Empedocles

Lore & Background

Empedocles was a pre-Socratic philosopher from the Greek city of Akragas in Sicily, born into a wealthy and noble family in the early 5th century BC. He is best known for originating the theory of the four classical elements—fire, air, water, and earth—which he called "roots," and which he also identified with the mythical names Zeus, Hera, Nestis, and Aidoneus. He proposed that two opposing forces, Love and Strife, mix and separate these elements to create and destroy all structures in the world. His philosophy directly responded to Parmenides’ monism and likely drew on local traditions, though he may not have known later Eleatics or Atomists. Empedocles challenged animal sacrifice and the killing of animals for food, and he developed a distinctive doctrine of reincarnation. He is considered the last Greek philosopher to record his ideas in verse, and more of his work survives than for any other pre-Socratic. Galen regarded him as the founder of the Sicilian school of medicine. Ancient accounts of his life, written centuries after his death, are largely unreliable and often fabricated from his poetry. His death was mythologized: one legend says he threw himself into Mount Etna to appear immortal, but the volcano cast back one of his bronze sandals, revealing the deceit; another claims an eruption carried him to the Moon, where he survived on dew.

Reader's Guide

Empedocles of Akragas, a pre-Socratic philosopher active around the mid-5th century BC, is best known for his cosmogonic theory of the four classical elements—fire, air, water, and earth—which he termed "roots" and associated with the mythical figures Zeus, Hera, Nestis, and Aidoneus. He proposed that two opposing forces, Love and Strife, alternately mix and separate these indestructible elements, driving a cyclical universe. His philosophy directly engaged with Parmenides' monism, and while he may have drawn on Pythagorean and Heraclitean ideas, his system was distinctly original. Beyond cosmology, Empedocles applied his elemental theory to explain natural phenomena, including the formation of the earth, sea, Sun, Moon, atmosphere, and the origin of plants and animals. He also developed a distinctive doctrine of reincarnation, akin to Pythagorean belief in the transmigration of souls, and challenged the practices of animal sacrifice and killing animals for food. Galen later regarded him as the founder of the Sicilian school of medicine. Empedocles is generally considered the last Greek philosopher to record his ideas in verse, and more of his work survives than for any other pre-Socratic. His death was mythologized: one legend claims he threw himself into Mount Etna to prove his immortality, though the volcano supposedly ejected one of his bronze sandals, revealing the ruse. Another tradition, recounted by Lucian, imagines him carried to the Moon by an eruption. His life and death inspired later literary works by Friedrich Hölderlin and Matthew Arnold.

Did You Know?

• Empedocles never used the term 'element' (stoicheion); that was first used by Plato.
• According to Aristotle, Empedocles died at age 60, but other writers claim he lived as long as 109 years.
• A legend says Empedocles jumped into Mount Etna to prove his immortality, but the volcano threw back one of his bronze sandals, revealing the deceit.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"τέσσαρα γὰρ πάντων ῥιζώματα πρῶτον ἄκουε·Ζεὺς ἀργὴς Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος ἠδ’ ἈιδωνεύςΝῆστίς θ’, ἥ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον." — Empedocles "Hear first the four roots of all things: shining Zeus, life-bringing Hera, Aidoneus, and Nestis, who wets with tears the mortal wellspring." — Empedocles "ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω· φύσις οὐδενός ἐστιν ἁπάντωνθνητῶν, οὐδέ τις οὐλομένου θανάτοιο τελευτή,ἀλλὰ μόνον μίξις τε διάλλαξίς τε μιγέντωνἐστί, φύσις δ’ἐπὶ τοῖς ὀνομάζεται ἀνθρώποισιν." — Empedocles "And I will tell you something else: there is no birth of all mortal things, nor any end in wretched death, but only a mixing and dissolution of mixtures; 'birth' is so called on the part of mankind." — Empedocles