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Empedocles (; , ''Empedoklēs''; c. 490 – c. 430 BC) was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of Agrigentum, a Greek city in Sicily. Empedocles' philosophy is best known for being the originator of the cosmogenic theory of the four Classical elements. He also proposed powers called Love and Strife which would act as forces to bring about the mixture and separation of the elements. These physical speculations were part of a history of the universe which also dealt with the origin and development of life. Influenced by the Pythagoreans, he supported the doctrine of reincarnation. Empedocles is generally considered the last Greek philosopher to record his ideas in verse. Some of his work survives, more than in the case of any other Presocratic philosopher. Empedocles' death was mythologized by ancient writers, and has been the subject of a number of literary treatments. ==Life== Empedocles was born, c. 490 BC, at Agrigentum (Acragas) in Sicily to a distinguished family.〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 51〕 Very little is known about his life. His father Meto seems to have been instrumental in overthrowing the tyrant of Agrigentum, presumably Thrasydaeus in 470 BC. Empedocles continued this tradition by helping to overthrow the succeeding oligarchic government. He is said to have been magnanimous in his support of the poor;〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 73〕 severe in persecuting the overbearing conduct of the oligarchs;〔Timaeus, ap. Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 64, comp. 65, 66〕 and he even declined the sovereignty of the city when it was offered to him.〔Aristotle ap. Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 63; compare, however, Timaeus, ap. Diogenes Laërtius, 66, 76〕 His brilliant oratory,〔Satyrus, ap. Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 78; Timaeus, ap. Diogenes Laërtius, 67〕 his penetrating knowledge of nature, and the reputation of his marvellous powers, including the curing of diseases, and averting epidemics,〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 60, 70, 69; Plutarch, ''de Curios. Princ.'', ''adv. Colotes''; Pliny, ''H. N.'' xxxvi. 27, and others〕 produced many myths and stories surrounding his name. He was said to have been a magician and controller of storms, and he himself, in his famous poem ''Purifications'' seems to have promised miraculous powers, including the destruction of evil, the curing of old age, and the controlling of wind and rain. Empedocles was acquainted or connected by friendship with the physicians Pausanias〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 60, 61, 65, 69〕 (his eromenos〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 60: "Pausanias, according to Aristippus and Satyrus, was his eromenos"〕) and Acron;〔Pliny, ''Natural History'', xxix.1.4–5; cf. Suda, ''Akron''〕 with various Pythagoreans; and even, it is said, with Parmenides and Anaxagoras.〔Suda, ''Empedocles''; Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 55, 56, etc.〕 The only pupil of Empedocles who is mentioned is the sophist and rhetorician Gorgias.〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 58〕 Timaeus and Dicaearchus spoke of the journey of Empedocles to the Peloponnese, and of the admiration, which was paid to him there;〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 71, 67; Athenaeus, xiv.〕 others mentioned his stay at Athens, and in the newly founded colony of Thurii, 446 BC;〔Suda, ''Akron''; Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 52〕 there are also fanciful reports of him travelling far to the east to the lands of the Magi.〔Pliny, ''H. N.'' xxx. 1, etc.〕 According to Aristotle, he died at the age of sixty (c. 430 BC), even though other writers have him living up to the age of one hundred and nine.〔Apollonius, ap. Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 52, comp. 74, 73〕 Likewise, there are myths concerning his death: a tradition, which is traced to Heraclides Ponticus, represented him as having been removed from the Earth; whereas others had him perishing in the flames of Mount Etna.〔Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 67, 69, 70, 71; Horace, ''ad Pison.'' 464, etc.〕 A contemporary ''Life of Empedocles'' by Xanthus has been lost. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Empedocles」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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