Encyclopedia

Spain

A crucial geographic bridge for the transmission of Arabic alchemical, astrological, and Kabbalistic knowledge into Latin Europe during the Middle Ages.

124 books · 2577 mentions

St. Paul

An apostle whose epistles provided the theological framework for Western Christianity and were often cited in mystical texts regarding the nature of the spirit.

118 books · 3031 mentions

Saint Jerome

A Latin priest and scholar best known for his translation of the Bible into the Vulgate, making him a foundational figure for Western theology. He was highly revered by Renaissance humanists for his mastery of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

105 books · 2325 mentions

Sicily

A Mediterranean island known in intellectual history as a site of cultural exchange between Greek, Arabic, and Latin scholars, particularly in the translation of scientific texts.

87 books · 2202 mentions

Syria

A region of the Near East historically significant as a crossroads for Greek, Persian, and Arabic philosophical and occult traditions.

87 books · 1333 mentions

Seneca

A Roman Stoic philosopher and dramatist whose moral essays and 'Natural Questions' were highly influential on Renaissance ethics and natural philosophy.

84 books · 2378 mentions

Saturn

In the esoteric tradition, the deity and planet associated with lead, melancholy, time, and the most profound, often darkest, stage of the alchemical work.

76 books · 1413 mentions

Saint Peter

One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome, frequently cited in theological and apocalyptic texts as a foundational figure of the Church.

70 books · 1356 mentions

South

One of the four cardinal directions, often associated in esoteric systems with the element of fire, the midday sun, and the qualities of heat and dryness.

65 books · 955 mentions

Sublimation

An alchemical process involving the heating of a substance to a vaporous state followed by its solidification, symbolizing the purification and spiritualization of matter.

64 books · 2504 mentions

Shiva

A major deity in Hinduism representing the principle of destruction and transformation. In the context of tantric texts, Shiva is the supreme consciousness and the source of revelations regarding the nature of reality and the self.

63 books · 1400 mentions

Sun

The central celestial body of the solar system, regarded in Hermeticism and alchemy as the visible image of the divine and the symbol of gold.

56 books · 1515 mentions

Sodom

A biblical city destroyed by divine judgment, frequently used in esoteric and moral literature as a symbol of corruption, vice, and the necessity of spiritual purification.

49 books · 1088 mentions

Syracuse

A historic city in Sicily known as the home of Archimedes and a significant center of Greek culture and scientific advancement in the ancient Mediterranean.

49 books · 940 mentions

Scythia

An ancient region in Eurasia inhabited by nomadic peoples, often cited in early modern texts as a land of mystery, barbarism, or ancient wisdom.

47 books · 787 mentions

St. John

Typically referring to John the Evangelist or John the Baptist, figures of immense importance in Christian mysticism and esoteric traditions. The Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation are foundational texts for Western Hermeticism.

46 books · 949 mentions

Strasbourg

A significant cultural and intellectual center in the Holy Roman Empire, known for its role in the early printing industry and as a meeting point for various mystical movements.

45 books · 840 mentions

Saint Ambrose

A 4th-century Bishop of Milan and one of the four original Doctors of the Church, influential in the development of Western theology and liturgical music.

43 books · 795 mentions

Satan

The primary adversary in Abrahamic theology, personified in esoteric texts as the source of temptation and the fall from divine grace. In mystical works like those of Jacob Boehme, he represents the manifestation of self-will in opposition to the divine light.

42 books · 954 mentions

Sagittarius

The ninth sign of the zodiac, represented by a centaur archer, associated in astrology with the element of fire and the planet Jupiter.

40 books · 739 mentions

Scorpio

The eighth sign of the zodiac, traditionally associated with the element of water and the planet Mars in early modern astrological systems.

37 books · 797 mentions

Scotland

A country in northern Great Britain frequently mentioned in early modern texts regarding its Reformation history and early scientific activity.

36 books · 664 mentions

Sparta

An ancient Greek city-state renowned for its military discipline and austere social structure, frequently used as a political and moral exemplar in Renaissance literature.

35 books · 725 mentions

Solon

An Athenian statesman and lawmaker often cited in Platonic and Hermetic literature as the source of the Atlantis myth and as one of the Seven Sages of Greece.

34 books · 804 mentions

Sweden

A Northern European kingdom that emerged as a major European power in the 17th century, significant in the history of the Reformation and the Thirty Years' War.

33 books · 762 mentions

Saul

The first king of Israel, whose reign is characterized by his initial success and subsequent fall from divine favor. His consultation with the Witch of Endor is frequently analyzed in early modern discussions of kingship and necromancy.

31 books · 620 mentions

Saxony

A historical region in Germany that was a central hub for the Protestant Reformation and a significant site for mining and the development of early modern chemistry.

31 books · 486 mentions

Shri Raghunatha Temple Manuscript Library

A significant repository of Sanskrit manuscripts located in Jammu, India, containing vital texts on Jyotisha, Tantra, and classical Indian philosophy.

30 books · 1160 mentions

Saturn

The sixth planet from the Sun, associated in Western astrology and alchemy with melancholy, lead, time, and the limitations of the material world. It was often linked to the figure of Kronos and the concept of the 'Golden Age.'

30 books · 663 mentions

Spirit of Wine

An alchemical and early chemical term for ethanol or highly rectified alcohol, often considered a potent solvent and a key ingredient in the preparation of tinctures.

29 books · 647 mentions

Syllogism

A logical argument in which a conclusion is reached from two premises, forming the core of Aristotelian logic and medieval Scholasticism.

28 books · 610 mentions

Samuel

A biblical prophet and judge whose role in the transition to the Israelite monarchy made him a significant figure in Kabbalistic and divinatory texts regarding divine communication.

28 books · 585 mentions

Sarah

The wife of Abraham and a matriarch in the Abrahamic traditions, often discussed in Kabbalistic texts like the Zohar for her spiritual significance and role in the divine covenant.

27 books · 824 mentions

Saltpeter

Potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder and a subject of intense study in early modern chemistry and alchemy. It was often theorized as containing a 'universal spirit' or 'nitre' essential for life and combustion.

27 books · 578 mentions

Sophistry

A method of teaching or argument based on clever but fallacious reasoning, often contrasted with true philosophy in the Platonic tradition.

27 books · 556 mentions

Saint Cyprian

27 books · 489 mentions

Stoicism

A school of Hellenistic philosophy that taught the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions.

27 books · 372 mentions

Sal Ammoniac

Ammonium chloride, a vital substance in alchemy used for the sublimation of metals and as a volatile salt in various chemical operations.

26 books · 824 mentions

Sri Lanka

26 books · 607 mentions

Samos

A Greek island in the eastern Aegean, renowned as the birthplace of Pythagoras and a center for early mathematical and philosophical thought.

26 books · 422 mentions

Synesius

A 4th-century Neoplatonist philosopher and Bishop of Ptolemais whose writings on dreams and the soul were highly influential in the Renaissance.

25 books · 396 mentions

Saint Petersburg

24 books · 446 mentions

Samaria

A historical and biblical region in the central Levant, often cited in theological texts regarding the history of the Israelites and the early spread of Christianity.

24 books · 419 mentions

Spontaneous Generation

The obsolete scientific theory that living organisms could arise from non-living matter, a common belief in early modern natural philosophy and alchemy.

24 books · 375 mentions

Saint Luke

24 books · 364 mentions

Simon Magus

A 1st-century figure often regarded as the first Gnostic heretic, known for his confrontation with the Apostles and his reputation as a powerful sorcerer.

23 books · 383 mentions

Substantial Form

A scholastic concept denoting the essential principle that gives a substance its specific identity and properties, distinct from its material components.

23 books · 257 mentions

Shaka Era

A historical Hindu calendar era beginning in 78 CE, widely used in Indian astronomy and epigraphy to date manuscripts and celestial events.

22 books · 510 mentions

Sulfur

One of the three primary principles (Tria Prima) in Paracelsian alchemy, representing the soul, flammability, and the active, masculine force in nature.

22 books · 490 mentions

Simplicius

One of the last Neoplatonist philosophers of antiquity, whose extensive commentaries on Aristotle preserved many fragments of earlier Pre-Socratic thought.

22 books · 480 mentions

Scaliger

A name referring to a family of influential Renaissance scholars, most notably Julius Caesar Scaliger and Joseph Justus Scaliger, known for their work in philology, chronology, and natural philosophy.

22 books · 376 mentions

Sympathy and Antipathy

A fundamental principle in natural magic and early modern science suggesting that all things in the universe are connected by hidden attractions and repulsions. This concept explained the efficacy of talismans, sympathetic medicines, and the influence of celestial bodies on terrestrial matter.

21 books · 621 mentions

Squaring the circle

A classic geometric problem of constructing a square with the same area as a given circle, often used as an alchemical metaphor for the union of opposites.

21 books · 394 mentions

Sophocles

An ancient Greek tragedian whose works were rediscovered and highly valued by Renaissance humanists for their moral and philosophical depth.

21 books · 281 mentions

Simeon

A biblical figure, often referring to the devout man in the Gospel of Luke who recognized the infant Jesus as the Messiah during the Presentation in the Temple.

20 books · 411 mentions

Samson

A biblical judge of immense strength whose narrative was frequently interpreted allegorically in alchemical and theological texts as a type of Christ or a solar hero.

20 books · 392 mentions

Scholasticism

A method of critical thought which dominated medieval universities, emphasizing dialectical reasoning to reconcile classical philosophy with Christian theology.

20 books · 277 mentions

Sendivogius

A Polish alchemist and diplomat known for his influential work The New Chemical Light, which proposed the existence of a vital food of life in the air.

19 books · 464 mentions