Sylph

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Hidden just inside the clouds is a thriving society of ethereal beings, so pure that they cannot be seen by the eyes of men. Still, the invisible Sylphs have managed to captivate the imagination of people for over six centuries, inspiring songs, debates, dances, and even occult rituals.

What Is a Sylph?

A Sylph (also known as Sylphid) is an air spirit. They are formed of air, they live in the air, and they have unusual power over the air, particularly the wind and the clouds. Usually, Sylphs are portrayed as guardians who protect secret knowledge, beautiful women, or the environment, but it’s not out of the question for a Sylph to cause mischief among men.

Characteristics

Physical Description

From the dawn of Sylph mythology in the 16th century, and throughout the classical era, Sylphs have been described as being something between a spirit and a creature. While they are invisible to human beings, they do have physical bodies—usually coarse, humanoid shapes that are larger and stronger than those of regular humans.

As the curtain closed on the classical era, Sylphs materialized in the spotlight of the romantic era’s operas and ballets. Here, not surprisingly, Sylphs take on a more romantic shape; they are dainty, fairy-like creatures with graceful wings.

Today, the word Sylph is tagged onto slender, attractive young females, much like the ballerinas who portrayed Sylphs during the romantic period. However, a camp of believers in the original Sylph still puts out a large volume of photos every year, claiming that they have captured one of the elusive Sylphs leering down from the clouds.

Special Abilities

Sylphs have more than just invisibility and brawn going for them. They also have a type of intelligence that men lack. They are born understanding the universe and the connections between all its parts, and they may know of ways of manipulating those parts to cause specific effects, knowledge which caused many alchemists to pursue them throughout the classical era. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Sylph intelligence is their supernatural foresight. The future holds few mysteries for a Sylph.

Weaknesses

According to early mythology, Sylphs are only capable of moving freely through the air. They drown in water, burn in fire, and become trapped in earth, so they are basically powerless outside of their own element.

Early mythology also states that Sylphs are mortal in both body and soul. They can die from hunger, illness, or physical injury. Because they lack a soul, when they die, they simply cease to exist. Luckily, there is a loophole for Sylphs who marry humans; the Sylph might gain an immortal soul through the marriage. At the very least, the couple’s children will have immortal souls.

Related Characters

According to early Sylph mythology, the Sylph is one of four creatures, called elementals, who embody the cardinal elements. Sylphs, of course, embody air, while gnomes embody earth, salamanders embody fire, and undines embody water. The elementals guard great treasures of power and knowledge, which are hidden in the pure worlds of each element.

Occasionally, all of the elementals are capable of giving rise to monstrous offspring. The birth of one of these monsters is rare and apparently spontaneous, but disaster usually follows at their heels. When a Sylph delivers one of these monsters, it takes the form of a giant.

Over time and through cultural shifts, the Sylph became estranged from the other three elementals and were linked, instead, to air spirits like fairies and pixies. They also filled the void left by the sirens of classical mythology, becoming a slightly more innocent version of the seductive, magical creature who lures men to their doom.

Cultural Representation

Origin

Sylphs make their debut on the pages of the Liber de Nymphis, which was penned during the 16th century by Paracelsus, a renowned Swiss-German occultist. Not only was Paracelsus the first to refer to Sylphs in writing, he gave such a definitive study of them that his name became a fixture in Sylph mythology. For hundreds of years, no discussion of Sylphs failed to include Paracelsus’ name.

Paracelsus himself made no claims about seeing Sylphs. Instead, he credited his knowledge of these air spirits to folklore; his study of the Sylph attempted to fit accounts from folklore into his own worldview. By the end of his analysis, Paracelsus made it clear that his own understanding of Sylphs was much more advanced than the folklore he had based his ideas on, stating that, “The names have been given [to Sylphs] by people who did not understand them.”

Classical Era

The political turmoil of the early 17th century created a hotbed for cults who offered clarity and knowledge to their followers. The Sylph, who was believed to possess both, emerged as a figurehead of some prominent cult movements, including Rosicrucianism.

The Rosicrucians claimed to be capable of seeing Sylphs, as well as the other elementals, by treating their eyes with alchemical medicines or gazing into crystal balls. Many Rosicrucians took chastity vows, hoping to marry an elemental.

Romantic Era

By the time the 19th century rolled around, bringing greater stability to European society, the occult beliefs that had raged during the 17th century had become the stuff of satire.

The Sylph found a safe-haven in the theaters of the romantic period. They appeared as charming, ethereal, and ultimately unattainable women in multiple operas and ballets. Perhaps the most famous ballet was La Sylphide, which immortalized the image of the graceful, fairy-like Sylph.

Modern Era

Thanks to Vladimir Nabokov’s society-shaking novel, Lolita, most people today would define a “sylph” as an enchanting, slightly devious young girl.

Role-playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons, have stayed truer to the original meaning of the word “sylph.” Players often incorporate Sylphs into their games as strong, magical creatures with power over the wind.

There are still some pockets of believers in the elemental Sylph. They frequently photograph Sylphs in the clouds and describe the Sylph as a valiant protector of the environment. One of their pet beliefs is that, in order to eliminate pollution, Sylphs eat the harmful “chemtrails” left behind by airplanes.

Sylph

Sylph

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Hidden just inside the clouds is a thriving society of ethereal beings, so pure that they cannot be seen by the eyes of men. Still, the invisible Sylphs have managed to captivate the imagination of people for over six centuries, inspiring songs, debates, dances, and even occult rituals.

What Is a Sylph?

A Sylph (also known as Sylphid) is an air spirit. They are formed of air, they live in the air, and they have unusual power over the air, particularly the wind and the clouds. Usually, Sylphs are portrayed as guardians who protect secret knowledge, beautiful women, or the environment, but it’s not out of the question for a Sylph to cause mischief among men.

Characteristics

Physical Description

From the dawn of Sylph mythology in the 16th century, and throughout the classical era, Sylphs have been described as being something between a spirit and a creature. While they are invisible to human beings, they do have physical bodies—usually coarse, humanoid shapes that are larger and stronger than those of regular humans.

As the curtain closed on the classical era, Sylphs materialized in the spotlight of the romantic era’s operas and ballets. Here, not surprisingly, Sylphs take on a more romantic shape; they are dainty, fairy-like creatures with graceful wings.

Today, the word Sylph is tagged onto slender, attractive young females, much like the ballerinas who portrayed Sylphs during the romantic period. However, a camp of believers in the original Sylph still puts out a large volume of photos every year, claiming that they have captured one of the elusive Sylphs leering down from the clouds.

Special Abilities

Sylphs have more than just invisibility and brawn going for them. They also have a type of intelligence that men lack. They are born understanding the universe and the connections between all its parts, and they may know of ways of manipulating those parts to cause specific effects, knowledge which caused many alchemists to pursue them throughout the classical era. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Sylph intelligence is their supernatural foresight. The future holds few mysteries for a Sylph.

Weaknesses

According to early mythology, Sylphs are only capable of moving freely through the air. They drown in water, burn in fire, and become trapped in earth, so they are basically powerless outside of their own element.

Early mythology also states that Sylphs are mortal in both body and soul. They can die from hunger, illness, or physical injury. Because they lack a soul, when they die, they simply cease to exist. Luckily, there is a loophole for Sylphs who marry humans; the Sylph might gain an immortal soul through the marriage. At the very least, the couple’s children will have immortal souls.

Related Characters

According to early Sylph mythology, the Sylph is one of four creatures, called elementals, who embody the cardinal elements. Sylphs, of course, embody air, while gnomes embody earth, salamanders embody fire, and undines embody water. The elementals guard great treasures of power and knowledge, which are hidden in the pure worlds of each element.

Occasionally, all of the elementals are capable of giving rise to monstrous offspring. The birth of one of these monsters is rare and apparently spontaneous, but disaster usually follows at their heels. When a Sylph delivers one of these monsters, it takes the form of a giant.

Over time and through cultural shifts, the Sylph became estranged from the other three elementals and were linked, instead, to air spirits like fairies and pixies. They also filled the void left by the sirens of classical mythology, becoming a slightly more innocent version of the seductive, magical creature who lures men to their doom.

Cultural Representation

Origin

Sylphs make their debut on the pages of the Liber de Nymphis, which was penned during the 16th century by Paracelsus, a renowned Swiss-German occultist. Not only was Paracelsus the first to refer to Sylphs in writing, he gave such a definitive study of them that his name became a fixture in Sylph mythology. For hundreds of years, no discussion of Sylphs failed to include Paracelsus’ name.

Paracelsus himself made no claims about seeing Sylphs. Instead, he credited his knowledge of these air spirits to folklore; his study of the Sylph attempted to fit accounts from folklore into his own worldview. By the end of his analysis, Paracelsus made it clear that his own understanding of Sylphs was much more advanced than the folklore he had based his ideas on, stating that, “The names have been given [to Sylphs] by people who did not understand them.”

Classical Era

The political turmoil of the early 17th century created a hotbed for cults who offered clarity and knowledge to their followers. The Sylph, who was believed to possess both, emerged as a figurehead of some prominent cult movements, including Rosicrucianism.

The Rosicrucians claimed to be capable of seeing Sylphs, as well as the other elementals, by treating their eyes with alchemical medicines or gazing into crystal balls. Many Rosicrucians took chastity vows, hoping to marry an elemental.

Romantic Era

By the time the 19th century rolled around, bringing greater stability to European society, the occult beliefs that had raged during the 17th century had become the stuff of satire.

The Sylph found a safe-haven in the theaters of the romantic period. They appeared as charming, ethereal, and ultimately unattainable women in multiple operas and ballets. Perhaps the most famous ballet was La Sylphide, which immortalized the image of the graceful, fairy-like Sylph.

Modern Era

Thanks to Vladimir Nabokov’s society-shaking novel, Lolita, most people today would define a “sylph” as an enchanting, slightly devious young girl.

Role-playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons, have stayed truer to the original meaning of the word “sylph.” Players often incorporate Sylphs into their games as strong, magical creatures with power over the wind.

There are still some pockets of believers in the elemental Sylph. They frequently photograph Sylphs in the clouds and describe the Sylph as a valiant protector of the environment. One of their pet beliefs is that, in order to eliminate pollution, Sylphs eat the harmful “chemtrails” left behind by airplanes.

Sylph

Theia

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Fast Facts:

• Pronunciation: THEE-ah


• Origin: Greek


• Role: Titan goddess


• Symbols: Light


• Husband: Hyperion


• Children: Helios, Selene, Eos


• Other Names: Euryphaessa, Thia, Theia

Who Is Theia?

Theia was a Titan goddess, more commonly referred to as the goddess of shining elements. She was associated with shining metals, shining jewels or shining light. She was also known as the goddess of sight and the Greeks believed her eyes were beams of light, helping them see with their own mortal eyes. She was one of the twelve Titans and like her famous sisters Phoebe and Themis, she was also associated with the gift of prophecy and had a shrine in Thessaly.

Origins

Theia was one of the original Titans, who were large and powerful beings that are typically found to be the foundation of Greek mythology stories. Born to Uranus and Gaia, the siblings ruled the world until being overthrown by Zeus and his siblings, the Olympian gods. Theia’s siblings include Oceanus, Coeus, Cronus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Tethys, Themis, Phoebe, Mnemosyne and Rhea.

Legends and Stories

Theia is not directly mentioned in many Greek myths but it is assumed that she played a supporting role in many of them as Hyperion’s wife.

The Gift of Sight

Hyperion and his brothers, also brothers of Theia, were seen as the gods responsible for the creation of man. Each god gave mankind one of their senses. It is assumed that Hyperion was the god who enabled men to see, for his name translates to “he who watches from above”. Another supporting clue to this assumption is that Theia, the goddess of sight, was part of the reason Hyperion gave mankind his chosen gift.

Chosen for the Throne

Some mythology experts don’t agree with this story but it’s worth mentioning regarding the fate of Theia and her children. Uranus, her and her husband’s father, had chosen them to be the pair that would take over his throne when the time came. But Cronus, Theia and Hyperion’s brother, was jealous of his father’s choice and set out to find a way to make the throne his. He kidnapped Helios, Selene and Eos and before their parents knew that their children were missing, Cronus drowned them in the River Eridanus. He then told their parents that Uranus had committed the murders because he feared them. Hyperion believed him and vowed to seek revenge.

Family

Theia was married to her brother Hyperion. He was the Titan god of light, which may have been responsible for the rolls of their three children.

Helios

Helios was the Titan god of sun. He lived in a golden palace on the far east corner of the earth. He would travel from the east to the west in his golden chariot during the day, which was pulled across the sky by four winged horses. He would wear a radiant circle as he travelled across the sky. During the evening hours, he would descend into a golden cup and be carried back to his golden palace until doing the same the next day. His daily routine was described by Homer as,

“Driving his horses, he shines upon men and immortal gods. His eyes gaze piercingly out of his golden helmet, bright rays beam brilliantly from his temples, and the shining hair of his head graciously frames his far-away face. A rich, fine spun garment gleams on his body and flutters in the winds, and stallions carry him.”

When Apollo was born, Helios passed on his responsibilities to him. However, he was still the personification of the sun.

Selene

Theia’s daughter Selene was known as the Titan goddess of moon. She would also ride a chariot through the sky, pulled by winged horses, while wearing a golden cloak. She would eventually be replaced by Artemis.

She fell in love with a mortal named Endymion. Zeus eventually granted him the gift of immortality and eternal youth. Together, Endymion and Selene had 50 daughters, known as the Menae. They represent the 50-month lunar cycle of each Olympiad. However, he fell into a state of eternal slumber by Mount Latmos. Selene would come and visit every night.

Selene is also associated with lunar elements, such as lunacy, the calendar months and the tides of the ocean. She had a child with Zeus named Pandeia, the goddess of dew.

Eos

Eos was known as the goddess of the dawn. She would rise each day before morning from the edge of Oceanus. Her golden rays would overcome the morning mist and remaining shadows of the night. Some myths say that she was carried across the sky in a gold chariot with winged horses while other say that she herself had white wings that enabled her to fly.

She was fittingly married to her cousin Astraeus, the god of dusk. Aphrodite had set a curse upon her though and she found herself uncontrollably attracted to mortal men. She eventually fell in love with the prince of Troy, Tithonus. Zeus also granted the prince with immortality but Eos forgot to ask for the god to grand her lover eternal youth and he continued to age. According to some sources, he eventually became the first grasshopper. But before this, Eos and Tithonos had two sons. The first was Memnon who became king of Ethiopia and the second was Emathion who became the king of Arabia.

Appearance

Theia is always pictured as a strikingly beautiful woman. She typically has long hair and flowing clothing that helps to show the light around her. It’s not uncommon for her to be either directing light towards the earth or moon or even holding light in her hands. In other artistic representations, she is shown with child, as she was the mother of the Sun, Moon and Dawn.

Symbology

The main symbol of Theia is her eyes. Because the Greek’s believed that her eyes emitted a beam that allowed them to see, her eyes were the most important to them. In artistic representations of the goddess, she is often shown with the sun or moon but these would be better classified as symbols of her children.

Theia