In the vibrant, sun-drenched landscape of ancient Sicily during the 5th century BCE, specifically in the powerful city of Akragas, walked a figure who blurred the lines between philosopher, physician, mystic, and politician. Empedocles was not merely a thinker; he was a larger-than-life presence, often described wearing purple robes, a golden diadem, and bronze sandals, commanding the attention of the populace as a miracle worker. He emerged during a pivotal era of Pre-Socratic philosophy, acting as a grand synthesizer who sought to reconcile the immobile, eternal "Being" of Parmenides with the constant, chaotic "Becoming" of Heraclitus. His life was steeped in legend, from raising a woman from the dead to the dramatic, albeit likely apocryphal, tale of his death by leaping into the crater of Mount Etna to prove his divinity.
The intellectual architecture of Empedocles is foundational to Western thought, as he introduced the theory of the four classical roots—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water—which would dominate scientific theory for nearly two millennia. Unlike his predecessors who sought a single underlying substance (the *arche*), Empedocles proposed a pluralistic universe where these four eternal elements mix and separate under the influence of two opposing cosmic forces: Love (*Philia*), the unifier, and Strife (*Neikos*), the divider. This dynamic interplay created a cyclical cosmology, a cosmic heartbeat where the universe oscillates between total unity (the Sphere) and total chaos, capturing the complexity of existence in a way no previous thinker had managed.
Beyond physics, Empedocles was a deeply spiritual advocate for the purification of the soul, influenced heavily by Pythagorean mysticism. He preached the doctrine of metempsychosis, or the transmigration of souls, believing that all living things are kin and that the consumption of meat was a grievous sin causing the soul to fall from grace. His poetry, particularly *On Nature* and *Purifications*, resonates with a haunting beauty, combining rigorous scientific observation with the fervor of a religious prophet. To understand Empedocles is to look into the crucible where science, poetry, and magic were once fused into a single, comprehensive vision of reality.
50 Popular Quotes from Empedocles
The Doctrine of the Four Roots
"Hear first the four roots of all things: shining Zeus, life-bringing Hera, Aidoneus, and Nestis who with her tears moistens mortal springs."
This fragment is the cornerstone of Empedoclean physics, where he personifies the elements as gods to emphasize their divinity and eternal nature. Zeus represents the ethereal fire, Hera the life-sustaining air, Aidoneus (Hades) the solid earth, and Nestis the water. By attributing divine names to physical matter, Empedocles bridges the gap between theology and material science, suggesting that the building blocks of the universe are sacred. It establishes the idea that matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed through mixing.
"Fools!—for they have no far-reaching thoughts—who deem that what before was not comes into being, or that aught can perish and be utterly destroyed."
Here, Empedocles attacks the common misconception of birth and death as absolute beginnings or endings. He argues for the conservation of existence, asserting that nothing comes from nothing and nothing vanishes into nothing. This is a proto-scientific statement of the conservation of mass, insisting that what we perceive as birth is merely the assembly of elements, and death is merely their dispersal.
"There is no birth in mortal things, nor any end in ruinous death; but only mingling and interchange of what is mingled—birth is the name given to this by men."
This quote clarifies his stance on ontology: the reality is the elements, and the objects we see are temporary combinations. He suggests that human language is deceptive because we invent words like "birth" and "death" for processes that are actually just reconfiguration. It challenges the reader to look past the superficial form of objects to the enduring substances that compose them. The universe is a constant reshuffling of the same deck of cards.
"Fire, and Water, and Earth, and the mighty height of Air; dread Strife, too, apart from these, of equal weight to each, and Love in their midst, equal in length and breadth."
Empedocles lists the six fundamental entities of his cosmos: the four material elements and the two immaterial forces. By giving Strife and Love "equal weight" and dimensions, he treats forces as physical realities, almost like substances themselves. This distinction between matter and the energy that moves it is a crucial leap forward in physical theory.
"For these are all equal and of like age, but each has a different prerogative and its own character, and they prevail in turn as the time comes round."
He asserts the equality and eternity of the elements, denying that one is superior to another, unlike Thales who prioritized water or Anaximenes who prioritized air. The phrase "prevail in turn" introduces the concept of cosmic cycles, where different elements dominate depending on the influence of Love or Strife. It paints a picture of a democratic universe where balance is maintained over vast stretches of time.
"Sun, sharp-darting and swift, and the Moon, holding a borrowed light, moving around the Earth."
This observation demonstrates Empedocles' keen astronomical insight, recognizing that the moon does not generate its own light but reflects the sun. It shows his capacity to apply his elemental theory to the heavens, viewing celestial bodies as concentrations of Fire and Air. This moves cosmology away from pure mythology toward observational deduction.
"And these things never cease from their continual exchange, now all coming together into one through Love, and now again being borne apart by the hatred of Strife."
This encapsulates the eternal engine of his universe: the perpetual tug-of-war between attraction and repulsion. It implies that stability is an illusion and that change is the only constant state of the cosmos. The universe is described as a living, breathing entity that inhales unity and exhales diversity.
"But come, hear my words, for learning increases wisdom: as I said before in declaring the limits of my words, twofold is the truth I shall speak."
Empedocles often adopts the tone of a teacher or a mystagogue initiating a disciple. He emphasizes that wisdom requires active listening and the expansion of the mind. The "twofold truth" refers to the dual process of the One becoming Many and the Many becoming One, a complex concept that requires repetition to be understood.
"From these [elements] all things that were and are and will be hereafter have sprung: trees, men and women, beasts and birds and water-nurtured fish, and long-lived gods."
He explicitly links the diversity of life to the combination of the four roots, democratizing existence. By including "long-lived gods" in the same list as trees and fish, he suggests that even divine beings are subject to the laws of the elements. This is a radical naturalism that places all phenomena on the same material footing.
"For they [the elements] prevail in turn as the circle of time goes round, and they wane into one another and grow great in their appointed turn."
This reinforces the cyclical nature of time and dominance in the universe. It suggests a cosmic justice or law (*Ananke*) that governs the interaction of the elements, ensuring that no single element tyrannizes the others forever. It foreshadows the later Stoic concept of eternal recurrence.
The Forces of Love and Strife
"At one time all things are brought together by Love to be one single order, at another they are carried each in different directions by the repulsion of Strife."
This quote defines the specific functions of the two forces: Love (*Philia*) is the synthesizer, while Strife (*Neikos*) is the analyzer or separator. Empedocles does not view Strife as purely evil; it is necessary for the creation of individual objects, as total unity would mean a featureless sphere. Existence as we know it requires a balance between these two extremes.
"Love, whom they gaze on with their minds, not with their eyes; she it is who is believed to be implanted in the mortal limbs."
Empedocles internalizes the cosmic force of Love, identifying it with the sexual and affectionate impulses within humans. He urges us to understand the cosmos by looking inward at our own desires for connection. It suggests that the force binding the universe is the same force that binds human society and families.
"By her [Love] they think friendly thoughts and perform harmonious actions, calling her Joy and Aphrodite."
He explicitly links the cosmic principle of attraction with the goddess Aphrodite, blending physics with theology. This implies that ethical behavior (friendliness, harmony) is acting in accordance with the fundamental law of the universe that seeks unity. To be loving is to align oneself with the constructive power of the cosmos.
"But the enemy Strife is not seen, for he stands apart, weighing heavy in the balance."
Strife is portrayed as an elusive, disruptive force that operates in opposition to the visible harmony of Love. Its "heavy weight" suggests the burden of separation and conflict that defines the tragic aspect of existence. Strife is the necessary antagonist that creates the space for individuality by breaking the perfect sphere.
"For even as they [Love and Strife] were in time past, so shall they be; nor, I think, shall endless time ever be emptied of this pair."
This declaration asserts the eternal co-existence of these forces; they are as fundamental as the elements themselves. There is no "end of history" for Empedocles, only an endless oscillation. It denies the possibility of a permanent paradise or a permanent hell, proposing instead an eternal dynamic tension.
"When Strife has reached the very bottom of the whirl, and Love comes to be in the midst of the whirl, then all these things come together to be one alone."
This describes the cosmological moment when the cycle shifts from increasing chaos back toward unity. The "whirl" or vortex is a common Pre-Socratic image for the motion of the universe. It depicts a mechanical process where the positioning of forces dictates the state of reality.
"Double is the birth of mortal things and double their failing; for one is brought to birth and destroyed by the coming together of all things, the other is nurtured and flies apart as they grow one again."
Empedocles explains that "birth" and "death" happen in both directions of the cycle. Life is created when Love brings elements together, but also when Strife separates a mass into individuals. Conversely, destruction occurs when Strife shatters a being, or when Love merges beings so completely that their individuality is lost.
"As they [the elements] run through one another, they become different-visaged things, yet they are ever and always the same."
This highlights the paradox of change and permanence: the fundamental stuff remains identical, but their mixture creates the illusion of new forms. It is an early theory of chemical mixture, where the properties of the compound differ from the constituent elements. The "different visaged things" are the transient phenomena of our world.
"And as when painters, men well taught by wisdom in their art, adorn votive tablets... they take pigments of many colors, and mix them in harmony."
Empedocles uses the analogy of a painter mixing primary colors to explain how four elements create the infinite variety of nature. Just as a few paints can create any image, a few elements can create any substance. It is a beautiful metaphor that portrays the cosmos as a work of art and nature as the artist.
"Thus let not the error overcome thy mind that there is any other source than this [the four roots] for all the mortal things that appear in their infinite number."
He warns against seeking supernatural or alternative explanations for natural phenomena. By insisting on the sufficiency of the four roots and two forces, Empedocles champions a closed physical system. It is a plea for rationalism within the framework of his elemental theory.
Perception and Human Knowledge
"For by earth we see earth, by water water, by ether godlike ether, and by fire destructive fire; by love we perceive love, and strife by baneful strife."
This is the famous principle of "like knows like." Empedocles believed that perception occurs because there are effluences (particles) flowing from objects that fit into the pores of our sense organs. We can only perceive the world because we are made of the same stuff as the world; the fire in our eye recognizes the fire in the sun.
"Go to now, consider with all thy powers in what way each thing is clear. Hold not thy sight in greater credit than thy hearing, nor value thy resounding ear above the clear instructions of thy tongue."
Empedocles advocates for a holistic empiricism, urging reliance on all senses rather than favoring one. Unlike Parmenides, who distrusted the senses entirely, Empedocles believes they are valid pathways to knowledge if used critically. He encourages a balanced observation of the natural world.
"But wretchedly are the minds of men fragmented; they see but a little part of the whole as they live their doomed lives."
He laments the limitations of human perspective, noting that people generalize the whole universe based on their tiny, fragmented experiences. It is a critique of intellectual arrogance and a reminder of the vastness of truth compared to the brevity of human life. We are trapped in our subjective bubbles.
"Narrow are the powers that are spread through the body, and many the miseries that burst in, blunting thought."
This quote acknowledges the fragility of the human condition and the difficulty of maintaining clear thought amidst suffering. Empedocles recognizes that physical pain and emotional turmoil ("miseries") act as barriers to philosophical insight. The body is both a vehicle for knowledge and an obstacle to it.
"Not to be discovered by the eye are these things [the deepest truths], nor by the ear, nor can they be grasped by the hand."
While he values the senses, he admits that the ultimate principles (like the cyclical nature of time or the divine sphere) transcend immediate sensation. The senses provide the raw data, but the mind must process and understand the underlying structure. True wisdom lies beyond the surface level of tactile or visual experience.
"But do thou listen to the words of my muse, for by learning these things thou shalt split the darkness of thy mind."
Empedocles positions himself as an illuminator, offering his philosophy as a light to banish ignorance. The "darkness of the mind" represents the confusion of the uneducated masses who do not understand the elemental nature of reality. Philosophy is presented as a salvific act.
"For it is a characteristic of the nature of limbs to be torn asunder by the evil of Strife, but the mind brings them together."
He suggests that while our physical bodies are subject to the disintegration of Strife, the intellect has the power of Love to synthesize and understand unity. Mental activity is a form of unification, putting the pieces of the world back together into a coherent whole. Thought opposes the entropy of the universe.
"Whatever things are fitted to the pores of each, these they perceive; but those that are too large or too small glide by without touching."
This details his mechanical theory of perception involving "pores." If the particles from an object are too big or small for the sensory pores, no perception occurs. This is a remarkably mechanistic view of biology for the 5th century BCE, anticipating later atomist theories.
"Wisdom is hard for men to find, and the prize of wisdom is difficult to win."
Empedocles does not promise an easy path to enlightenment. He acknowledges that understanding the complexities of Love, Strife, and the Elements requires rigorous effort and discipline. It serves as a check against those who claim easy answers to cosmic questions.
"Blessed is he who has gained the riches of divine wisdom; wretched he who has a dim opinion of the gods in his heart."
He contrasts the enlightened philosopher with the superstitious layperson. True wealth is defined as intellectual and spiritual clarity, while poverty is ignorance of the divine nature of the cosmos. This elevates philosophy to a religious vocation.
Purification and the Transmigration of Souls
"For I have been ere now a boy and a girl, a bush and a bird and a dumb fish in the sea."
This is perhaps Empedocles' most famous declaration regarding reincarnation. It serves as proof of his belief in the unity of all life; the soul is not human-specific but moves through all forms of nature. It implies a deep ecological empathy, as every living thing has the potential to be, or to have been, a human kin.
"Will ye not cease from this harsh sounding slaughter? Do ye not see that ye are devouring one another in the thoughtlessness of your minds?"
A passionate plea for vegetarianism, equating meat-eating with cannibalism. Since souls transmigrate, eating an animal is potentially eating a reincarnated relative. Empedocles views the consumption of flesh as the primal sin that perpetuates the cycle of Strife and suffering.
"The father lifts up his own son in a changed form, and slays him with a prayer. Fool! And they are puzzled as they sacrifice the suppliant."
This horrifying image illustrates the tragic irony of animal sacrifice. The "son in a changed form" is the animal, housing the soul of a deceased relative. Empedocles attacks the religious institutions of his time, arguing that their "pious" sacrifices are actually murder born of ignorance.
"Woe is me that the pitiless day of death did not destroy me first, before I devised with my lips the cruel deed of eating flesh."
Empedocles expresses deep remorse for his past actions (presumably in a previous life or before his enlightenment). It highlights the concept of the "fallen *daimon*" (spirit) that must atone for the sin of bloodshed. The path to divinity requires absolute purity and non-violence.
"There is an oracle of Necessity, an ancient decree of the gods, eternal and sealed with broad oaths: whenever one of the daemons... pollutes his limbs with murder..."
He establishes a cosmic law ("Necessity") that governs the punishment of souls. The "daemons" are divine spirits (like humans) who fall from grace through violence. This sets up the framework for his cycle of reincarnation as a purgatorial journey lasting thousands of years.
"He wanders from the blessed ones for thrice ten thousand seasons, being born throughout the time in all manner of mortal forms."
This specifies the duration of the soul's exile: thirty thousand seasons (perhaps years). It emphasizes the arduous length of the purification process. The soul is tossed between the elements, rejected by each, finding no rest until it is purified.
"For the mighty Air drives him into the Sea, and the Sea spews him forth on the dry Earth; Earth tosses him into the beams of the blazing Sun, and he flings him back to the whirls of Air."
A poetic description of the soul's rejection by the elements. The sinner is homeless in the universe, buffeted by the very roots of existence. It vividly conveys the agony of alienation from the natural order caused by moral impurity.
"Of these [exiled souls] I too am now one, a fugitive from the gods and a wanderer, who put my trust in raving Strife."
Empedocles admits his own fallen state, humanizing himself. He confesses that his current human existence is a punishment for past trust in Strife (violence/discord). This confession adds a tragic, personal dimension to his philosophy; he is seeking his own way home.
"But at the end, they come among men on earth as prophets, bards, doctors, and princes; and thence they arise as gods highest in honor."
This outlines the hierarchy of reincarnation. The final stages before returning to divinity are noble professions: prophets, poets, healers, and leaders. Empedocles likely saw himself in all these roles, indicating he believed he was near the end of his cycle of rebirth.
"Fast from wickedness! Keep your soul entirely from the leaves of the laurel and from beans!"
Practical dietary and ritual advice for purification. The prohibition against beans (shared with Pythagoreans) and laurel leaves is part of the ritual cleanliness required to avoid spiritual contamination. It shows that his philosophy was also a strict lifestyle regimen.
The Divine and the Nature of God
"He is not furnished with a human head on his body, two branches do not shoot from his back, he has no feet, no swift knees..."
Empedocles attacks the anthropomorphic conception of God common in Greek mythology. He argues that the Divine does not look like a human; it has no physical limbs because it needs none. This is a move toward abstract monotheism or pantheism.
"He is only a sacred and unutterable Mind, flashing through the whole world with rapid thoughts."
Here, God is defined as pure Intellect or Consciousness. The divine is not a physical ruler on Olympus but a pervasive intelligence that permeates the cosmos. This "Mind" organizes and understands the universe, acting as the ultimate rational principle.
"God is a circle whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere."
(Note: Often attributed to Empedocles, though the exact phrasing varies in later texts). This geometric metaphor describes the infinite and omnipresent nature of the Divine. It suggests that the holy is equally present in every point of space, breaking the boundary between "sacred" and "profane" locations.
"Happy is he who has gained the wealth of divine thoughts; wretched is he who cherishes a dark opinion about the gods."
He reiterates that true happiness (eudaimonia) is intellectual alignment with the divine reality. Misunderstanding the nature of God (e.g., thinking they demand blood sacrifice) leads to misery. Theology is thus essential for psychological well-being.
"For the law for all extends everywhere, through the wide-ruling air and the infinite light of heaven."
Empedocles proposes a universal natural law that binds all things, divine and mortal. This law is not written by men but is inherent in the structure of the universe (Air and Light). It suggests a cosmic morality that transcends human customs.
"To the wise, the whole world is a temple."
This implies that since the elements are divine and God is a flashing mind throughout the cosmos, there is no need for specific temples. Every moment and every place is an opportunity for worship through understanding. It sanctifies the study of nature as a religious act.
"Neither can one bring the divine near so as to see it with the eyes, nor grasp it with the hands."
He emphasizes the transcendence of the divine essence. While we see the elements, the unifying "Holy Mind" is beyond sensory grasp. It requires the "eye of the mind" or spiritual intuition to apprehend the ultimate reality.
"For from these [elements] are all things fitted together... and by these, they think and feel pleasure and pain."
He links the divine composition of the universe to the capacity for consciousness. Thought itself is a physical process derived from the mixture of divine elements (specifically blood around the heart, in his view). This grounds the spiritual in the physical.
"In the Sphere, there is no discord and no unseemly strife in his limbs."
Describing the stage of the cosmic cycle where Love dominates completely, forming the "Sphere." In this state, God is a perfect, homogeneous unity. It is a state of absolute peace, contrasting with the fragmented world we currently inhabit.
"Friends, I know that truth is in the words I will speak, but it is hard for men, and the pang of faith enters their minds with difficulty."
Empedocles concludes with the resignation of a prophet who knows he will be misunderstood. He recognizes that his radical truths—about the elements, reincarnation, and the nature of God—challenge deeply held beliefs. He asks for faith, acknowledging that wisdom is often a painful intrusion into the comfortable ignorance of the world.
The Legacy of the Akragantine Sage
Empedocles stands as a titan in the history of thought, a bridge spanning the chasm between myth and science. His legacy is etched into the very foundation of Western science; his theory of the four elements—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water—remained the dominant chemical paradigm for over two thousand years until the periodic table began to take shape. He was the first to suggest that light travels at a finite speed and to propose a rudimentary theory of evolution through natural selection (where only viable forms survived).
Beyond the hard sciences, his influence on Plato and Aristotle was profound. Plato’s cosmology in the *Timaeus* owes a debt to Empedoclean physics, and Aristotle credited him with realizing that the universe requires a moving cause (Love and Strife) in addition to material substance. In the realm of psychology, Freud famously adopted the terms "Eros" (Love) and "Thanatos" (Death/Strife) to describe the fundamental drives of the human psyche, a direct nod to the ancient Sicilian's dualistic cosmos.
Today, Empedocles reminds us of a time when the poet and the scientist were one. His vision of a universe oscillating between unity and chaos, driven by attraction and repulsion, feels strikingly modern in the age of particle physics and big bang cosmology. Whether viewed as a mystic who remembered his past lives as a bush and a bird, or as a proto-scientist who defined the roots of matter, Empedocles remains a testament to the boundless capability of the human imagination to grasp the mechanics of the infinite.
**What are your thoughts on Empedocles' theory of Love and Strife? Do you see these forces at work in the modern world? Share your insights in the comments below!**
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If you were captivated by the elemental wisdom and mystical science of Empedocles, you will find immense value in exploring these three kindred spirits on our site:
1. Heraclitus: The "Weeping Philosopher" of Ephesus who championed the idea that fire is the fundamental element and that "everything flows." His concept of the unity of opposites directly parallels Empedocles' dynamic interplay of Love and Strife.
2. Parmenides: The stern logician of Elea whose poem on the nature of "Being" set the stage for Empedocles. Understanding Parmenides is essential to seeing how Empedocles tried to solve the problem of how motion and change can exist in a permanent universe.
3. Pythagoras: The mystic mathematician who heavily influenced Empedocles' views on the soul, vegetarianism, and reincarnation. Dive into his profile to understand the spiritual lineage that gave birth to the doctrine of the transmigration of souls.