ABSTRACT
The basic historiographic points at issue are two. First, unless we are very careful and alert to what we are doing in our historical studies, we confuse one or other fat Paracelsus for the thin one. That is, we attribute characteristics, goals, achievements, beliefs, and so on, to the thin Paracelsus which are in fact from our present, and thus construct fat Paracelsuses which serve our later purposes — but which we mistakenly take to be true about the historic Paracelsus. The other basic historiographic point comes from the author's own experience in trying to understand the historical reputations of Paracelsus. Paracelsus’ reputation as someone immune to sexual temptation, and possibly as castrated, may possibly be linked to either the Christian ascetic tradition or to his magical interests. The Greek Church Father, Origen, castrated himself to achieve greater commitment to the kingdom of heaven, the medieval scholastic and priest, Peter Abelard, also castrated himself.
