August 30, 2002

9:35 AM

Paracelsus: the mercucial mage.The Fortean Times' David Hambling on one of the 16th's century's most colorful figures. A rabble-rousing non-conformist medical genuis who arguably was centuries ahead of his time, but also an egomaniac, drunk, alchemist and self-described "Prince of Philosophy and Medicine" and "Monarch of all the Arts"
posted by skallas (5 comments total)

Whoops. Lets make that the 'mercurial mage.'
posted by skallas at 9:36 AM on August 30, 2002

President Paracelus, I love you. Gene Hackman should play you in a movie. Danko, skallas!
posted by DenOfSizer at 11:55 AM on August 30, 2002

"What can we make of his account of the creation of a homunculus, a miniature human being, in his laboratory?"

It's true. Trust me.
posted by homunculus at 1:41 PM on August 30, 2002

My favorite of Paracelsus' inventions is laudanum...
posted by kate_fairfax at 1:57 PM on August 30, 2002

"Not one of you will survive, even in the most distant corner where even the dogs will not piss"

Too bad this is too long to be considered for entry into the Metafilter slogan society. But maybe we could look at doing something with "ignorant cabbages" and "sausage stuffers".
posted by taz at 7:15 AM on August 31, 2002