoroastrianism.

11 books · 194 mentions

Metz

A city in northeast France that served as a significant cultural and intellectual center during the Renaissance, often associated with figures like Agrippa von Nettesheim.

11 books · 183 mentions

Materia Medica

The body of knowledge concerning the medicinal properties of natural substances, serving as the foundation of pharmacy and therapeutics from antiquity to the modern era.

11 books · 170 mentions

Monarchy

A form of government in which a single person is the head of state; in esoteric contexts, it often refers to the 'Monarchia' of elements or spiritual hierarchies.

11 books · 169 mentions

Material Cause

11 books · 168 mentions

Majorca

The largest of the Balearic Islands, notable in intellectual history as the home of the philosopher and mystic Ramon Llull.

11 books · 165 mentions

Manasseh

A king of Judah known for his long reign and initial idolatry followed by repentance, frequently discussed in biblical commentaries regarding the nature of redemption.

11 books · 162 mentions

Messina

A major port city in Sicily that served as a vital hub for trade, scientific exchange, and the transmission of Renaissance humanism and natural philosophy.

11 books · 147 mentions

Marketplace

A public square for commercial and social exchange, frequently used as a metaphor in philosophical dialogues or as a setting for mundane astrological inquiries.

11 books · 146 mentions

Melissus

A Pre-Socratic philosopher of the Eleatic school who argued for the eternity and indivisibility of the universe.

11 books · 120 mentions

Malta

An island nation in the Mediterranean, historically significant as the seat of the Knights Hospitaller and a crossroads of Mediterranean esoteric influences.

10 books · 238 mentions

Mechanical advantage

The factor by which a mechanism multiplies the force or torque applied to it, a key concept in early modern physics and engineering.

10 books · 212 mentions

Monasteries

Religious communities serving as centers of learning, prayer, and the preservation of ancient texts. In the context of early modern esotericism, they were often the sites where rare manuscripts were copied and studied.

10 books · 186 mentions