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| The ] '''classical elements''' are ], ], ], and ]. They represent in Greek ], ], and ] the possible constituents of the cosmos. | |||
| ] mentions them as of ] origin, a list created by the philosopher ]. | |||
| :] is both hot and dry. | |||
| :] is both hot and wet. | |||
| :] is both cold and wet. | |||
| :] is both cold and dry. | |||
| <div style="float:right">]</div> | |||
| One classic diagram (right) has two squares on top of each other, with the corners of one being the classical elements, and the corners of the other being the properties. | |||
| According to ], these elements were used by ] in describing the human body with an association with ]: ] (water), ] (fire), ] (earth), and ] (air). | |||
| Some cosmologies include a fifth element, ], the "]." | |||
| The ] added ] as the fifth element, and also used the initial letters of these five elements to name the outer angles of their ]. | |||
| The idea of the classical elements was known during ] times, and, like much ] dogma, composed a large part of the medieval world view. References to the classical elements in medieval ] can be seen in the work of many writers, including ]: | |||
| :Thou hast as chiding a nativity | |||
| :As '''fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make''', | |||
| :To herald thee from the womb | |||
| ::-PERICLES, from ] | |||
| :The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, | |||
| :Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat | |||
| :Awake the god of day; and, at his warning, | |||
| :Whether in '''sea or fire, in earth or air''', | |||
| :The extravagant and erring spirit hies | |||
| :To his confine | |||
| ::-HORATIO, from ] | |||
| In Chinese ] there is a similar system, which includes metal and wood but excludes air. Different things in nature are associated with the five types. For example, the five major ]s were named after the elements: ] is metal, ] is wood, ] is water, ] is fire and ] is earth. Also the ] represents ], the ] represents Yang. Yin and Yang and the five elements are recurring themes in the ], which is strongly related to Chinese ] and ]. See ]. | |||
| Some ]n traditions also include the air, earth, fire, water distinctions. | |||
| The modern scientific ] and the understanding of ] (fire) can be considered successors to such early models. | |||
| If one associates the modern term ']' with fire, the other three elements correspond with the modern concept of 'states of matter', this is to say ']' maps to Earth, ']' to Water and ']' to Air. | |||
| See also | |||
| * '']'' | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||