Empedocles

Empedocles was born at Acragas in Sicily on 490 B.C. He came from a very wealthy, important family and was the son of a merchant named Meto. Not much is known about Empedocles' early life, other than the fact that he came from a successful family. As he grew older he was talented in multiple things such as being a philosopher, physician, and a poet. Two of his most known and famous poems were "On Nature" and "Purifications". There was many beliefs that Empedocles had magical powers, such as curing diseases, controlling storms, curing of the old age, etc. He once accomplished to keep a women alive even though she had no pulse and could not breathe. He was known as being active in political issues too. He would give speeches regarding equality, and talk about his beliefs on democracy. He supported the poor as well. Empedocles was interested in learning new things and comprehending which led him to enjoy travelling. He was highly influenced by the Pythagoreans, and believed in reincarnation. He would dress himself in purple robes, wear a golden crown, and refer to himself as a god. Empedocles died at the age of 60 on 430 B.C. It is believed that he committed suicide by throwing himself into an active volcano.

Philosophy: When it came down do philosophy, Empedocles was very serious about it. Empedocles agreed with both Parmenides and Heraclitus' philosophy. He agreed with Parmenides that "nothing changes", and agreed with Heraclitus that "we must trust the evidence of our senses". Both of these philosophers believed in the "presence of only one element". Even though Empedocles agreed with them, he believed that the world consisted of four different elements. The four elements he believed in were earth, fire, air, and water. He referred to these as the "roots" of the world. He believed these were the "roots" of the world since they were eternal and unchanging. Empedocles also believed that love and strife were two forces at work. He believed "Love binds things together, and strife separates them". Quotes: - "The nature of God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere." - "Many fires burn below the surface." - "Happy is he who has gained the wealth of divine thoughts, wretched is he whose beliefs about the Gods are dark." - "At one time through love all things come together into one, at another time, through strife's hatred, they are borne each of them apart." - "No mortal thing has a beginning, nor does it end in death and obliteration; there is only a mixing and then separating of what was mixed, but by mortal men these processes are named beginnings."

Famous Works: Two of Empedocles most famous works were "Purifications" and "On Nature". They were both hexameter poems that consisted of physics and cosmology.