Elemental or Mythic Being

Elemental or Mythic Being

An Elemental is a Mythic Being in the Alchemical works of Paracelsus in the 16th century. There are four elemental categories: Gnomes, Undines, Sylphs, and Salamanders. These correspond to the Classical elements of Antiquity: Earth (solid), Water (liquid), Wind (gas), and Fire (plasma).

Aether (Quintessence) was not assigned an elemental. Terms employed for beings associated with Alchemical Elements vary by source and gloss.

Paracelsus

The Paracelsian concept of elementals draws from several much older traditions in mythology and religion. Common threads can be found in folklore, animism, and anthropomorphism. Examples of creatures such as the Pygmy were taken from Greek mythology.

The Elements of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, were classed as the fundamental building blocks of nature. This system prevailed in the Classical world and was highly influential in Medieval natural philosophy. Although Paracelsus uses these foundations and the popular preexisting names of elemental creatures, he is doing so in order to present new ideas which expand on his own philosophical system. The homunculus is another example of a Paracelsian idea with roots in earlier alchemical, scientific, and folklore traditions.

The concept of elementals seems to have been conceived by Paracelsus in the 16th century, though he did not in fact use the term "elemental" or a German equivalent. He regarded them not so much as spirits but as beings between creatures and spirits, generally being invisible to mankind but having physical and commonly humanoid bodies, as well as eating, sleeping, and wearing clothes like humans. Paracelsus gave common names for the elemental types, as well as correct names, which he seems to have considered somewhat more proper, "recht namen". He also referred to them by purely German terms which are roughly equivalent to "water people," "mountain people," and so on, using all the different forms interchangeably.

Paracelsus fundamental classification scheme on the first page of Tractatus II of the Liber de Nymphis is based on where the elementals live, and he gives the following names:

Correct Name (translated)	Alternate Name (Latin)	Element in which it lives
Nymph	Undina (undine)	Water
Sylph	Sylvestris (wild man)	Air
Pygmy	Gnomus (gnome)	Earth
Salamander	Vulcanus	Fire

In his 16th century alchemical work Liber de Nymphis, Sylphis, Pygmaeis et Salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus, Paracelsus identified mythological beings as belonging to one of the four elements. This book was first printed in 1566 after Paracelsus' death and may be pseudepigraphical. He wrote the book to "describe the creatures that are outside the cognizance of the light of nature, how they are to be understood, what marvellous works God has created". He states that there is more bliss in describing these "divine objects" than in describing fencing, court etiquette, cavalry, and other worldly pursuits. The following is his archetypal spirit for each of the four elements:

• Gnome, Spirit of Earth: A gnome /ˈnoʊm/ is a diminutive Spirit in Renaissance Magic and Alchemy. The word comes from Renaissance Latin Gnomus, which first appears in the works of 16th century Swiss alchemist Paracelsus. He is perhaps deriving the term from Latin Gēnomos (itself representing a Greek γη-νομος, literally "earth-dweller"). In this case, the omission of the ē is, as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) calls it, a blunder. Alternatively, the term may be an original invention of Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characteristics have been reinterpreted to suit the needs of various story-tellers, but it is typically said to be a small, humanoid creature that lives underground.
• Undine, Spirit of Water: Undines, from Latin: Unda 'a wave', also called Ondines, are Water Elementals in Alchemical works of Paracelsus
• Sylph, Spirit of Wind or Spirit of Air also called Sylphid: is a mythological spirit of the air. The term originates in Paracelsus, who describes sylphs as invisible beings of the air, his elementals of air. There is no known substantial mythos associated with them. As alchemy derived from the Swiss German alchemist Paracelsus, alchemists and related movements, such as Rosicrucianism, continued to speak of Sylphs in their Hermetic literature.
• Salamander, Spirit of Fire: The salamander is an amphibian of the order Urodela which, as with many real creatures, often has been ascribed fantastic and sometimes occult qualities by pre-modern authors (as in the allegorical descriptions of animals in medieval bestiaries) not possessed by the real organism. The legendary salamander is often depicted as a typical salamander in shape, with a lizard-like form, but is usually ascribed an affinity with fire, sometimes specifically elemental fire. This legendary creature embodies the fantastic qualities that ancient and medieval commentators ascribed to the natural salamander. Many of these qualities are rooted in verifiable traits of the natural creature but often exaggerated to a significant degree, as was common in ancient works on natural history and philosophy. A large body of legend, mythology, and symbolism has developed around this creature over the centuries.

To be admitted to the acquaintance of the Rosicrucians it was previously necessary for the organs of human sight to be purges with the universal medicine. Glass gloves would be prepared with one of the four elements and for one month exposed to beams of sunlight. With these steps the initiated would see innumerable beings immediately.

These beings were said to be longer lived than man but ceased to exist upon death. If however the elemental wed a mortal they would become immortal; though if the elemental left their spouse for an immortal, the spouse would have the mortality of the elemental. One of the conditions of joining the Rosicrucians however, was a vow of chastity in hopes of marrying an elemental.

In contemporary times there are those who study and practice rituals to invoke elementals. These include Wiccans, Esoteric Freemasons, and followers of Nature-Based religions.