Empedocles
Greek philosopher and scholar
Empedocles (born c. 490 bc, Acragas, Sicily—died 430, the Peloponnese, Greece) was a Greek philosopher, statesman, poet, religious teacher, and physiologist. According to legend only, Empedocles was a self-styled god who brought about his own death, as dramatized by the English poet Matthew Arnold in “Empedocles on Etna,” by flinging himself into the volcanic crater atop Mount Etna to convince followers of his divinity. To his contemporaries he did indeed seem more than a mere...
Discover the world with Britannica
Subscribe to Continue Reading
Free Trial
|
No Ads
|
Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
