Encyclopedia

Phantasm

In early modern psychology and Neoplatonism, an image or mental representation produced by the faculty of the imagination. It was considered a crucial intermediary between sensory perception and intellectual understanding.

11 books · 142 mentions

Polycarp

A 2nd-century Christian bishop and martyr whose writings and life were frequently cited in early modern theological debates.

11 books · 142 mentions

Pliny the Younger

A Roman lawyer and author whose letters provide a detailed account of the social and intellectual life of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD.

11 books · 110 mentions

Purgation

The process of cleansing or purification, applied physically in medicine (evacuation of humors) and spiritually in mystical theology (the soul's preparation for divine union).

11 books · 78 mentions

Percussion

10 books · 298 mentions

Part of Fortune

One of the most significant Arabic Parts in astrology, representing a point of harmony between the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant that signifies prosperity.

10 books · 236 mentions

Pyromancy

A form of divination by means of fire or flames, categorized as one of the seven forbidden arts in medieval and Renaissance occult traditions.

10 books · 184 mentions

Pope Leo X

Born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, he was a significant patron of Renaissance culture and the pope during the early stages of the Protestant Reformation.

10 books · 179 mentions

Proportion

The mathematical and aesthetic relationship between parts of a whole, central to Renaissance theories of art, architecture, and the harmony of the human body.

10 books · 167 mentions

Pope Paul III

The Pope who initiated the Counter-Reformation and patronized the sciences, accepting the dedication of Copernicus's De revolutionibus.

10 books · 152 mentions

Piraeus

The historic port city of Athens, serving as a vital hub for commerce and cultural exchange in antiquity. It is famously the setting for the opening of Plato's Republic and a subject of architectural study in the Renaissance.

10 books · 150 mentions

Prajapati

A Vedic deity presiding over procreation and the protection of life, often identified with the creator god Brahma in later Hinduism.

10 books · 150 mentions

Potentiality

In Aristotelian and Scholastic philosophy, the capacity or possibility of a thing to exist or act, often contrasted with 'actuality' (actus). It is central to ontological discussions regarding the nature of being and the process of becoming in Western metaphysics.

10 books · 136 mentions

Philo the Jew

A Hellenistic Jewish philosopher from Alexandria who utilized allegorical methods to harmonize the Torah with Greek philosophy, influencing early Christian and Kabbalistic thought.

10 books · 131 mentions

Platonism

The philosophical system derived from Plato, emphasizing the reality of abstract Forms, which deeply influenced Renaissance Hermeticism and Christian theology.

10 books · 124 mentions

Pyrrhus

The King of Epirus and a celebrated general of the Hellenistic period, frequently cited in historical and philosophical texts as an example of the fleeting nature of victory.

10 books · 116 mentions

Priam

The legendary king of Troy during the Trojan War, often cited in early modern literature as a tragic figure representing the fall of greatness and the instability of worldly power. His story was frequently used in moralizing commentaries on history and classical mythology.

10 books · 103 mentions

Parabola

A plane curve which is mirror-symmetrical and is approximately U-shaped, historically significant in the development of optics and projectile physics.

9 books · 308 mentions

Phaedrus

An Athenian aristocrat and associate of Socrates, best known as the namesake and primary interlocutor of Plato's dialogue on love and rhetoric.

9 books · 215 mentions

Philosophical Stone

The legendary alchemical substance capable of transmuting base metals into gold and producing the Elixir of Life. It represents the ultimate goal of the Great Work, symbolizing spiritual perfection and enlightenment.

9 books · 192 mentions

Pistoia

A city in Tuscany, Italy, that served as a significant cultural and religious center during the Renaissance. It is frequently mentioned in early modern Italian commentaries, theological works, and Hermetic translations.

9 books · 182 mentions

Potable gold (aurum potabile)

9 books · 180 mentions

Parables

Allegorical stories or metaphors used in religious and alchemical texts to convey complex spiritual or chemical truths to the initiated while concealing them from the profane. In the Hermetic tradition, they serve as a primary method for describing the stages of the Great Work.

9 books · 172 mentions

Pompey the Great

A leading Roman general and statesman of the late Republic, member of the First Triumvirate, and rival of Julius Caesar.

9 books · 160 mentions

Permanent Water

An alchemical term referring to a transformative solvent or the mercury of the philosophers that is essential for the Great Work and does not wet the hands.

9 books · 154 mentions

Prison

9 books · 154 mentions

Proteus

A Greek sea god capable of changing his shape at will, frequently used in alchemical and philosophical literature as a metaphor for the transformation of prime matter.

9 books · 137 mentions

Physicians

9 books · 134 mentions

Philosopher’s Stone

9 books · 132 mentions

Photius

A 9th-century Patriarch of Constantinople and a central figure in the transmission of classical and patristic texts through his monumental work, the Bibliotheca.

9 books · 122 mentions

Primary Matter

9 books · 122 mentions

Pergamum

An ancient Greek city in Mysia, famous for its great library and the development of parchment. It was a major center of Hellenistic culture and later a significant site in early Christian history.

9 books · 110 mentions

Puteoli

An ancient Roman port city near Naples, famous for its volcanic activity and the Phlegraean Fields. It was a site of great interest to natural philosophers and alchemists due to its thermal springs and sulfurous vapors.

9 books · 110 mentions

Pope Innocent VIII

The Roman Pontiff from 1484 to 1492, known for issuing the bull Summis desiderantes affectibus, which authorized the Inquisition to prosecute witchcraft. He also famously clashed with Giovanni Pico della Mirandola over his 900 theses.

9 books · 109 mentions

Pollux

One of the mythological Dioscuri twins, associated with immortality and protection, often appearing in astrological and hermetic contexts.

9 books · 103 mentions

Purgatory

In Catholic theology and Western esotericism, an intermediate state after physical death for the purification of souls destined for heaven. It was a central point of contention during the Reformation and a subject of intense speculation regarding the soul's immortality.

9 books · 99 mentions

Phantasy (Imagination)

In Renaissance psychology and Neoplatonism, the faculty of the soul that mediates between the senses and the intellect, capable of creating and manipulating mental images.

9 books · 91 mentions

Peter the Apostle

One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome, central to discussions of ecclesiastical authority and apostolic succession.

9 books · 88 mentions

Parchment

A writing material made from the processed skins of animals, primarily sheep, calves, or goats, which served as the primary medium for manuscripts before the widespread adoption of paper. In esoteric traditions, specific types like virgin parchment were often prescribed for constructing talismans.

9 books · 82 mentions

Pietro d'Abano

An Italian physician and philosopher of the 13th century who sought to reconcile Greek and Arabic medicine with Latin scholasticism. He was posthumously accused of magic and heresy, becoming a legendary figure in occult history.

8 books · 554 mentions

Philosophical Egg

The sealed glass vessel or 'aludel' in which the alchemical transformation takes place, symbolizing the womb or the universe where the philosopher's stone is gestated. It represents the hermetic containment necessary for the internal heat to transmute the base matter.

8 books · 200 mentions

Pelican in its piety

8 books · 168 mentions

Penance

A religious act of self-abasement or devotion performed to show sorrow for sin, often discussed in mystical literature as a stage of spiritual purification.

8 books · 166 mentions

Proscription

8 books · 155 mentions

Pygmalion

A legendary figure from Greek mythology and Ovid's Metamorphoses, a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved, which then came to life.

8 books · 150 mentions

Prince of Orange

A title held by the sovereigns of the Principality of Orange, most notably William the Silent, who were central figures in European Protestantism.

8 books · 149 mentions

Perfection

A central concept in mystical theology and alchemy, referring to the state of spiritual or material completion, often associated with the 'Great Work' or the 'Unitive Way.'

8 books · 143 mentions

Palermo

8 books · 141 mentions

Prime Matter (Materia Prima)

8 books · 136 mentions

Pandora

The first woman in Greek mythology, created by Hephaestus, whose curiosity led to the release of all the evils of humanity from a jar, leaving only hope inside.

8 books · 135 mentions

Philip Melanchthon

8 books · 134 mentions

Parallax (Lambana)

8 books · 132 mentions

Philosopher-King

8 books · 129 mentions

Phinehas

8 books · 119 mentions

Peloponnese

8 books · 114 mentions

Praxiteles

8 books · 111 mentions

Phlebotomy

The surgical practice of bloodletting, which was a cornerstone of humoral medicine used to restore balance to the body's vital fluids and treat a wide range of diseases.

8 books · 108 mentions

Priscian

A Latin grammarian of the late 5th and early 6th centuries whose work Institutiones Grammaticae became the standard textbook for Latin study in the Middle Ages. He is also associated with philosophical commentaries in the Neoplatonic tradition.

8 books · 107 mentions