Empyrean: Difference between revisions
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{{Otheruses1|the celestial realm}} |
{{Otheruses1|the celestial realm}} |
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[[Image:Paradiso Canto 31.jpg|thumb| |
[[Image:Paradiso Canto 31.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Divine Comedy]]'s Empyrean, illustrated by [[Gustave Doré]]]] |
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'''Empyrean''', from the [[Medieval Latin]] ''empyreus'', an adaptation of the [[Ancient Greek]], "in or on the [[fire]] (''pyr'')", properly '''Empyrean Heaven''', is the place in the [[heavenly sphere|highest heaven]], which in ancient [[cosmology|cosmologies]] was supposed to be occupied by the element of [[fire (classical element)|fire]] (or [[Aether (classical element)|aether]] in [[Aristotle]]'s natural philosophy). It was thus used as a name for the [[firmament]], and in Christian literature, notably the [[Divine Comedy]], for the dwelling-place of God and the blessed, and as the source of light. The word is used both as a substantive and as an adjective. Having the same Greek origin are the scientific words ''empyreuma'' and ''empyreumatic'', applied to the characteristic smell of burning or charring vegetable or animal matter. |
'''Empyrean''', from the [[Medieval Latin]] ''empyreus'', an adaptation of the [[Ancient Greek]], "in or on the [[fire]] (''pyr'')", properly '''Empyrean Heaven''', is the place in the [[heavenly sphere|highest heaven]], which in ancient [[cosmology|cosmologies]] was supposed to be occupied by the element of [[fire (classical element)|fire]] (or [[Aether (classical element)|aether]] in [[Aristotle]]'s natural philosophy). It was thus used as a name for the [[firmament]], and in Christian literature, notably the [[Divine Comedy]], for the dwelling-place of God and the blessed, and as the source of light. The word is used both as a substantive and as an adjective. Having the same Greek origin are the scientific words ''empyreuma'' and ''empyreumatic'', applied to the characteristic smell of burning or charring vegetable or animal matter. |
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Revision as of 09:30, 26 December 2006
Empyrean, from the Medieval Latin empyreus, an adaptation of the Ancient Greek, "in or on the fire (pyr)", properly Empyrean Heaven, is the place in the highest heaven, which in ancient cosmologies was supposed to be occupied by the element of fire (or aether in Aristotle's natural philosophy). It was thus used as a name for the firmament, and in Christian literature, notably the Divine Comedy, for the dwelling-place of God and the blessed, and as the source of light. The word is used both as a substantive and as an adjective. Having the same Greek origin are the scientific words empyreuma and empyreumatic, applied to the characteristic smell of burning or charring vegetable or animal matter.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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