THE FRAGMENTS 
 
 OF 
 
 EMPEDOCLES 
 
 WILLIAM E. LEONARD. PH.D. 
 
^■^ ^ LI 
 
 B 
 
 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 GOLDWIN SMITH 
 HALL 
 
 FROM THE FUND GIVEN BY 
 
 GOLDWIN SMITH 
 1909 
 
Cornell University Library 
 B 218.A4E6 1908 
 
 Fragments / 
 
 3 1924 014 603 058 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014603058 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF 
 EMPEDOCLES 
 
 TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM ELLERY LEONARD, Ph. D. 
 
 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 LONDON AGENTS 
 
 KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER A CO., LTD. 
 
 1908 
 
8 
 
 no2 
 
 Empedocles . . . 
 Whom that three-cornered isle of all the lands 
 
 Bore on her coasts which, though for much she seem 
 
 The mighty and the wondrous isle, . . . hath ne'er 
 Possessed within her aught of more renown. 
 Nor aught more holy, wonderful, and dear 
 Than this true man. Nay, ever so far and pure 
 The lofty music of his breast divine 
 Lifts up its voice and tells of glories found 
 That scarce he seems of human stock create. 
 
 Lucretius, I. 716 ff. 
 
 COPYRIGHT BY 
 
 THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING CO. 
 
 igoS 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 (To W. R. N.) 
 
 In my last winter by Atlantic seas, 
 
 How often, when the long day's task was through, 
 
 I found, in nights of friendliness with you. 
 
 The quiet corner of the scholar's ease; 
 
 While you explored the Orphic liturgies. 
 
 Or old Pythagoras' mystic One and Two, 
 
 Or heartened me with Plato's larger view. 
 
 Or the world-epic of Empedocles: 
 
 It cost you little ; but such things as these. 
 When man goes inland, following his star — 
 When man goes inland where the strangers are — 
 Build him a house of goodly memories : 
 So take this book in token, and rejoice 
 That I am richer having heard your voice. 
 
 W. E. L. 
 Madison. Wis., Dec. 1906. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THIS translation was made at the suggestion of my 
 friend, Dr. W. R. Newbold, Professor of Greek Phi- 
 losophy at the University of Pennsylvania, in the hope of 
 interesting here and there a student of thought or a lover 
 of poetry. The introduction and notes are intended merely 
 to illustrate the text: they touch only incidentally on the 
 doxographical material and give thus by no means a com- 
 plete account of all it is possible to know about Empedocles's 
 philosophy. My indebtedness to the critics is frequently 
 attested in the references; but I have in all points tried to 
 exercise an independent judgment. Most citations from 
 works not accessible in English are given in translation. 
 
 It is a genuine pleasure to acknowledge my special obli- 
 gations to Professor Newbold and to Professor E. B. Mc- 
 Gilvary of the philosophical department at Wisconsin for 
 their kindness in reading the manuscript and adding several 
 valuable suggestions. I am indebted to Dr. J. R. Blackman 
 of the department of physiology at the University of Wis- 
 consin for medical references. 
 
 William Ellery Leonard. 
 Madison, Wis., May 14, 1907. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Preface y 
 
 Empedocles : The Man, the Philosopher, the Poet. 
 
 Life I 
 
 Personality. 2 
 
 Works 3 
 
 History of the Text 3 
 
 Translations 4 
 
 ^- The Ideas of Empedocles 4 
 
 The Poetry of Empedocles g 
 
 Bibliography. 13 
 
 On Nature. 
 
 To his Friend 15 
 
 Limitations of Knowledge 15 
 
 The Elements 17 
 
 Ex Nihilo Nihil 19 
 
 The Plenum 19 
 
 Our Elements Immortal 20 
 
 Love and Hate, the Everlasting. 20 
 
 The Cosmic Process 20 
 
 Love and Hate in the Organic World 23 
 
 ^ From the Elements is All We See 24 
 
 ' Similia Similibus 25 
 
 An Analogy 26 
 
 The Speculative Thinker 27 
 
 An Aphorism 27 
 
 ' The Law of the Elements 28 
 
 The Sphere 29 
 
 Physical Analogies 30 
 
 The Conquest of Love 31 
 
 Similia Similibus 32 
 
 The World as It Now Is 33 
 
 Earth and Air not Illimitable 33 
 
viii- THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 rAGB 
 
 Sun and Moon 33 
 
 The Darkling Night 35 
 
 Wind and Rain 35 
 
 Fire 35 
 
 The Volcano. 35 
 
 Air 35 
 
 Things Passing Strange. 36 
 
 Strange Creatures of Olden Times 36 
 
 The Process of Human Generation To-day. 38 
 
 On Animals and Plants 39 
 
 Our Eyes 42 
 
 Similia Similibus '1^ 
 
 The Black River Bottoms 44 
 
 Eyes 45 
 
 Bones 45 
 
 Blood and Flesh 45 
 
 The Ear 46 
 
 The Rushing Blood and the Clepsydra 46 
 
 Scent 48 
 
 On the Psychic Life 49 
 
 Dominion 51 
 
 The Purifications. 
 
 The Healer and Prophet 53 
 
 Expiation and Metempsychosis 54 
 
 ■'This Earth of Ours 56 
 
 This Sky-Roofed World 56 
 
 This Vale of Tears. 56 
 
 'The Changing Forms 58 
 
 ■The Golden Age 58 
 
 The Sage 59 
 
 Those Days 60 
 
 "The Divine 60 
 
 Animal Sacrifice 62 
 
 Taboos 63 
 
 Sin 63 
 
 The Progression of Rebirth 64 
 
 Last Echoes of a Song Half Lost 65 
 
 Notes 67 
 
EMPEDOCLES: THE MAN, THE PHILOS- 
 OPHER, THE POET. 
 
 LIFE. 
 
 THE philosopher Empedocles, according to the 
 common tradition of antiquity, was born at 
 Agrigentum jn^^Sicily, and flourished just before 
 the Peloponnesian war, the contdrnporary of the 
 great Athenians about Pericles. He might have 
 heard the Prometheus in the theatre of Dionysus 
 and have talked with Euripides in the Agora; or 
 have seen with Phidias the bright Pallas Athene on 
 the Acropolis ; or have listened in the groves beyond 
 the city while Anaxagoras unfolded to him those 
 half-spiritual guesses at the nature of the universe, 
 so different from his own. He might: but the de- 
 tails of his life are all too imperfectly recorded. The 
 brief references in other philosophers and the vita 
 of Diogenes Laertius contain much that is contra- 
 dictory or legendary. Though apparently of a 
 wealthy and conservative family, he took the lead 
 among his fellow citizens against the encroach- 
 ments of the aristocracy; but, as it seems, falling 
 at last from popular favor, he left Agrigentum 
 and died in the Peloponnesus — his famous leap into 
 Mount Aetna being as mythical as his reputed 
 
2 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 translation after a sacrificial meal .... But time 
 restores the exiles: Florence at last set the image 
 of Dante before the gates of Santa Croce; and 
 now, after two thousand years, the hardy demo- 
 crats of Agrigentum begin to cherish (so I have 
 read) the honest memory of Empedocles with that 
 of Mazzini and Garibaldi. 
 
 PERSONALITY. 
 
 The personaH^ujf^this old Mediterranean Greek 
 must have been impressive. He was„not only the 
 statesman. and4)hJlosopher, but the poet. And ego- 
 tistic, melancholy, eloquent^ soul that he wasV^he 
 seems 4»-4rave~Gonsidered himself above all as the 
 wond€r---w.oxker and the hierophant, in purple vest 
 and golden girdle, 
 
 "Crowned both with fillets and with flowering wreaths;" 
 
 and he tells us of his triumphal passage through the 
 Sicilian cities, how throngs of his men and women 
 accompanied him along the road, how from house 
 and alley thousands of the fearful and the sick 
 crowded upon him and besought oracles or healing 
 ;vvords. And stories have come down to us of his 
 wonderful deeds, as the waking of a woman from a 
 long trance and the quite plausible cure of a mad- 
 man by music. Some traces of this imposing figure, 
 with elements frankly drawn from legends not here 
 mentioned appear in Arnold's poem. 
 
 'From Enij^edgcleSj^indeed,according to Aristotle, the study of 
 rhetoric got itj Srst'impuTseTuf. Diels's Gwgias und Empedocles in 
 Sitsungihefichie'd. K. P. Akademie d. Wissenschaften, 1884. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 WORKS. 
 
 Of the many works, imputed to Empedocles by 
 antiquity, presuijiably ,only two are genuine, the 
 poems On Natti^^e' and the Purifications; and of 
 these we possess but the fragments preserved in the 
 citations of philosopher and doxographer from Ar- 
 istotle to Simplicius, which, though but a small part 
 of the whole, are much more numerous and com- 
 prehensive than those of either Xenophanes or Par- 
 menides. It is impossible to determine when the 
 poems were lost: they were read doubtless by Lu- 
 cretius and Cicero, possibly as late as the sixth 
 century by Simplicius, who at least quotes from the 
 On Nature at length.^ 
 
 HISTORY OF THE TEXT. 
 
 The fragments were imperfectly collected late in 
 the Renaissance, as far as I have been able to deter- 
 mine, first by the great German Xylander, who 
 translated them into Latin. Stephanus published 
 his Empedoclis Fragmenta at Paris in 1573. But 
 not till the nineteenth century did they get the at- 
 tention they deserve, in the editions of Sturz (1805) 
 Karsten(i838), Stein (1852), and Mullach(i86o), 
 which show, however, confusing diversities in the 
 readings as well as in the general arrangement. 
 Each except Stein's is accompanied by Latin trans- 
 
 The writings of Democritus are conjectured to have been lost 
 between tiie third and fifth centuries. 
 
4 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 lation' and notes. But our best text is unquestion- 
 ably that of Hermann Diels of Berlin, first pub- 
 lished in 1 90 1 in his Poet arum Philosophorum 
 Fragmenta, and subsequently (1906), with a few 
 slight changes and additions, in his Frdgmente der 
 Vorsokratiker. 
 
 TRANSLATIONS. 
 
 As said above, there are several translations into 
 Latin ; all that I have seen being in prose, and some 
 rather loose for the work of distinguished scholars. 
 The late P. Tannery gives a literal French trans- 
 lation in his work on Hellenic Science, Diels in his 
 Fragmente one in German, Bodrero in his // Prin- 
 cipio one in Italian, and Burnet and Fairbanks in 
 their works on early Greek philosophy literal Eng- 
 lish translations, of which the former's is the better. 
 There is one in German hexameters from the ear- 
 lier decades of the last century; and a few brief 
 selections in the English hexameters of W. C. Law- 
 ton may be found in Warner's Library of the 
 World's Best Literature. The works of Frere and 
 of Symonds contain specimen renderings, the form- 
 er's in verse, the latter's in prose. Probably Diels 
 does most justice to the meaning of Empedocles; 
 none assuredly does any kind of justice to his poetry. 
 
 THE IDEAS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 We can reconstruct something of Empedocles's 
 system out of the fragments themselves and out of 
 
 *I have not seen the original of Sturz's edition; but I gather 
 from references in my reading that it contains a translation. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. S 
 
 the allusions in the ancients ; yet our knowledge is 
 by no means precise, and even from the earliest 
 times has there been diversity of interpretation. 
 Various problems are discussed, as they come up, 
 in the Notes, but a brief survey of what seems to be 
 his thought as a whole, even at the risk of some 
 repetition, may help the general reader to get his 
 bearings. 
 
 The philosophy of the, On,Jl^ture rtiay be con- 
 sidered as a union of theiEleaticMoctrine of Being 
 with that of the Heraclitic Becoming, albeit the 
 Sicilian is more the natural scientist than the dia- 
 lectician, more the Spencer than the Hegel of his 
 times. With Parmenides he denies that Jhe_ aught 
 can come from or return to the naught ; with Hera- 
 ""Ctitns lie affirms the principle of development. There 
 'sTio"i"ealci£ailipn or amiihjlation in this universal 
 round gi things ; but an eternal mixing and uninix- 
 ing, due to two eternal powers, jCojk and Hate,' of 
 one world-stuff in its sum unalterable andlelernal. 
 There is something in the conception suggestive of 
 the chemistry of later times. To the water of 
 Thales, the air of Anaximenes, and the Hre of 
 Heraclitus he ad^s earth, and declares them as all 
 alike primeval, the promise and the potency of the 
 universe, 
 
 "The fourfold root of all things." 
 
 These are the celebrated "four elements" of later 
 philosophy and magic. In the beginning, if we 
 may so speak of a vision which seems to transcend 
 
6 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 time^_ these Jour, held together by the uniting bond 
 of Love, rested, each separated andmmiixed, beside 
 one another in. the shaj)e of a perf^tsj^^^ which 
 by the entrance of Hate was gradually i)XQken up 
 to develop at last into the world and the individual 
 things, 
 
 "Knit in all forms and wonderful to see." 
 
 But the complete mastery of JIate, means the com- 
 plete dissipation and destruction of things as such, 
 until Love, winning the upper hand, begins to unite 
 and form another world of life and beauty, which 
 ends in the still and lifeless sphere of old, again 
 
 "exultant in surrounding solitude." 
 
 Whereupon, in the same way, new world-periods 
 arise, and in continual interchange follow one an- 
 other forever, like the secular aeons of the nebular 
 hypothesis of to-day. 
 
 Moreover, Empedocles tells us of a mysterious 
 vortex, the origin of which he may have explained 
 in some lost portion of his poem, a whirling jmass, 
 like the nebula in Orion or the original of our solar 
 sy stern, that seems to be the first stage in the world- 
 process after the motionless harmony of the sphere. 
 Out of this came the elements one by one : first, air, 
 which, condensing or thickening, encompassed the 
 rest in the form of a globe or, as some maintain, of 
 an egg; then fire, which took the upper space, and 
 crowded air beneath her. And thus arose,, two 
 hemispheres, together forming the hollow vault of 
 the terrestrial heaven above and below us, the 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 7 
 
 bright entirely of fire, the dark of air, sprinkled 
 with the patches of fire we call stars. And, because 
 in unstable equilibrium, or because bearing still 
 sometlitngof the swift motion of the vortex, or be- 
 cause of fire's intrinsic push and pressure — for Em- 
 pedocles*s physics are here particularly obscure — 
 this vault begins to revolve: ^nd behold the morn- 
 ing and the evening of the first day ; for thi^s revo- 
 lution of the vault is, he tells us, the cause of day 
 and night. 
 
 Out of the other elements came the earth, prob- \ 
 ably something warm and slimy, without form and 
 void. It too was involved in the whirl of things; 
 and the same force which expels the water from a 
 sponge, when swung round and round in a boy's 
 hand, worked within her, and the moist spurted 
 forth and its evaporation filled the under spaces of 
 air, and the dry land appeared. And the everlast- 
 ing Law made two great lights, for"^ signs and sea- 
 sons, and for days and years, the greater light to 
 rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night ; 
 and it made the stars also. 
 
 The develQpm.ent £f„ organic life, in which the 
 interest of Empedocles chiefly centers, took place, 
 as we have seen, in the period of the conflict of Love \ 
 and Hate, through the unceasing mixing and sepaT^"*^'^ 
 ration of the four elements. Furthermore, the ■ 
 quantitative jdiflferences of the combinations pro- 
 duced quahtative differences of sensible properties. 
 First th e plants, conceived as endowed with feeling, 
 sprang up, germinations put of earth. Then ani- 
 
\ 
 
 8 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 mals arose piecemeal — ^he tells us in one passage — 
 heads, arms, eyes, roaming ghastly through space, 
 the chance unions of which resulted in grotesque 
 shapes until joined in fit number and proportion, 
 they developed into the organisms we see about us. 
 In another passage we hear how first rose mere 
 lumps of earth 
 
 "with rude impress," 
 
 but he is probably peaking of two separate periods 
 of creation. .Eiropedocles was a crude evolutionist.* 
 
 His theory of the attraction\of jnce_^foF like, so 
 suggestive of the chemical affinities of modern sci- 
 ence; his theory of perception, the earliest recog- 
 nition, with the possible exception of Alcmaon of 
 Croton, of the subjective element in man'g. (experi- 
 ence with the outer world; and his affirmation of 
 the consciousness of matter, in company with so 
 many later materialists, even down to Haeckel, who 
 puts the soul in the atom, are, perhaps, for our pur- 
 poses sufficiently explained in the notes. 
 
 Behind all the absurdities of the system of Em- 
 pedocles, we recognise the keen observation, in- 
 sight, and generalizing power of a profound mind, 
 which, in our day with our resources of knowledge, 
 would have been in the forefront of the world's seek- 
 ers after that Reality which even the last and the 
 greatest seek with a success too humble to warrant 
 much smiling at those gone before. 
 
 * Some portions of the above paragraphs are translated and con- 
 densed from Zeller, some others from Vorlander, Gesehickfe der 
 Philosophie, I. Band, Leipsic, 1903. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 9 
 
 THE POETRY OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Empedocles and his forerunner Parmenides were 
 the only Greek philosophers who wrote down their 
 systems in verse f for Heraclitus had written in 
 crabbed prose, and Xenophanes was more poet- 
 satirist than poet-philosopher. Lucretius, the poet- 
 ical disciple of Empedocles (though not in the same 
 degree that he was the philosophic disciple of Epi- 
 curus), is in this their only successor. Contempo- 
 rary reflective satire and the metrical forms of the 
 Orphics may, as Burnet conjectures, have sug- 
 gested the innovation; but both Parmenides and 
 Empedocles were poets by nature, and I see no rea- 
 son why they should not naturally and spontane- 
 ously have chosen the poet's splendid privilege of 
 verse for their thought. 
 
 The Ionic dialect of Empedocles's hexameters, 
 and occasionally even his phrase, is Homeric; but 
 in mood and manner, as sometimes in philosophic 
 terminology, he recalls the Eleatic. Parmenides 
 had written : 
 
 "And thou shalt know the Source etherial. 
 And all the starry signs along the sky. 
 And the resplendent works of that clear lamp 
 Of glowing sun, and whence they all arose. 
 Likewise of wandering works of round-eyed moon 
 Shalt thou yet learn and of her source; and then 
 Shalt thou know too the heavens that close us round — 
 Both whence they sprang and how Fate leading them 
 Bound fast to keep the limits of the stars. . . . 
 How earth and sun and moon and common sky, 
 The Milky Way, Olympos outermost. 
 And burning might of stars made haste to be.'" 
 
 •Parmenides, fr. lo, ii, Diels, FV. 
 
10 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 And it is as if he were addressing the Agrigen- 
 tine and bequeathing him his spiritual heritage; 
 and we might add thereto those verses of another 
 poet of more familiar times : 
 
 "And thou shalt write a song like mine, and yet 
 Much more than mine, as thou art more than I." 
 
 For, although Empedocles has left us no pas- 
 sage of the gorgeous imagination of Parmenides's 
 proem,® the Ittttol rai /te ^epava-iv, his fragments as 
 a whole seem much more worth while. 
 
 He was true _p_2sL_.T.here-is.~£j:§^t_the grandeur 
 of hfe conception. Its untruth for the intellect of 
 to-day should not blind us to its truth and power 
 for the imagination, the same yesterday, to-day and 
 perhaps forever. The Ptolemaic astronomy of Par- 
 adise Lost is as real to the student of Milton as the 
 Copernican to the student of Laplace, and an essen- 
 tial element in the poem. The nine circles of the 
 subterranean Abyss lose none of their impressive- 
 ness for us because we know more of geology than 
 the author of the Inferno. The imagination can 
 glory in the cross of Christ, towering over the 
 wrecks of time, long after the intellect has settled 
 with the dogmas of orthodoxy. And an idea may 
 be imposing even for the intellect where the intel- 
 lect repudiates its validity. A stupendous error 
 like the Hegelian logic of history, even the pseudo- 
 science of Goethe's vertebral theory of the skull, 
 that yet suggests the great principle of morpholog- 
 
 ' Diels, FV. Arnold has borrowed from it one of the best lines 
 of Empedocles on Aetna : 
 
 "Ye sun-born Virgins ! on the road of truth." — 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. II 
 
 ical and functional metamorphosis, argues greater 
 things for the mind of man than any truth, however 
 ingeniously discovered, in the world of petty facts. 
 And the response of the soul is a poetic response, 
 the thrill andthe enthusiasm before the large idea. 
 Our poet's conception is impressive to imagination 
 and to intellect : we stand with him amid the awful 
 silence of the primeval Sphere that yet exults in 
 surrounding solitude; but out of the darkness and 
 the abyss there comes a sound : one by one do quake 
 the limbs of God; the powers of life and death are 
 at work; Love and Hate contend in the bosom of 
 nature as in the bosom of man ; we sweep on in fire 
 and rain and down the 
 
 "awful heights of Air;" 
 
 amid the monstrous shapes, the arms, the heads, the 
 glaring eyes, in space, and at last we are in the 
 habitable world, this shaggy earth, this sky-roofed 
 cave of the fruitful vine and olive, of the multi- 
 tudinous tribes of hairy beasts, and of men and 
 women, — all wonderful to see; foJ". Empedocles, is 
 strikingly concrete. But the aeons of change never 
 end; and the revolution, as we have seen, comes full 
 circle forever. 
 
 There is too the large poet's feeling for the color, 
 the movement, the mystery, the life of the world 
 about us : for the wide glow of blue heaven, for the 
 rain streaming down on the mountain trees, for the 
 wind-storm riding in from ocean, for 
 
 "Night, the lonely, with her sightless eyes," 
 
12 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 for the lion couched on the mountain side, the diver- 
 bird skimming the waves with its wings, and 
 
 "The songless shoals of spawning fish" 
 
 that are 
 
 "nourished in deep waters" 
 
 and led, it may be, by Aphrodite. 
 
 There is the poet's relation to his kind, the sym- 
 pathy with 
 
 "men and women, the pitied and bewailed," 
 
 who after their little share of life with briefest 
 fates 
 
 "Like smoke are lifted up and flit away;" 
 
 the interest and the joy in the activities of man: 
 how now one lights his lantern and sallies forth in 
 the wintry night ; how now another mixes his paints 
 in the sunlight for a variegated picture of trees 
 and birds which is to adorn the temple; how now 
 a little girl, down by the brook, 
 
 "Plays with a waterclock of gleaming bronze." 
 
 Thetp is. the poet's instinct for the effective 
 phrase, which suggests so much, because it tells so 
 little ; an austere simplicity, which relates the author 
 by achievement to that best period of Greek art to 
 which he belonged by birth; and a roll of rhythm 
 as impassioned and sonorous as was ever heard on 
 Italian soil, though that soil was the birth-place of 
 Lucretius . . . But I am the translator, not the critic, 
 of the poet. 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
 
 BoDREKO in his // Principio fondamentale del sistema di Empedocle' 
 (Rome, 1904; cited as "Bodrero") gives a valuable bibliog- 
 raphy, almost exhaustive for the study of our philosopher, 
 save for the surprising omission of the work of Burnet. Bo- 
 drero is presumably known and accessible to the special stu- 
 dent; for the general reader the following will, perhaps, be 
 found sufficient : 
 
 Blakewell. Source Book in Greek Philosophy, New York, 1907. 
 (Contains partial prose translation, but came to hand after 
 the present volume was in press.) 
 
 Burnet, Early Greek Philosophy, London, 1892. (Keen and inde- 
 pendent. Cited as "Burnet."). 
 
 Fairbanks, The First Philosophers of Greece, New York, i8g8. 
 (Contains translations of the doxographers on Empedocles.) 
 
 (jOuperz, Greek Thinkers, vol. I., trans, by Laurie Magnus, New 
 York, igoi. (Beautifully written, inspiring; but somewhat 
 fanciful. Cited as "Gomperz.") 
 
 Symonds, Studies of the Greek Poets, vol. L, chap. VII., London, 
 1893. (Good critical appreciation, with some prose transla- 
 tions.) 
 
 Tannery, Four Vhistoire de la science hellene, Paris, 1887. (Keen 
 and independent. Cited as "Tannery.") 
 
 Windelband, History of Ancient Philosophy, trans, by H. E. Cush- 
 man. New York, 1899. 
 
 'This book seems to me as remarkable for its scholarship and 
 acumen as for the speciousness of its views. I wrote to Professor 
 Diels about it, who answered, however, that he had not as yet found 
 time to examine it. 
 
14 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Zeller, Die Philosophie der Griechen, I. Teil, fiinfte Auflage, Leip- 
 sic, 1892. (Cited as "Zeller.") 
 
 And the above mentioned texts of 
 
 DiELS, Poetarum Philosophorum Fragmenta, Berlin, 1901. (Contains 
 the comments of the doxographers in the Greek, and a few, 
 but very useful, original notes in Latin. Cited as "Diels, 
 PPF.") 
 
 " Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, zweite Auflage, erster Band, 
 Berlin, igo6. (Contains German translation. Cited as "Diels, 
 FV.") 
 
ON NATURE. 
 
 To His Friend. 
 I. 
 
 Hava'aviTj, av 8e k\v0i, Sat<l>povo^ 'Ay^iTou vie. 
 Hear thou, Pausanias, son of wise Anchitus! 
 
 Limitations of Knowledge. 
 
 2. 
 
 trravoyiTol fiev yap irakdfiai Kara yvia Ki)(yvTaA.' 
 woXXa 8e SeiX' ifjurtua, to, t dju./SXvi/ovcri fiepifiva^. 
 iravpov Se tfinrj^ IBCov fiepo^ aid pij(r avres 
 a»icvp.opoi KatrvoZo hiicqv dpdevre^ direTrrav 
 avTo p,6vov ir€i,(T0evTe<s, oraji irpoo'eKvpo'ev eKoxiTos 
 irdvTOir eXavi'o/u.ci'oi, to S' o\ov [was] eu^erot evpeiv 
 ouTcas ovT eirioepKTa rao avopatriv ovo eiraKovcna 
 oure yofijt irepiMj'nTa. iru o ovv, eTrei <uo eXiaa&T}?, 
 TTEvcrecu ov irkeov ^e ^poreiT} /t^ns opapev. 
 
 For narrow through their members scattered ways 
 Of knowing lie. And many a vile surprise 
 Blunts soul and keen desire. And having viewed 
 Their little share of Ufe, with briefest fates, 
 Like smoke they are lifted up and flit away, 
 Believing only what each chances on, 
 
1 6 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Hither and thither driven ; yet they boast 
 The larger vision of the whole and all. 
 But thuswise never shall these things be seen, 
 Never be heard by men, nor seized by mind ; 
 And thou, since hither now withdrawn apart, 
 Shalt learn — no more than mortal ken may span. 
 
 3. 
 (Tteyaxrax ^pevo^ eXXoiros cio'eK. 
 
 Shelter these teachings in thine own mute breast. 
 
 aXXa 6eol rStv [lev fiavirfv dirorpopaTe y\d)<T<r7j^, 
 e/c 8' ocritov aTOfLaroiv Kadap^v oj^CTCucraTe irTjyijv. 
 Kal (re, troXyfivrjarrj XevKcoXeve irapOepe Movtra, 
 avTOfxat, o)v 0efii,<s icTTlv i<j>'Yjp.epCoi.a'i.v aKovcii/, 
 ire/xire ira/3* 'EaxrejSCrj'i iXdovcr €vtJvi.ov dpju.a. 
 /LiTjSe (re y euSofoto ^itjcreTai avdca ti/a'^s 
 W/30S dvy)T(ov dveXecrOaHf e^' &l 6' octitjs nXeov elTrelv 
 ddpcrei koX Tore Si) tro^Mys iv aKpourt 6od^ei,v. 
 dW ay' adpa TratrTji TraXa/tTji, irfji S'^Xoi' e/caoTOi', 
 /xTjre Tt mjiLv e)(^cov vurrei, irXeov ^ /car' duovyjv 
 ^ dKOTjv ipCSovTTOv VTTep Tpav(ofiaTa yXtuo'cr'Jjs, 
 fiiJTe Ti tS>u aXXtoi/, ottocttji TTopos eo"Ti vorjcrai, 
 yvuiiv vC(rTiv epvKe, voa ff i^t S^Xoi/ iKa(rTov, 
 
 But turn their madness, Gods ! from tongue of mine. 
 And drain through holy lips the well-spring clear ! 
 And many-wooed, O white-armed Maiden-Muse, 
 Thee I approach : O drive and send to me 
 Meek Piety's well-reined chariot of song, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 1 7 
 
 So far as lawful is for men to hear, 
 Whose lives are but a day. Nor shall desire 
 To pluck the flowers of fame and wide report 
 Among mankind impel thee on to dare 
 Speech beyond holy bound and seat profane 
 Upon those topmost pinnacles of Truth. 
 But come, by every way of knowing see 
 How each thing is revealed. Nor, having sight. 
 Trust sight no more than hearing will bear out. 
 Trust echoing ear but after tasting tongue ; 
 Nor check the proof of all thy members aught : 
 Note by all ways each thing as 'tis revealed. 
 
 5- 
 dWa KaKol^ fjL€v Kapra /teXa KpaTeavariv dirurrciv, 
 <us 8e irap' ■^fiereprj'; KeXerai. Tna-TtofiaTa Mouo-tjs, 
 yva)di 8Laxr<r7]6evTos ivl airXdy^poLO'i Xoyoio. 
 
 Yea, but the base distrust the High and Strong; 
 Yet know the pledges that our Muse will urge. 
 When once her words be sifted through thy soul. 
 
 The Elements. 
 6. 
 ritraapa yap irdvrcau pi^to/iaTa trparov aKove' 
 Zeus dpyrj^ 'Hpij re tftepia-^vo^ "^S' 'AiBavevs 
 N'^o'Tis 0'y '^ SaKpvoi<s reyya Kpovv<iip.a fipoTaov. 
 
 And first the fourfold root of all things hear ! — 
 White gleaming Zeus, life-bringing Here, Dis, 
 And Nestis whose tears bedew mortality. 
 
l8 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 7. 
 dyevrjTa. 
 
 The uncreated elements. 
 
 Birfh and Death. 
 8. 
 
 aXXo Se Toi ipeco- <j>v(n<s ouSei'ds ecrnv airavrav 
 dv'r]TS)v, ov8e ti? ovXofievov 6a.va/roio TcXeun;, 
 dXXa fiovov /u,i£ts re SiaXXa^'is re fiiyivTotv 
 etTTi, <f)V(rv<; S' em rots 6vo[jLdl,erai dvdpdmouriv. 
 
 More will I tell thee too : the re is no bir th 
 Of all thin gs mortal, n or end in ruinous .d£aJ:h ; 
 But ming ling only and interchange o f mixed 
 The re is, and birth is but its name with men. 
 
 9- 
 ot o ore fiev Kara (para fJiiyevT eis aioep i\_Kti)VTai/] 
 ■^ Kara Oyjpwv dyporipoiv yivo<i •^ Kara ddfivav 
 rfk KaT olcovojv, Tore fiev to [Xeyoucri] yevecrdai' 
 evre 8' diroKpivdaai,, ra 8' aS hvahaip-ova iroTfiov 
 •fj 6e[iL^ [o^] KaXeovcrt, voficDL 8' iTruftrjfJi.i Kot auTos. 
 
 B ut whe njnman, wild beast, or bird, or bush, 
 These elements commingle and arrive 
 The realms of lig ht, the thoughtless deem it "birth" ; 
 When they dispart, 'tis "doom of death ;" and though 
 Not this the Law, I too assenTTo use. 
 
 10. 
 
 ddvarov . . . akoinqv. 
 Avenging Death. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 1 9 
 
 Ex nihilo nihil. 
 II. 
 
 injmof oil yap (t^lv 8o\i)(6<f>pov€s el(ri fiepiixvcu, 
 
 ot 817 yCyvea-Oai irdpo^ ovk ibv i\iTt£,ov(riv 
 
 1] Tt KoraOviJLa-Keiv re Kal i^6\\v(r6(U airdprrfi. 
 
 Fools ! for their thoughts are briefly brooded o'er. 
 Who trust that what is not can e'er become, 
 Or aught that is can wholly die away. 
 
 12. 
 
 Of T€ yap ouSctjn' eowos dp,ri-)(av6v ioTi yeviaOoL 
 KaC T iov i^airoXecrOai. dvijwa-Tov koX dirvo'TOP- 
 aUl yap rrji y icrrai, orrrjt kc tis aXeu e/aeiSiji. 
 
 From what-is-not what-is can ne'er become; 
 So that what-is should e'er be all destroyed, 
 No force could compass and no ear hath heard — 
 For there 'twill bie forever where 'tis set. 
 
 The Plenum. 
 13- 
 ouSe Ti Tov irajTos k€V€ov TreXa ou8e irepurcov. 
 
 The All hath neither Void nor Overflow. 
 
 14. 
 TOV irawos 8' ovSev Keveov irodev ovv tC k iireXdoi; 
 
 But with the All there is no Void, so whence 
 Could aught of more come nigh ? 
 
20 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Our Elements Immortal. 
 
 IS- 
 ovK av dvrfp Toiavra troi^os (jtpecrl /LtavTeutraiTO, 
 ftis 6<j)pa fiev re ^iScri, to S^ fiiorov KoXiovcri, 
 Totjtpa p,ev ovv eicrivf KaC a^iv irdpa SeiXa Kai i<Ta\a, 
 irplv hkirdyev re /Sporol koL [eirel] Xvdev, ouSev dp' eltrLV. 
 
 No wise man dreams such folly in his heart, 
 That only whilst w.e live what men call life 
 We have our^being and take our goodand ill, 
 And ere as mortals we compacted be, 
 And when as mortals we„b^lo_Qsed^part, 
 We are as nothing. 
 
 Love and Hate, the Everlasting. 
 i6. 
 ^i yap Kal Trdpo^ ecrK€, Kal ercreTai, ouSe ttot', oitu, 
 Tovrap dp^oripmv Keveoicrerai. acTTrcTos aidv. 
 
 For even, as Love and Hate were strong of yore. 
 They shall have their hereafter ; nor I thinlE"" 
 Shall endless Age be emptied of these Twain. 
 
 The Cosmic Process. 
 17- 
 OLirK epeo}- tote pev yap ev yjvgrjUr) povov etvai 
 €K TTkeovcDv, TOTC o ttu oie^v TTMov eg evo? eu/ai. 
 Soi'^ Se OvTjTcov yevecTLs, Sotij 8' d7roXeM/»is- 
 Trjv pev yap TrdpTcav crwoSos tiktci t 6Xe»cei re, 
 •^ Se Trdkiv Si,a(f>vop€VQ)v dpe^delaa Stenrij. 
 Kal TavT akXdcrarovTa Staju,7repes ovSapd Xiyyei, 
 aXXore /xei' ^iXottjti (rvuep)(6p€v' eis ev aTrai^a, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 21 
 
 aWore S' aZ Sl)( e/cacrra <f)opeviMeva Nei/ccos ^^«. 
 [ouTtDS "^L fiev ev ck irXeovav [i€iJi,ddT)Ke ^uetr^ai] 
 •^oe irdXiv SLa<f>vvTO? ivoq irXeov eKTeXedovai, 
 TTji fiev yCyvovraC re Koi ov (t^utlv e/iireSos ald)v 
 tji oe oiaWd(T(rovTa Siafivepes ovSafia Xi/jya, 
 TavTTjL S' aiev iaxruv dKivrjToi Kara kvkXov, 
 aXX aye fivOmv kXC^i* fidOiq ydp tol <j)p€vas avfei* 
 (US yap Kal irplv ecLira iri^avo'KOiv ireCpaTa fivOcov, 
 SmtX.' ipeco- Tore fiev yap ev "qv^TJOTj fiovov etvai 
 eK -irXeovcov, Tore S' av Stec^u irXeov' e£ evo<; etvau, 
 TTvp Kal vSiop Kal yaia koX ■^e/aos aTrXeroj/ w/»os, 
 NeiKos T ovX6pL€vov Sij^a tcSj/, draXaj/Toi/ atravTrjiy 
 Ktti 4>iXo'r>js ei' Toicrii', icrij /i^kos re irXaros re- 
 T'^i' trw I'dwt SepKCVf py]8' 6fip,aa-iv "^cro tc^tjitws* 
 
 TJTIS Kttl 6vy]T0l<TL VOpLltjerOA. €p.^VTO<S dpdpoi^y 
 
 rtjL T€ <l>iXa <l>poveov(rL Kal apd/iia epya TeXouo"i, 
 Tjjdoaijvrjv KaXeovTe<s iircovvfiov ■^8' 'A<^/Jo8ir>jv 
 Trjv ov Tis /iCTa Toitrii' iXLtraofJLevrjv SeSaT/Jce 
 dprjTO? dvrjp- (rv 8' aKove Xoyou trToXoi/ ouk aTranjXoi'. 
 Taura yap l<rd re irdvTa koL rjXvKa yivvav eacrt, 
 Tifiri^ 8' aXXijs aXXo p.iZa, ndpa 8' ■^^os eicatrTtui, 
 ej* 8e jMcpei KpareovtrL iKpnrXop.ivoLO xpovoLo, 
 Kal ■77/305 Tois ovT dp TC Tt yiveroji ovt diroXijya- 
 etre ydp i^deipovro Siaju,irepes, ovk4t av rjirav 
 TovTO 8' iTrav^T]<r€i€ to Trai/ ti kc koL iroOfv iX66v; 
 TnJL 8e /ce KiJ^airdXoiTO, eTrel t5i'8' ou8ej' eprjp.ov; 
 dXX' avrd icrnv ravra, 8t' dXXijXwv 8e Oiovra 
 yiyverai. aXXore aXXa Kai Tjve.Kks ai€v ofioia, 
 
 , I will report a twofold truth. Now grows 
 The One from Many into being, now 
 
22 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 T7ypn frnTn f|if> Dnp rligparting rnme the Many. 
 
 Twofold the birth, Jwi^ioli. the- d£atlijaf_things : 
 For, now, the meeting of the Many brings 
 To birth and death ; and, now, whatever grew 
 From out their sundering, flies apart and dies. 
 
 And this long interchange shall never end. ^, 
 
 Whiles into One do ajl through Lovejinite; 
 
 Whiles too the same are rent through hate of Strife. 
 
 And in so far as is the One still wont 
 
 To grow from Many, and the Many, again, 
 
 Spring from primeval scattering of the One, 
 
 So far have they a birth and mortal date ; 
 
 And in so far as the long interchange 
 
 Ends not, so far forever established gods 
 
 Around the circle of the world they move. 
 
 But come! but hear my words! For knowledge 
 
 gained 
 Makes strong thy soul. For as before I spake, 
 Naming the utter goal of these my words, 
 I will report a twofold truth. Now grows 
 The One from Many into being, now 
 Even from the One disparting come the _Many, — 
 Fire, Water, Earth and awful heights of Air; 
 And shut from them apart, the deadly Strife 
 In equipoise, and Love within their midst 
 In all her being in length and breadth the same. 
 Behold her now with mind, and sit not there 
 With eyes astonished, for 'tis she inborn 
 Abides established in the limbs of men. 
 Through her they cherish thoughtgjQfJave, through 
 
 her 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 23 
 
 Perfect the works of concord, calling her 
 
 By name Delight or Aphrodite clear. 
 
 She speeds, rsyolving- inr the -elements, 
 
 But this no mortalmanhath ever learned — 
 
 Hear thou the undelusive course of proof: 
 
 Behold those elements own equal strength 
 
 And equal origin ; each rules its task ; 
 
 And unto each its primal mode ; and each 
 
 Prevailing conquers with revolving time. 
 
 And more than these there js,no|m th nor end;/ 
 
 For were they wasted ever and evermore, 
 
 They were no longer, and the great All were then 
 
 How to be plenished and from what far coast? 
 
 And how, besides, might they to ruin come, 
 
 Since nothing lives that empty is of them ? — 
 
 No, these are all, and, as they course along 
 
 Through one another, now this, now that is born — 
 
 And so forever down Eternity. 
 
 18. 
 
 Love. 
 
 19. 
 
 Firm-clasping Lovingness. 
 
 Love and Hate in the Organic World. 
 20. 
 toOto fiev dv fiporecav fieXecov dpiZeiKerov oyKov 
 aXXoTC ^Lcv ^tXoTTjn (rvvepxofi^v' eis ev aTraira 
 
24 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 yuia, Ttt (rafia XeXoy^^e, /8iou da\€dovTo<; ev aKfi'^r 
 aXXore 8' avre KaKTJurL hiaTfi-qdivr 'E/aiSeo'O't 
 TrkdtfiTcu avSij^' eKaora ireplpprjyiuvi ^laio. 
 ais 8' avrws ddfivoLcri. koX l^Ovciv iBpofieXadpois 
 drjpai T 6pei\€)(ee(ra-iv iSe TTTepofidfioa-i Kvp,^ai<i. 
 
 The world-wide warfare of the eternal Two 
 Well in the mass of human limbs is shown: 
 Whiles into on^ do they through Love unite, 
 And mortal members take the body's form, 
 And life doth flower at the prime ; and whiles, 
 Again dis.severed by the Hates perverse, 
 They wander far and wide and'up and down 
 The surf-swept beaches and drear shores of life. 
 So too with thicket, tree, and gleaming fish 
 Housed in the crystal walls of waters wide ; ' 
 And so with beasts that couch on mountain slopes, 
 And water-fowls that skim the long blue sea. 
 
 From the Elements is All We See. 
 
 21. 
 
 aX\ aye, twvS' odpcov irporepav ivifidprvpa Sepjceu, 
 61 Tt Kal iv vporepoKTi \iit6^v\ov eirXero p,op<f>ijif 
 •^e\i,ov fikv Bepfiov opav Kal XafMirpov aTraiTTji, 
 dfi/3poTa 8' ocrtr' iSei re Kal dpyiri Several avy^i, 
 on/Spov 8' iv iracri Svotftoevrd re piyakiov re* 
 e/c 8' aMjs vpopeovcTL Oekvfivd re Kal (TTepeomd. 
 iv 8e KoTCDi Sudfiop^a Kal dvSi^a wdvra ireXoirai, 
 trvv 8' i/3r) iv ^iXottjti Kal dWij\oi(rL troOurai, 
 iK TovTCDV yap irdvff ocra t ^v ocra t eort Kal ecrrai, 
 evopea r €p\aa-Tr)(re Kai avepe^ iQoe yui/aiKc;, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 25 
 
 Oyjp€<s T oicavoi tc kcli vSarod p€fiiJiove<s t)(i9v^, 
 Kai re deal SoXu^aicttve^ ri/tf^icri t^ipurroi. 
 avTo. yap ecTti/ raura, Si' dXXijXtav Se Beovra 
 yiyverat. dWoLwvd- toctov Sia Kp'ija-i? d/xcij3£i. 
 
 But come, and to my words foresaid look well. 
 
 If their wide witness anywhere forgot 
 
 Aught that behooves the elemental forms : 
 
 Behold the Sun, the warm, the" bright-diffused ; 
 
 Behold the eternal Sta rs, forever steeped 
 
 In liquid heat and glowing radiance; see 
 
 Also the Rain, obscure and cold and dark, 
 
 And how from Earth streams forth the Green and 
 
 Firm. 
 And all through Wrath are split- to -shapes diverse ; 
 -, And each through Love draws near and yearns for 
 
 each. 
 For from these elements hath budded all 
 That was or is or evermore shall be — 
 All trees, and men and women, beasts and birds, 
 And fishes nourished in deep waters, aye. 
 The long-lived gods, in honors excellent. 
 For these are all, and, as they course along 
 Through one^nqther, they take. newjaces all. 
 By varied mingling and enduring change. 
 
 Similta Similibus. 
 22. 
 apOfiia (lev yap ravra lavrav irdvra [lepea'aiVf 
 vjkiicTOip T€ ■)^dd>v re Kal ovpapo? ■^Se 6d\a<rcra, 
 0(T<ra <f>iv iv OpriTolcrLv diroTr\a)(dein'a ir€(jiVK£v. 
 
26 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 (US 8' aureus otra Kpa<riv itrapKea fiaXKov eaxriv, 
 
 d\Xi;X.ois eaTepKTcu opuouoOivr ^A<f>po8irrji. 
 
 i^Opa [S' ai] ttXcicttoi' dir' dWijXcav Sie^oucrt ^aXwrro 
 
 yepvTjL T€ Kpija-a re koL eiSetrw' iKfidKrouTi, 
 
 irdvTTjL (TvyyivecrdauL diijdea Koi fidXa \vypa 
 
 NeiKcos ivveo'ur)v<TtVf otl cr<j)i(ri yivvav eopyev. 
 
 For amber Sun and Earth and Heaven and Sea 
 
 Is friendly with its every part that springs, 
 
 Far driven and scattered, in the mortal world ; 
 
 So too those things that are most apt to mix 
 
 Are like, and love by Aphrodite's hest. 
 
 But hostile chiefly are those things which most 
 
 From one anpther diSer, both^in b.irlh. 
 
 And in their mixing and their molded forms — 
 
 Unwont to nungle, miser able^n^Jca^ 
 
 After the counsels of their father, Hate. 
 
 An Analogy. 
 
 (US 8' ovoTav ypa^ees dvaOtjfiara iroLKiWoKriv 
 dvepe^ d[ji<f)l re^vr)? virb fiijno^ ev SeSaS)Te, 
 oiT ivel o^v jjudp^aaL 'jrok&x^poa t^dpfxaxa ■)(epcriVf 
 dpfjLovLTjL [leC^avre rd fiev irXeca, aXXa 8* eXci(r(r(a, 
 c/c tZv eiSea vdcrLv dXCyKia iropcrvvovcTLf 
 SevSped re ktC^ovtc koI dvepa? 'qSc yvvatKa^ 
 drjpd^ T ol(iivov<; re koX vZaTodp4p,p,ova<i i^dv^ 
 Kaire 6eov<; SoXi;(ai(ui'as TLfjLrjuri. (ftepicrTov^- 
 OVTO) IJLTJ (T dirdrt) <f)peva kcuvvtw dWodiv etvat 
 6vy}T<ov, ocrq-a ye SyjXa yeydKocrtv da-neTa, iryfyijv, 
 dXXa Top&i ravT icr^i, dtov irdpa p,vdov dKovcra^. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 27 
 
 And even as artists — ^men who know their craft 
 Through wits of cunning — paint with streak and 
 
 hue 
 Bright temple-tablets, and will seize in hand 
 The oozy poisons pied and red and gold 
 (Mixing harmonious, now more, now less). 
 From whicli., they iastdojLiorms innumerable. 
 And like to all things, peopling a fresh world 
 With trees, and men and women, beasts and -birds. 
 And fishes nourished in deep waters, aye, 
 And long-lived gods in honors excellent: 
 Just so (and let no guile deceive thy breast), 
 Even so the spring of mortal things, leastwise 
 Of all the host born visible to man. 
 O guard this knowledge well, for thou hast heard 
 In this my song the Goddess and her tale. 
 
 The Speculative Thinker. 
 24. 
 
 . . . Kopv<f>a<s eTipa<i eriprquri irpotrairrcaj/ 
 fivdav fjirj TeKeciv drpaTrov fiiav. . . 
 
 To join together diverse peaks of thought, 
 And not complete one road that has no turn. 
 
 An Aphorism. 
 
 25- 
 
 . . . Kal Sis yap, o Set, Ka\6v ianv ivurirelv. 
 What must be said, may well be said twice o'er. 
 
28 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 The Law of the Elements. 
 26. 
 iv 8e fiepa KpareovcTL irepuTrXofievoLO kukXoio, 
 Kot (fidCvei eis dW'qXa Kal av^ercu. iv fxipei awrtjs. 
 auTct yap ecmv ravra, St' dWijXcav Be deovra 
 yivovTai avdponroi re Kal dXkav idvea dripav 
 aWore p,kv ^ikonqTi crvi/ep^o/ici/' eis O'a Kocrfiov, 
 aXXore 8' av 8C^ ocao'Ta <f)opov[ieva Neuceos ^^a> 
 elaoKev ev (TVfKJyvvTa to vdp virevepde yevrjTcu.. 
 ovro)^ "qi iikv ev Ik rrXeovcov [MefidOrfKe <f>vecrdat,, 
 •^Se ■TTctXtj/ Si,a(f)vvTO^ ivos Tr\iov eKTeXedovcrL, 
 TTJi fiev yiyvovTai re Kal ov cr<j)icriv efnreSo^ alcov 
 ■^L Se TfltS' dWdcraovTa Sia/iirepes ovSa/id \7jye1, 
 TavriQL 8' atei' iacnv dKLvr/TOL Kara kvkKov. 
 
 In turn they conquer as the cycles roll, 
 And wane the one to other still, and wax 
 The one to other in turn by olden Fate ; 
 For these are all, and, as they course along 
 Through one another, they become both men 
 And multitudinous tribes of hairy beasts ; 
 Whiles in fair order through Love united all, 
 Whiles rent asunder by the hate of Strife, 
 Till they, when grown into the One and All 
 Once more, once more go under and succumb. 
 And in so far as is the One still wont 
 To grow from the Many, and the Many, again, 
 Spring from primeval scattering of the One, 
 So far have they a birth and mortal date. 
 And in so far as this long interchange 
 Ends not, so far forever established gods 
 Around the circle of the world they move. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 29 
 
 The Sphere. 
 27. 
 evd' ovT 'HeXioio SieiSerat oiKea yvla 
 ov8e fiev ovS' aiT/s Xacriov [levo's ov8e dakacrcra- 
 
 OVTCD^ ' ApfJLOVLTjS ITVKUVOJL KpV^(OL iaTTJptKTai 
 
 S^ai/so; kvkXotcp'^? fiovCr]!. Tre/jnjyet yauov. 
 
 There views one not the swift hmbs of the Sun, 
 Nor there the strength of shaggy Earth, nor Sea; 
 But in the strong recess of Harmony, 
 Established firm abides the rounded Sphere, 
 Exultant in surrounding solitude. 
 
 27a. 
 ov orao-is ouSe re S^pts di'aicri/oios iv fieXeeaariv, 
 
 Nor faction nor fight unseemly in its limbs. 
 
 dW o ye vdi/To0ev Ttros [e^i'] koX irdfiirav diretpoiv 
 %^alpo? KVK\oTepr)s fiovCyjL irepirfyii yaCtov. 
 
 The Sphere on every side the boundless same. 
 Exultant in surrounding solitude. 
 
 29. 
 oil yap aTTo varroio Zvo ickdZoi dCa&ovraL, 
 ov TToScs, ov 60a. yovva, ov fiijSea yevvijePTa, 
 dWd crc^ai/oos erjv Kal [^TrdvTodev^ To-o? iavT<0L. 
 
 1 
 
 For from its back there swing no branching arms. 
 It hath no feet nor knees alert, nor form 
 
30 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Of life-producing member, — on al| sides 
 A sphere it was, and like unto itself. 
 
 30. 
 avrap ivei fiiya NeiKos ivlfifie\€€crcn.v idpe<f>0rj 
 cs TijLias t' dv6pov(re TekeiOfievovo ^/aovoio, 
 OS (T'jx.v dfioi^alo^ TrXareos irap' iXijXaTaL opKOV . . , 
 
 Yet after mighty Strife had waxen great 
 Within the members of the Sphere, and rose 
 To her own honors, as the times arrived 
 Which unto each in turn, to Strife, to Love, 
 Should come by amplest oath and old decree. . . 
 
 31- 
 irdvTa yap i^eCrf^ ireXe/Ai^cTO yvla Oeolo, 
 
 For one by one did quake the limbs of God. 
 
 Physical Analogies. 
 
 32. 
 Sv<u Sect dpdpov. 
 
 The joint binds two. 
 
 33- 
 ojs 8' or OTTOS ydXa \evKov iyofi^oitrev koi eSi^trc . . 
 
 But as when rennet of the fig-tree juice 
 Curdles the white milk, and will bind it fast . . . 
 
 34- 
 aXtfuTOv vSart /coXXifo-as . . . 
 
 Cementing meal with water . . . 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 3! 
 
 The Conquest of Love. 
 35- 
 avTap eyo) iraXCvoptro^ eKevaojiai e? vopov vfivcav, 
 TOW irporepov KareXefa, \6yov \6yov i^o^erevoiv^ 
 Kcivov iirel NeiKos fiev iveprarov iKeTo ^evOo? 
 S«/7js, iv Se /lecrqi <I>iXottjs arpo^akLyyi yevrfraij 
 iv Tiji S^ raSc iroivTa (rwep^erai, ev fJLOvov elvau, 
 ovK a<f>apf dXXa 9e\rjiJLa. <rvvi(ndp,€.v dWodev aXXa. 
 tS)v 8e re p.uryoiievo)v x^^"^' ^^vea fivpCa OptitZv 
 TToXXa 8' dfiaKT ianjKe KepaiOfiivouriv ivaWd^, 
 oacr en Neifcos epvKe p^erdpcriov ov yap d/uejuK^eitu; 
 tZv irav i^€<m}Kcv iv' ia~)(aTa repfiara kvkXov, 
 aXXd TO, p.iv T iv€iJbip,vey fieXetov to. Se t i^e^ejSijKeL. 
 oiraov S* alev vireKirpodeoL, roaov alev iinji.et 
 "qirio^poiv *iXo7TjTOS dp.eiJi,<f>€0^ dju,/SpoT05 opp/rj- 
 aajia Se dpTJT i<f)vovTO, to. irplv p.d9ov dOdvar etvat, 
 l^btpd T€ TO, vpCv, aKpiyra [KprjTa, ?] BuaWd^avra kc- 
 
 \evdovs. 
 tS>v Se TC pLO-yofLevav X^''"' ^0vea p.vpCa 6vr)Twv, 
 TravTouu^ iBer/uriv dprfpora, davpa tSe'crdai. 
 
 But hurrying back, I now will make return 
 To paths of festal song, laid down before. 
 Draining each flowing thought from flowing 
 
 thought. 
 When down the Vortex to the la§Labyss 
 Had foundered~Hate, and Lovingness had reached 
 The eddying center of the Mass, l)ehoI 
 Around her into Oneness gathered all^ 
 Yet not a-sudden, but only asjwiiliiigly 
 Each from its several region joined with each ; 
 
32 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 And from their mingling thence are poured abroad 
 The miiltitudinous tribes of mortal things. 
 Yet much unmixed among the mixed remained, 
 As much as Hate still held in scales aloft. 
 For not all blameless did Hate yield an.4. stand 
 Out yonder on the circle's utmost bounds; 
 But partwise yet within he stayed, partwise 
 Was he already from the members gone. 
 And ever the more skulked away and fled, 
 Then ever the more, and nearer, inward pressed 
 The gentle minded, the divine Desire 
 Of blameless Lovingness. Th,^£e.^rew^ apace i 
 Those mortal Things, erstwhile long wont to be - 
 Immortal, and the erstwhile pure and sheer 
 Were mixed, exchanging highways of new life. 
 And from their mingling thence are poured abroad 
 The multitudinous tribes of mortal things. 
 Knit in all forms and wonderful to see. 
 
 36. 
 rS)v 8e crvvtp')(0fi4v(iiv i^ icrxarov IcrTaro Nei/cos. 
 
 And as they came together. Hate began 
 To take his stand far on the outer verge. 
 
 SimiUa similibus. 
 37- 
 av^a Se ■)(dav fiev (r<f)e.Tepov Se/i,a;, aWepa 8' aWijp. 
 
 And Earth through Earth her figure magnifies, . 
 And Air through Air. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 33 
 
 The World as It Now Is. 
 38. 
 . . . ei o' dye toi Xef w irp&O' ijXtKa t dpxtjv^ 
 eg tov 07J\' eyevovTO ra vvv eaop(oft,ev diravra^ 
 yaia tc Kai irowos TrokvKvp,o}v ^S' vypo? dijp 
 Tirdu •^o aidrfp (T^iyymv irepl kvkXov diravra. 
 
 Come ! I will name the like;;£rimeval Four, 
 Whence rose to sight all things we now behold — 
 E^th, many-billowed Sea, and the moist Air, 
 And Aejyhisr, the Titan, who binds the globe about. 
 
 i Earth and Air Not Illimitable. 
 
 39- 
 enrep diretpova yrj^ re ^dOy] koX hay^iko<i aWijp, 
 ws Old TToWwv Si) yXtuo-criys pyjdevTa joiaraicDS 
 eKKe^vrai (TTO/idrcaVf 6\Cyov tow irai^os iSovrcav. 
 
 If Earth's black deeps were endless, and o'er-fuU 
 Were the white Ether, as forsooth some tongues 
 Have idly prated in the babbling mouths 
 Of those who little of the All have seen . . . 
 
 Sun and Moon. 
 40. 
 17X105 o^^eXrj^ '^S' iKdeipa (rekijvrj. 
 
 Keen-darting Helios and Selene mild. 
 
 41. 
 aXX o fiev aXitr^ets fieyav ovpavov d/uw^iTToXcuci. 
 
 But the sun's fires, together gathered, move 
 Attendant round the mighty space of heaven, 
 
34 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 42. 
 dtreareyaa-ev he ot avyd^^ 
 ear av iiji KadvirepOev^ dTreaKvufjoitre 8e yanjs 
 Toaaov o<Tov r edpos yXavKwrtSos cttXcto (jltJutj^. 
 
 And the sun's beams 
 The moon, in passing under, covers o'er, 
 And darkens a bleak tract of earth as large 
 As is the breadth of her, the silver-eyed. 
 
 43- 
 <us avy^ Tv^jiaa-a (re\'qvaLi)<i kvkKov evpvv . . . 
 
 As sunbeam striking on the moon's broad disk. 
 
 44. 
 dvravyei irpos "OXvfnrov dTap/S'^JTOitrL irpotrtuirois. 
 
 Toward Olympos back he darts his beams. 
 With fearless face. 
 
 45- 
 /cu/fXorepes rrepl yalav ikuraerai dWorpiov ^ws. 
 
 Round earth revolves a disk of alien light. 
 
 dpfiaro^ <us irepi ■^(yoi'q ekCcrcreTai rj re irap' aKprjv . , 
 
 Even as revolves a chariot's nave, which round 
 The outmost . . . 
 
 47- 
 ddpel p,ev ydp dvaKTO? evavTiov dyea kukKov. 
 
 For toward the sacred circle of her lord 
 She gazes face to face. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 35 
 
 48. 
 vvKTa Be yala Tid'qa'i.v vt^iora^ei/oio ^de<r<n. 
 
 But earth makes night for beams of sinking sun. 
 
 The Darkling Night. 
 49- 
 WKTO^ ip7)naCr)s dXacuTTiSog . . . 
 
 Of night, the lonely, with her sightless eyes. 
 
 Wind and Rain. 
 SO. 
 t/3i9 8' cf TTcXayous ave/iov <f)epei rj fiiyav Ofifipov. 
 
 Iris from sea brings wind or mighty rain. 
 
 Fire. 
 SI. 
 Kapira\[fi(o^ S' dv6Trai,ov . . . 
 
 And fire sprang upward with a rending speed. 
 
 The Volcano. 
 52- 
 iroXXa 8' €vep9e oi;8eos Trvpa Kaierat. 
 
 And many a fire there burns beneath the ground. 
 
 Air. 
 
 S3- 
 ovTO) yap avpiKvp(r€ detop Tore, TroXXaici 8' dXXo);. 
 
 For sometimes so upon its course it met, 
 And ofttimes otherwise. 
 
36 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Things Passing Strange. 
 S4. 
 aidtjp [8' aS] fiaKprjicTL Kara x^ova Suero pi^ai?. 
 
 In Earth sank Ether with deep-stretching roots. 
 
 ss- 
 yfjs iSpwra 9d\a<r(rav. 
 
 Earth's sweat, the sea. 
 
 56. 
 aXs cirayrj pLirrjuriv ioxTfJievos '^eXioio. 
 
 The salt grew soHd, smit by beams of sun. 
 
 Strange Creatures of Olden Times. 
 
 57- 
 
 ^i iToWal fiev Kopcrai avav)(€ve<s i^Xda-Trfaav, 
 yvfivol 8* iirXd^ovTO ^pa,xiov€<s 6wi8es cjfiwv, 
 oiip-aTa T oXa iirXavaTO TrevtjnvovTa p^eramotv. 
 
 There budded many a head without a neck, 
 
 And arms were roaming, shoulderiess and bare, \^ 
 
 And eyes that wanted foreheads drifted by. 1 '' 
 
 S8. 
 [. . . p.owop.i\r\ en ra yvla , , . ovra eirXavaTo . . .] 
 
 In isolation wandered, every limb, 
 Hither and thither seeing union meet. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 37 
 
 59- 
 avrap iirei Kara fiei£,ov ifiCcryero BaCfiovi SaCfjiav, 
 TOLVTo. re (Tv/ATrtirrecTKoi', otttji crvp€icvp<rev efcaora, 
 aWa T€ 17/305 Tois iroWa Sitjj/ck^ i^eyivoPTo, 
 
 But now as God with God was mingled more, 
 These members fell together where they met, 
 And many a birth l)esides was then begot 
 In a long line of ever varied life. 
 
 6o. 
 elXiTToS' d.KpLTO'xeipa, 
 
 Creatures of countless hands and trailing feet. 
 
 6i. 
 iroXXa p-ev dp(j)Lirp6<ro)ira fcal d/K^urrepva ^veo-^ai, 
 fiovyevrj dvSpoirpcaLpa, to, S' epiraiuv i^apwriWeLv 
 dvSpo<f)X)rj ^(yvKpava, pepcLypeva t^i pkv dtr dvBpoJv 
 rrji Be yvvai,KO(f)xnj , (TKiepol^ r/a'icqpeva yuiois. 
 
 Many were born with twofold brow and breast, i 
 Some with the face of man on bovine stock, | 
 Some with man's form beneath a bovine head, ' 
 Mixed shapes of being with shadowed secret parts, 
 Sometimes like men, and sometimes woman- 
 growths. 
 
 62. 
 
 wv 8' dy , oTToas dvhpav re TroXvKXavrmv re yvvaiKav 
 ivw^iov^ 6p'!Tt]Ka<i dvrfyaye Kpivopfvov "nvp, 
 T&vSe kXv- ov yap pydo? dir6crKoiro<i ou8' dharjpwv. 
 av\o(f>ve2^ pev irpSna tvttoi ■)(dovo? i^avireWoVf 
 dp<f)OTep(i}v vSaTos re koi iSeos aurav i)(ovT€<s- 
 
38 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 TOWS fio' irvp aviiKiLTK 6e\ov irpos ofiolov iKecrdaij 
 ovre ri irm [leXicov iparov Sejua; ifi<f)aivovTa^ 
 OVT ivoiT^v olov T itTi^mpiov dvBpdcri. yvlov. 
 
 But come! now hear how 'twas the sundered Fire 
 Led into life the germs, erst whelmed in night, 
 Of men and women, the pitied and bewailed; 
 For 'tis a tale that sees and knows its mark. •— '^ 
 First rose mere lumps of earth with rude impress, 
 
 That had their shares of Water and of Warm. 
 
 These then by Fire (in upward zeal to reach 
 Its kindred Fire in heaven) were shot aloft, 
 Albeit not yet had they revealed a form 
 Of lovely limbs, nor yet a human cry. 
 Nor secret member, common to the male. 
 
 The Process of Human Generation To-day. 
 63. 
 aWa Siecrirao-Tai fieXiav <^u<ris* 17 p-ev iv dvS/oos . . . 
 
 But separate is the birth of human limbs ; 
 For 'tis in part in man's . . , 
 
 64. 
 roil. S' em Kal Il60o? eTo-i 8t cn/no9 appipv/JLVKOiv. 
 
 Love-longing comes, reminding him who sees. 
 
 6s. 
 iv 8' €)(yd't) Kadapola-f to. pkv rekkdovcn yui^aifccs, 
 i/nJj^eos avTida-avTtif [toL 8' ipirakiv dppeva deppov]. 
 
 Into clean wombs the seeds are poured, and when 
 Therein they meet with Cold, the birth is girls; 
 And boys, when contrariwise they meet with Warm. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 39 
 
 66. 
 
 Into the cloven meads of Aphrodite. 
 
 67. 
 Iv yap Oepfiorepati tokols dppevo^ ctXcto yatrnjp- 
 Kal ftiXavcs Siot tovto koI avSptoSiarepoi apSpe^ 
 Kol \a\injevTe<i fiaXXov, 
 
 For bellies with the warmer wombs become 
 Mothersof boys, and therefore men are dark, 
 More stalwart and more shaggy. 
 
 68. 
 Iiffvo^ iv oySodrov Se/carryi trvov eirXero XevKov. M/ S 
 
 On the tenth day, in month the eighth, the blood 7 ^ 
 Bgconi^ white njiK /<-f//,/^ 
 
 69. 
 BCyovoi. 
 
 Twice bearing. 
 
 70. 
 anvCov. 
 
 Sheepskin. 
 
 On Animals and Plants. 
 71. 
 ei 8e Ti <roi irepl ravSe Xwro^vXos SrXcTO TTMrriSi 
 ttSs vSaTos yoLLi)^ re *cai aWepo^ ■^eXiou re 
 KipvafL€voiv clSt] tc yevouLTO •)(po'td re dmjTZv 
 TOfTc', oca vCi' yeydaiTi o'vpapfioo'devr ^ A^pohirqi . . . 
 
40 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 And if belief lack pith, and thou still doubt 
 How from, the^ mingling. x»i the _elements, 
 The Earth and_ Water, the Ether, and the Sun, 
 So many forms and hues jof mortal things 
 Could thus have being, as have come to be. 
 Each framed and knit by Aphrodite's, power . . . 
 
 72. 
 
 TTO); Kal SevSpea fiaKpa koI eivdXioi Ka[ia<rfjve^ . , . 
 As the tall trees and fish in briny floods. 
 
 73- 
 «as Se TOTe ■)(d6va Kuir/ats, ivcC t iSirjvev iv ofi^paif 
 rSea irouTTinjovcra doS)i irvpl 8a>Ke Kpanvai . . . 
 
 As Kypris, after watering Earth with Rain, 
 Zealous to heat her, then did give Earth o'er 
 To speed of Fire that then she might grow firm. 
 
 74- 
 ^v\ov afiov(Tov ayovaa iTo\va"jrepeo)v Kap.air'tjvcov. 
 
 Leading the songless shoals of spawning fish. 
 
 75. 
 T&v 8' OCT lira) [lev ttukvcC, to. S' eieroOi, fiavd iremfyef 
 KwTr/otoos iv ^aXajLiijicri ttXclStj? TOiijcrSe Tu^owa . . . 
 
 Of beasts, inside compact with outsides loose, 
 Which, in the palms oi Aphrodite shaped. 
 Got this their sponginess. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 4I 
 
 76. 
 
 TovTO fiev iv Koyx^cucTi 6a\a(r(rov6iio}v ^apvvdroi^f 
 val iirjv K'qpvKOiv re \v6oppCvcov \ekveov re- 
 evd' oijiei. ')(d6va \paTos vTripraTa vaierdovaav . 
 
 'Tis thus with conchs upon the heavy chines 
 Of ocean-dwellers, aye, of shell-fish wreathed. 
 Or stony-hided turtles, where thou mark'st 
 The earthen crust outside the softer parts. 
 
 77-78. 
 
 [SevS/oca 8'] Eju^cSoc^vXXa koX ifiTrehoKaprra TkOrjkev 
 KapiTCiv d^OovLTjuri KCLT Tjepa irdvT iviavrov. 
 
 Trees bore perennial fruit, perennial fronds. 
 Laden with fruit the whole revolving year, 
 Since fed forever by a fruitful air. 
 
 79. 
 ovTCD S' wioTOKel fLaKpo. BevSpea TrpZrov cXaias. 
 
 Thus first tall olives lay their yellow eggs. 
 
 80. 
 ovv€K€v oipCyovoC re (rtSai Kal xmkp^Xoia firjXa. 
 
 Wherefore pomegranates slow in ripening be. 
 And apples grow so plentiful in juice. 
 
 81. 
 oTi'os diro <j>\oLOv ireXcTai (rairev iv $v\o)i, vScop. 
 
 Wine is but water fermented in the wood. 
 And issues from the rind. 
 
42 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 82. 
 TauTot rpC^e^ Kal <f>vWa Kal olavmv irrepa irvKva 
 KoX XeiriSes yiyvovTai eirl oTi^Sapoio'i /lAeXecro'it'. 
 
 From the same.stuflf on sturdy limbs grow hair, 
 Leg^ves, scales of..fish, and bird's thick::feathered 
 plumes. 
 
 83. 
 
 Stiff hairs, keen-piercing, bristle on the chines 
 Of hedge-hogs. 
 
 Our Eyes. 
 84. 
 ois S' ore Tts trpoohov voimv ciyn\(xT<Taro Xv^vov 
 ■)(eip,epi'r)v 8ia vvKra, TTupos treXas aidofiivoio 
 at/fas, iravToCav dvijxcDV XajLtirr^/jas d/io/oyous, 
 01 T avifioiv ph/ irv€vp.a hta(rKihva,(Tiv dej/rtuj/, 
 ^5s 8' e^ft) SiaOpmcTKov, ocrov ravaarepov ■^ev, 
 \d[nre(rKev Kara ^r]\bv aTapi<Tiv aKriveafriv 
 ws Se tot' iv p.7JvLy^Lv iepyp.ivov ayvyiov irvp 
 XeTTTTJurCv [t'] odovriuri \o)(dt,ero KUKkoira KovprjVj 
 [at] ^odprjLO'L BCavra TerpijaTo decriretrCiijurtv 
 at 8' vSttTOS /icv pivdos airko'Teyov d[i<j>LvaivTO<s, 
 irvp 8' e^ct) hiUcTKOv, oirov Tavaorrepov ■^ev. 
 
 As when a man, about to sally forth, 
 Prepares a light and kindles him a blaze 
 Of flaming fire against the wintry night, 
 In horny lantern shielding from all winds; 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 43 
 
 Though it protect from breath of blowing winds, 
 Its beam darts outward, as more fine and thin. 
 And with untiring rays lights up the sky: 
 Just so the Fire primeval once lay hid 
 In the round pupil of the eye, enclosed 
 In films and gauzy veils, which through and through 
 Were pierced with pores divinely -fashioned. 
 And thus kept off the watery deeps around, 
 Whilst Fire burst outward, as more fine and thin. 
 
 8s. 
 ■q Se <j}\o$ iXdeipa nivupOaBir)^ "^X^ yauq<s. 
 
 The gentle flame of eye did chance to get 
 Only a littje of the earthen part. 
 
 86. 
 i^ mv ofifiaT enrf^ev drapea St' 'A^/)o8it»j. 
 
 From which by Aphrodite, the divine, 
 The untiring eyes were formed. 
 
 87. 
 y6y.i^oi<i da-icq(ra<Ta KOTaoTopyois 'AtftpoBirri, 
 
 Thus Aphrodite wrought with bolts of love. 
 
 [ita yiryverai dfKfxyrepav otjt. 
 
 One vision of two eyes is born. 
 
44 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Similia sitnilibus. 
 89. 
 yi'ous, ori trdvTOiv eicriv airoppoai, ocra" iyevovTO . . . 
 
 Knowing that all things have their emanations. 
 
 90. 
 a)<s ykvKV fiev y\vKv iidp-jTTe, iriKpov S' eirl triKpov 
 
 opovcrevj 
 6^1) 8' iv' 6^i> e/Si?, ^aepov 8' eTTO^eiTo BayjpSiL. 
 
 Thus Sweet seized Sweet, Bitter on Bitter fleW, 
 Sour sprung for Sour, and upon Hot rode Hot. 
 
 91. 
 oivoii, . . . fiSXKov ivdpdiJLiov, avrap eXaicui 
 ovK idikei. 
 
 Water to wine more nearly is allied, 
 But will not mix with oil. 
 
 92. 
 Twt KaTTiripoii p.a'^divTa tov ^aX/coj/ . . . 
 
 As when one mixes with the copper tin. 
 
 93- 
 ^v(r(r<M 8e y\avKr}<s kokkos /carajiiicryeTai dxT^s. 
 
 With flax is mixed the silvery elder's seed. 
 
 The Black River Bottoms. 
 94- 
 
 ei niger in fundo fluvii color exstat ab umbra., 
 atque cavernosis itidem spectatur in antris. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 45 
 
 And the black color of the river's deeps 
 
 Comes all from shade; and one may see the same 
 
 In hollow caves. 
 
 Eyes. 
 95- 
 KuTT/oiSos iv TToXdfji.'quy-iv ore fu/«, irpwr i^vovro. 
 
 As, in the palms of Kypris shaped, they first 
 Began to grow together . . . 
 
 Bones. 
 96. 
 17 8e x6q)v ivCripo's iv cvorepi'ois xodvouri 
 TO) Svo tZv okto) fiepecov Xa^e Ni^trTtSo? atyktj^f 
 Te<T(rapa S' 'H^aurToto* ra 8' otrrea XevKo, yevovTO 
 'App,ovCTj^ KoWrjicTLv dprfpoTa de<rTre(rCr)6£v. 
 
 Kind Earth for her broad-breasted melting-pots, 
 Of the eight parts got two of Lucid Nestis, 
 And of Hephsestos four. Thence came white bones. 
 Divinely joined by glue of Harmony. 
 
 97. 
 pd)(i,v. 
 
 The back-bone. 
 
 Blood and Flesh. 
 98. 
 •q Se Xdo)p TOVTOuTiv ttrq aweKvpae p.d\i(TTa, 
 H^aurrou t ofi^pai re koI aidepi irap^^avoavrif 
 KvTT/siSos 6pfU(rdei(ra Tek^Coi^ iv Xi/teveacnj/ 
 
46 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 eiT* 6\Cyov fJi€Ct,ct)v etre irXioveo'criv iXaxratov 
 Ik t5>v atfid re yivro koX aXXiys eiSea trapKos. 
 
 And after Earth within the perfect ports 
 Of Aphrodite anchored, .lay, she met 
 Almost in equal parts Hephaestos red, 
 And Rain and Ether, the all-splendorous 
 (Although the parts of Earth were sometimes less, 
 Sometimes a little more than theirs). From these 
 There came our blood and all the shapes of flesh. 
 
 The Ear. 
 
 99. 
 K(oBo)V, (rdpKLVO^ o^os. 
 
 A bell ... a fleshy twig. 
 
 The Rushing Blood and the Clepsydra. 
 100. 
 wSe S' dvairvel travra koX eKirvel- ttScti Xii^aijuoi 
 <rapKwv avpiyycs irvfiaTop Kara crw/xa TeravTai, 
 KaC (r<f)i.v iirl <rTO[iioL^ irvKivai^ TerprjvraL oXo^lv 
 pivwv ex^aTa ripdpa Siajonrepes, wtrre ^ovov p.iv 
 Kevdeip, aWepi 8' evTTopCrjv SidSoicri Terp-rjadai. 
 ofdev iireiff' oirorav p,ev dircu^rju ripev aifia, 
 aiOrjp Tra<j)\d^o}v KaT(d(r(Terai olSfian fidpyai, 
 cStc 8' dvadpioLO-KTji, irdkiv iKvvea, acrirep orav irais 
 K\&jwSpr)i. TTO.C^i'qicri 8tei7reTeos j^aXKoto* 
 cure [lev avKov iropufiov ctt euetoei X^P'' "c'"* 
 CIS u8aTos pdimjkcri ripfv Sefia<; dpyv(j>€OLO, 
 ovS' er* es dyyoaS' 6fi^po<s co-e/a^^erai, dXXa [miv etpyei 
 de/309 oyKO<s itrotde irecroiv iirl TpijfiaTa irvKvd, 
 elaoK d'7T0(TT€yd(T'r)i ttukivov poov avrdp eireiTa 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 47 
 
 TTweu/iaros eXXewrowos icep^erai attrifiov vBtop. 
 ws S* avreos, o0* vStup fiev €)(r)L Kara fiepdea ^(akKOv 
 iropdfiav "xoiirOivTO^ ^poriai ')(p<A ■^Se iropoLO, 
 aid^p 8" eicTos icro) XeXiijju.ei'os 6p.^pov ipvKei 
 dfi^l TTuXas iardfiolo SuoTjj^eos, aK/oa Kparvvatv, 
 eitroKe x^'P' fieOyji' Tore S' aS iraXtv, ^iraXu' ij ir/sii', 
 wevfiaTo^ ifLirvnTOVTO^ vireKdiei atcnfiov vScop. 
 As S" avrois Tepev a?/xa xXaSao'O'o/iej/oj/ Std yvuov 
 omroTe fiev TrakCvopo'ov airaifeie fiv)(6vS€, 
 aXdipo^ evdvs /oeC/ta KaTep)(erat o(!Sju.aT(, ^uoi', 
 eSre S' dvadptouricrfij iraXuv iKirveei urov cmUraat. 
 
 And thus does^U breathe in and out. In all, 
 
 Over the body's surface, bloodless tubes 
 
 Of flesh are stretched, and, at their outlets, rifts 
 
 Innumerable along the outmost rind 
 
 Are bored; and so the blood remains within; 
 
 For air, however, is cut a passage free. 
 
 And when from here the thin blood backward 
 
 streams. 
 The air comes rushing- in ,with.^roa.ring swell; 
 But when again it forward leaps, the air 
 In turn breathes out; as when a little girl 
 Plays with a water-clock of gleaming bronze: 
 As long as ever the opening of the pipe 
 Is by her pretty fingers stopped and closed, 
 And thuswise plunged within the yielding mass 
 Of silvery water, can the Wet no more 
 Get in the vessel; but the air's own weight. 
 That falls inside against the countless holes, 
 Keeps it in check, until the child at last 
 
48 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Uncovers and sets free the thickened air, 
 When of a truth the water's destined bulk 
 Gets in, as air gives way. Even so it is. 
 When in the belly of the brazen clock 
 The water lies, and the girl's finger tip 
 Shuts pipe and tube: the air, that from without 
 Comes pressing inward, holds the water- back 
 About the gateways of the gurgling neck, 
 As the child keeps possession of the top, 
 Until her hand will loosen, when amain — 
 Quite contrariwise to way and wise before — 
 Pours out and under the water's destined bulk. 
 As air drops down and in. Even so it is 
 With the thin blood that through our members 
 
 drives : 
 When hurrying back it streams to inward, then 
 Amain a flow of air comes rushing on; 
 But when again it forward leaps, the air 
 In turn breathes out along the selfsame way. 
 
 Scent. 
 
 lOI. 
 
 Kepfiara OripeLcov fieKimv fJLVKTTJpo'iv ipewav^ 
 L^taofP J o(T<T aveXenre ttoocdv airaAiji irepi itoitji . . . 
 
 Sniffing with nostrils mites from wild beasts' limbs, 
 Left by their feet along the tender grass .... 
 
 102. 
 tuSc p.€u ovv TTj/oiTjs TE XcXoy^^acTi irdvra Kal 6(rp.mv. 
 
 And thus got all things share of breath and smells. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 49 
 
 On the Psychic Life. 
 103. 
 
 r^iSc fjuev ovv lonyri Tu^tjs Tr^^povrjKev S/iravra, 
 
 Thus all things think their though by will of Chance. 
 
 104. 
 Kai Kad' oaov [lev dpaioraTa ^weKvpcre irecroT^a. 
 
 And in so far the lightest at their fall 
 Do strike together .... 
 
 los. 
 aijuaros iv ireKdyea'cn Tedpafifievrj dvTLdop6vTO<s, 
 TrJL re v6r)p.a jnetXio'Ta KiKkyjiXKeraA. dvOpmrouriv 
 alfia yap dvdpamoL<s TrepLKoipSiov icm voTjixa. 
 
 In the blood-streams, back-leaping unto it, 
 The heart is nourished, where prevails the power 
 That men call thought; for lo the blood that stirs 
 About the heart is man's controlling thought. 
 
 106. 
 W/30S irapeov yap joi'^Tts di^erai dvdpamouTLv. 
 
 For unto men their thrift of reason grows, 
 According to the body's thrift and state. 
 
 107. 
 e/c TovTcov [yot/o] irdvTa Trem/yatni' dpp.o<TdivTa 
 KoX Tourois <j>poveov(ri. /cat tjSoi't' '^8' dviSii/Tai. 
 
 For as of these commingled all things are, 
 Even so through these men think, rejoice, or grieve. 
 
50 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 io8. 
 oo'trov [S'] dXXotoi fiere<f)vv, Toarov dp cifiKnv aiei 
 Kal TO ^povetv ahXota irapCaraTaL . . . 
 
 As far as mortals change by day, so far 
 By night their thinking changes . . . 
 
 109. 
 yaiqi p^ev yap yalav oirtoTrapev , vSan S' vScd/j, 
 aiaepi o aiuepa olov, arap irvpi irvp aLor)\ov, 
 (TTopy^v Se CTTopyrji, vei/cos 8e re veLKe'i Xvypai. 
 
 For 'tis through Earth that Earth we do behold, 
 Through Ether, divine Ether luminous, 
 Through Water, Water, through Fire, devouring 
 
 Fire, 
 And Love through Love, and Hate through doleful 
 
 Hate. 
 
 no. 
 ei yap Kev tr^' aSLvrjuriv vtto irpamSeairiv ipeCa-a^ 
 evpeveo)^ Kadaprjiaiv eirpTrreutrTjis jncXenjicnv, 
 Tavrd re troi pd\a irdvTa Si' aio)vo<s TrapeaovTai,, 
 dWa re ttoXX* dvo twvB' iKTrjcreai- aurd ydp av^ei 
 
 TaVT CIS ^00? eKCUTTOV, OTTTjl ^VCTL? iiTTlv iKd<TT(i)L. 
 
 ei oe (TV y aKKoicov eiropegeai, oia /car auopa<s, 
 pvpia SciXd TreXovTai d t dp,fi\vvov<TL p-cptpva^, 
 ^ <T d^ap iK\eufiov<TL TreptwXopevoio ^popoio 
 (r<f>mv avrSiv irodeovTa (fyiXifjv ivl yivvav iKecrdaf 
 irdvra ydp Icrdi (^povr/o'iv cx^iv Kal vatparo^ alcrav. 
 
 For if reliant on a spirit firm. 
 With inclination and endeavor pure, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 5 1 
 
 Thou wilt behold them, all these things shall be 
 Forever thine, for service, and besides 
 Thereof full many another shalt thou gain; 
 For of themselves into that core they grow 
 Of each man's nature, where his essence lies. 
 But if for others thou wilt look and reach — 
 Such empty treasures, myriad and vile, 
 As men be after, which forevermore 
 Blunt soul and keen desire — O then shall these 
 Most swiftly leave thee as the seasons roll; 
 For all their yearning is a quick return 
 Unto their own primeval stock. For know: 
 All things have fixed intent and share of thought. 
 
 Dominion. 
 III. 
 (}>dp[iaKa 8' ocro-a yeySo't KaKcov Koi ytjpao^ a\Kap 
 Treucnji, iirel iiomxai croi iyoi Kpaveot raoe trdvra. 
 iravcreLS S' aKafidrcov dvep^cov fieuo? ol t iirt, yatav 
 opvvp.€voi, irvoLola-i Kara^OivvOofvcnv dpovpa?- 
 Koi TrdXiv, rjv ideXrjLcrOa, irakCvTLTa Trvevfiara CTrafeis* 
 6i](rei,? S' ef o/ju^poLo Ke\aLvov Kaipiov av^fiov 
 dvdpmroi^, drjaeus Se koi i^ avxf-o^o depeCov 
 pevfiara hevSpeoOpeTrra, rd t aidepi va.irj<TovTai, 
 d^u<i S' e^ 'AiSao KaTa<ftdifi€vov [levos di/S/ads. 
 
 And thou shalt master every drug that e'er 
 Was made defense 'gainst sickness and old age — 
 For thee alone all this I will fulfil — 
 And thou shalt calm the might of tireless winds, 
 That burst on earth and ruin seedlands; aye, 
 
52 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 And if thou wilt, shalt thou arouse the blasts, 
 And watch them take their vengeance, wild and 
 
 shrill. 
 For that before thou cowedst them. Thou shalt 
 
 change 
 Black rain to drought, at seasons good for men, 
 And the long drought of summer shalt thou change 
 To torrents, nourishing the mountain trees. 
 As down they stream from ether. And thou shalt 
 From Hades beckon the might of perished men. 
 
THE PURIFICATIONS. 
 
 The Healer and Prophet. 
 
 112. 
 
 d) <j)i,\oLy ot fieya aarv Kara ^avOov ' AKpdyavTo? 
 pai£T av axpa TroXeos, ayadZv {leKehi/jfiove^ epycov, 
 geCvcav aiSoioi Xifieve? Ka/corr^TOS direupoL, 
 ■)(a,iper • eyo) 8' vplv deoq dfjilBpoTO<s, ovKen 0vr]T6^ 
 ircDkevfiai [leTo. iracri Tenfievoi, acnrep eoLKa, 
 Taivtai? re irepwrreTrros OTc^ecriv re ^aXeiois* 
 Tolcriv dfi [evr'] av iKcofiai es acrrea rrjXeOdovra, 
 dvSpdcriv 'qSe yvvai^i, (re^i^ojuai- oi 8' a/u,' errovrai 
 fivpCoi i^epeovTes, ottiji w/jos KepSo? drapTros, 
 01 ^ev fiavToavvecov Ke)(p7]ii€voi., ol 8' ettI I'ouo'toi' 
 iravroCcov etrvdovTO k\v€lu evrjKea fid^iv 
 Srjpop 8'^ ^aXeiroicri TTeTTapp.evoi. fdju^l /ioyoicrii'J . 
 
 Ye friends, who in the mighty city dwell 
 Along the yellow Acragas hard by 
 The Acropolis, ye stewards of good works. 
 The stranger's refuge venerable and kind, 
 All hail, O friends! But unto ye I walk 
 As god immortal now, no more as man. 
 On all sides honored fittingly and well. 
 Crowned both with fillets and with flowering 
 
 wreaths. 
 When with my throngs of men and women I come 
 
54 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Tq^ thriving cities, I am sought by prayers, 
 And thousands follow me that they may ask 
 The path to weal and vantage, craving some 
 For oracles, whilst others seek to hear 
 A healing word 'gainst many a foul disease 
 That all too long hath pierced with grievous pains. 
 
 113- 
 dXXa TL Toio-S' eiriKci/i.' wcrel fieya ■)(ftrlfji.d tl iroda-a'aiVf 
 ei 0p7]tS)v irepCeiiii troKv^depiotv dvdpdmtav; 
 
 Yet why urge more, as if forsooth I wrought 
 
 Some big aflfair — do I not far excel 
 
 The mortals round me, doomed to many deaths! 
 
 114. 
 S) (j)i\oi, oTSa [lev ovv€K dXyjOeirf irdpa fivOois, 
 ous cyo) egepew p,aKa o apyaKej) lt/J ye rervKTat, 
 dvSpd<TL Kal Sutr^TjXos iirl ^peva itmttios opfiij. 
 
 O friends, I know indeed in these the words 
 Which I will speak that very truth abides; 
 But greatly troublous unto men alway 
 Hath been the emulous struggle of Belief 
 To reach their bosoms. 
 
 Expiation and Metempsychosis. 
 
 "S- 
 i<TTLv 'Avay/ojs xprjiia, Oewv i/n^^itr/ia 'TraXaioi^, 
 dtSioi/, TrXaTcietro'i KaTea^p'iqyuTfiivov opKot,?- 
 cure Tis dfiirXaKuquri, ^ovcm ^C\a yuia [itiji^L, 
 [Neuceif ^'] os kc iiriopKov d[iapTyj(Ta<s iiroixocrtrrjif 
 Sai/xovES 0176 fiaKpaCavo^ KeKd^axru ^Colo, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 55 
 
 T/ois fjiiv fivpia^ &pa<s aito fxaKcipctiv dXahrja-daif 
 ^vofi.4vQv<s TravTola Bia xpovov el8ea OvrfTciv 
 apyoKea^ /SioTOto fieraWda-arovTa Kekevdovs. 
 aidepiov fiev yap (T^e fievo? irovTOvSe Skukci, 
 iroj/Tos S' es ^(^oi'os ouSas oLireTrrvcre, yaia S' es auyas 
 Tjekiov (jtaedovTo^y 6 S' aWepo^ efifiake SCvai^- 
 a\\o9 8' i^ dWov Se^^eTai, crTvyeoutri 8e irdvTes. 
 tZv Kal iyo> vvv elfii,, <j>vyd^ de66ev Kal dXT^n/s, 
 NeiKEi fx,aivop,iv<i)i ttictvj'os. 
 
 There is a_ word. of „ Fate, an old decree 
 And everlasting of the gods, made fast 
 With amplest oaths, that whosoe'er of those 
 Far spirits, with their lot of age-long life, 
 Do foul their limhs with slaughter in offense, 
 Or swear forsworn, as failing of their pledge, 
 Shall wander thrice ten thousand weary years 
 Far from the Blessed, and be born through time 
 In various shapes of mortal kind, which change 
 Ever and ever troublous paths of life: 
 For now Air hunts them onward to the Sea; 
 Now the wild Sea disgorges them on Land; 
 Now Earth will spue toward beams of radiant Sun; 
 Whence he will toss them back to whirling Air — 
 Each gets from other what they all abhor. 
 And in that brood I too am numbered now, 
 A fugitive and vagabond from heaven, 
 As one obedient unto raving Strife. 
 
 ii6. 
 OTvyeei SuotX.tjtoi' 'AvdyKrjv. 
 
 Charis abhors intolerable Fate. 
 
56 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 117. 
 rfBrj yap ttot iyco yevofn.'qv Kovp6<s re Kopr) re 
 6dp,vo<i T oicDi'os re koX e^a\o<s iXXoiro? i)(dv^. 
 
 For I was once already boy and girl, 
 Thicket and bird, and mute fish in the waves. 
 
 This Earth of Ours. 
 118. 
 Kkavad re koI KcoKvcra IBcJu dawijOea ^atpov. 
 
 I wept and wailed, beholding the strange place. 
 
 119. 
 ef oiTjs Tifirji; re koI 6(T<tov fiTJKeo^ oX/Sov 
 a)Se [^TT€(ro)v Kord yaiai'] dva(rTp€<f)0[iaL jxerd OvtjtoIs. 
 
 From what large honor and what height of bliss 
 Am I here fallen to move with mortal kind! 
 
 This Sky-Roofed World. 
 120. 
 ■fjikvdoyie.v T08' VTT dvrpov vvocTTeyov . . . 
 
 And then we came unto a roofed cave. 
 
 This Vale of Tears. 
 121. 
 
 dTepirea ■)(5>poVy 
 evda ^6vo<s T€ Kotos re kol dXkav Wvea Ktj/owj/ 
 av-)Qiii)pai T€ voaoL Kal (n^«|nes ipya re pevard 
 "Arrfs dv Xafiava Kara (t/cotos •^Xatr/covo-w'. 
 
 A joyless land, 
 Where Slaughter and Grudge, and troops of Dooms 
 besides, 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 57 
 
 Where shriveled Diseases and obscene Decays, 
 And Labors, burdened with the water-jars, 
 Do wander down the dismal meads of Bane. 
 
 h>ff yjtrav KOopCtj re koL 'HXiotttj Tai/awms, 
 Aijpis 0' aifLaroiatra koX 'ApfMoviri deiiepZin^, 
 KaXXioTcS T Al(r^7J re, ©owtra re ArjuaCr] re, 
 Nij/ie/OTJys T ip6e(r<Ta ^eXay/cou/oos t 'Atra^cia, 
 
 There was Earth-mother, 
 There the far-peering Virgin of the Sun, 
 And bloody Quarrel and grave-eyed Harmony, 
 And there was Fair and Foul and Speed and Late, 
 Black-haired Confusion and sweet maiden Sure. 
 
 123. 
 ^<rw re ^^tjnewy re, Kai 'Evvaur) koX *Eyeporis, 
 Kivci T ^Aarefi^ij^ re, irokvaT€<f>av6s re Meyurrco 
 Koi ^opvr}f taynij re /cal 'Op^ai-q ... 
 
 Growth and Decay, and Sleep and Roused-from- 
 
 sleep, 
 Action and Rest, and Glory many-crowned. 
 And Filth, and Silence and prevailing Voice. 
 
 124. 
 ft) TTOiroi, Si SeiXov Ovrfrav yevo<i, & Sv<rdvo\pov, 
 roitov oc T ipCBcov & re arovaxSiv iyevecrde. 
 
 O mortal kind! O ye poor sons of grief! 
 From such contentions and such sighings sprung! 
 
S8 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 The Changing Forms. 
 
 I2S- 
 
 £K [L^v yap QcD(ov eriua vexpa, eioc afieifScov. 
 
 For from the living he the dead did make. 
 Their forms exchanging ... 
 
 126. 
 (TapKmv akXoyvoyn irepia-TeWova-a ')(ira)vi. 
 
 All things doth Nature change, enwrapping souls 
 In unfamiliar tunics of the flesh. 
 
 127. 
 
 Iv 6rjpe(r(n XeovTe<s 6pei\e^ee<s xafiaxeuvax 
 yiyvovToi, Sd<f)vai S' ivl hevSpeinv TJvKOfioKriv. 
 
 The worthiest dwellings for the souls of men. 
 When 'tis their lot to live in forms of brutes, 
 Are tawny lions, those great beasts that sleep 
 Couched on the black earth up the mountain side; 
 But, when in forms of beautiful plumed trees 
 They live, the bays are worthiest for souls. 
 
 The Golden Age. 
 128. 
 ouSe Tis '^v KeLvoKTLv "Apr)^ 6eo? ov8e KvSoi/u.d? 
 ouSe Zeus 0acn\ev<s ouSe Kpovos ouSe IIocreiScDi', 
 dXXa KvnpL^ ^acriXeia. 
 
 T^v 01 y ev(refi€e(T(rt,v aydXfi.a(riv l\d<rKovTo 
 ypaiTTOL^ T€ ^(uioicri fivpouri re SatSaXedSjLiois 
 (rfivpvrfs T aKpiJTOv 6vcri(u<i \ifidvov re dvcuSovs, 
 ^ovdmv re (rTrovBa<s p-eKiTatv pmrovTe^ es oSSas* 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 59 
 
 raipoiv S' aKfyrJTouri ^ovois ov Severo ^cdjlio?, 
 dXXa fjivtro^ tovt ecTKev iv av6panrok<Tt, [xeyurTOVy 
 OvfLOv atToppaiaravra^ iveSfLCi/ai vjia yuia. 
 
 Nor unto them 
 Was any Ares god, nor Kydoimos, 
 Nor Zeus, the king of gods, nor Kronos, nor 
 Poseidon then, but only K3rpris queen . . . 
 Whom they with.holy gifts were wont to appease, 
 With painted images of living things, 
 With costly unguents of rich fragrancy, 
 With gentle sacrifice of taintless myrrh, 
 With redolent fumes of frankincense, of old 
 Pouring libations out upon the ground 
 Of yellow honey; not then with unmixed blood 
 Of many bulls was ever an altar stained; 
 But among men 'twas sacrilege most vile 
 To reave of life and eat the goodly limbs. 
 
 The Sage. 
 129. 
 
 ^v Se Tis iv KeCvovcriv dvrjp irepicacria EtS(u$, 
 OS S^ fiiJKLcrTov TrpaTTiStuv iichjcraTO irXovrov 
 iraPToCcjv T€ iLoKKTTa {TotfiZu iinrjpavo^ epytow 
 oTTTTOTe yap irda^KTLv opi^avro ■7rpairiSe<r(nv, 
 peV o ye twv ovrotv irdvTOiv XeucfrearKev eKaarov 
 KaC Tc Self' dvdpdmoiv KaC t eucotni' <u(ove(rcrLv, 
 
 Was one among them there, a supreme man 
 Of vastest knowledge, gainer of large wealth 
 Of understanding, and chief master wise 
 Of diverse works of skill and wisdom all; 
 
6o THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 For whensoe'er he sought with scope and reach 
 Of understanding, then 'twas his to view 
 Readily each and every thing that e'er 
 In ten or twenty human ages throve. 
 
 Those Days. 
 130- 
 ^(Tav 8e KTtXa iraj/ra koX avOpdmoicri irpocrrfvyjf 
 dTJpes T oiavoC re, ^iKo^poaviri) Te SeSi/ei. 
 
 All things were tame, and gentle toward men. 
 All beasts and birds, and friendship's flame blew 
 fair. 
 
 The Divine. 
 131. 
 ei yap i^ixepuov eueKev tlvo?, afi^pore Movcra, 
 ■fip.eripa<s /oieX-eras [/u,eXe toi] 8ia (f>povTiSo^ i\0elv, 
 eujifOju.ei'tui vvv aSre irapwrracro, KaX.Xioireia, 
 dfKftl Oeav fiaKoipcov dyaOov \6yov ijji^aivovTi, 
 
 For since, O Muse undying, thou couldst deign 
 To give for these our paltry human cares 
 A gateway to thy soul, O now much more, 
 Kalliope of the beautiful dear voice. 
 Be near me now beseeching! — whilst I speak 
 Excelling thoughts about the blessed gods. 
 
 132. 
 oX^io^f 6? Oeuiav irpairihav iKrrjcraTO irkovrovy 
 SeiXos 8', 3}i (rKOToeacra deZv irepi So^a p-ip/qKev. 
 
 O well with him who hath secured his wealth 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 6l 
 
 Of thoughts divine, O wretched he whose care 
 Is shadowy speculation on the gods! 
 
 133- 
 ovK i(TTi,v vikdtrcurdcu iv 6<f>da\ii6ta-iv i^iKTov 
 i7/i.eT€/oois ■q X'^paX Xa^elv, "^tirep re iieyiari) 
 ir€L$ovi avOpwroicnv ajua^iros eis if)piva TTVirra. 
 
 We may not bring It near us with our eyes. 
 We may not grasp It with our human hands. 
 With neither hands nor eyes, those highways twain 
 Whereby Belief drops into minds of men. 
 
 134- 
 ouSe yap dvSpop.erji Ke^aXrji Kara yvia KeKoarai, 
 ov pev diral v<iroLo 8vo fcXaSoi dwrtroi^ai, 
 ov iroSes, ov 6od yovva, ov pijSea Xa^w/ewa, 
 dXXa <f>p^v leprj /cat d^etr^aTos errXero ju.ovi'Oi/, 
 ^povTuri KOfTpov (XTrai^a Ka.Tai(Tcrov<ra Ootjutlv. 
 
 For 'tis adorned with never a manlike head. 
 
 For from Its back there swing no branching arms, 
 
 It hath no feet nor knees alert, nor form 
 
 Of tufted secret member; but It lives. 
 
 One holy mind, ineffable, alone. 
 
 And with swift thoughts darts through the universe. 
 
 13s. 
 dXXd TO pev irdiTcov vopipov 8id t evpvpeBovroi 
 aidepos "qveKeco^ Terarat Std t dirXerou avyrj^. 
 
 But the wide law of all extends throughout 
 Broad-ruling ether and the vast white sky. 
 
62 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Animal Sacrifice. 
 136. 
 ov TTaucrecr^e <})6voio Bvirrf\eo?; ovk ecropare 
 dXXi^Xovs SaTTTOVTCS aKriSeCrjuri voolo; 
 
 Will ye not cease from this great din of slaughter? 
 Will ye not see, unthinking as ye are, 
 How ye rend one another unbeknown? 
 
 137. 
 fLop^rjV S' aWa^avTOL trarrip <j)i\ov vlov detjoa? 
 cr<^d^Ei i'jr€V)(oiievog [xeya vyJTTios' ol S' iiropevvTat 
 Xicro'o/xei'oi dvovra's, 6 8' aS j'tj/coucttos ofJiOKXeav 
 (r<j>ai$as iv fieydpoicri KaKrjv dXeyvvaro Saira. 
 <as S' avTws iraTcp* vlbq i\o)v koX p.-qripa TralSes 
 dvp.ov dtroppaicravTe (f)i\as Kara troipKas ihovaiv. 
 
 Thejather lifteth for the stroke of death 
 His own dear son within a changed form, 
 And slits his throat for sacrifice with prayers — 
 A blinded fool! But the poor victims press, 
 Imploring their destroyers. Yet not one 
 But still is deaf to piteous moan and wail. 
 Each slits the throat and in his halls prepares 
 A horrible repast. Thus too the son 
 Seizes the father, children the mother seize. 
 And reave of life and eath their own dear Jiesh. 
 
 138. 
 XaXxolt drro ^v^'^v dpvcra<s 
 
 Drawing the soul as water with the bronze. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 63 
 
 139- 
 ot/i oTL ou irpoadev (le SiwXetre i^Xces "^/tap, 
 irplv orj^erXi' ipya /8opa9 irepl \ei\ecrL fifjTCarcurdai., 
 
 Ah woe is me! that never a pitiless day 
 Destroyed me long ago, ere yet my lips 
 Did meditate this feeding's monstrous crime! 
 
 Taboos. 
 140. 
 Bd(f)VT)? [4>oij8ei«ai'] ^vWtav airo vdp.irav rj^ecr^oi. 
 
 Witlihold your hands from leaves of Phoebus' tree ! 
 
 141. 
 061X01, fl'ai'SciXot, Kvaficov airo ^ei/ia? e)(€(t9(u.. 
 
 Ye wretched, O ye altogether wretched, 
 Your hands from beans withhold! 
 
 Sin. 
 
 142. 
 Tov o ovr' ap re Aios reyeoi Sojlioi alyioxoio 
 Te[p7rot] av ovBe [aiK^s 'E]K[aT]'»js reyos [■^XtTO- 
 
 Neither roofed halls of aegis-holding Zeus 
 Delight it, nor dire Hecate's venging house. 
 
 143- 
 Kprqvdciiv airo irei/re rafiovr [_iv^ dreipei ^oKkZi . . . 
 
 Scooping from fountains five with lasting bronze. 
 
64 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 144. 
 PTjorevcrat Ka/conjTOS. 
 
 O fast from evil-doing. 
 
 145- 
 
 ToiydproL \a\&rrji(TLv dXvovre^ KaKOTrjaiv 
 ovTTore SeiKaCtov dxeav Xio^ija'ere dvfiov. 
 
 Since wildered by your evil-doings huge, 
 Ne'er shall ye free your life from heavy pains. 
 
 The Progression of Rebirth. 
 146. 
 
 CIS 8e TcXos [loivTeL^ re koX vfivtyiroXoi koX itjt/301 
 KoX ir/3o/iot dvdpamouriv iirL)(6ovLOL<ri ireXovTcu. 
 €i/0€v dva^XaoToBcri deal Tifjurjicri ^ipuTroi. 
 
 And seers at last, and singers of high hymns. 
 Physicians sage, and chiefs o'er earth-born men 
 Shall they become, whence germinate the gods. 
 The excellent in honors. 
 
 147. 
 
 ddavdroL^ aWouriv ojtteorioi avrorpdire^oiy 
 evvies dvSpeuop d)(€0}v, dvoKXyjpoi, dreipeis. 
 
 At hearth and feast companioned with the immor- 
 tals, 
 From human pains and wasting eld immune. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES, 65 
 
 Last Echoes of a Song Half Lost. 
 148. 
 
 Man-enfolding Earth. 
 
 149. 
 peij)e\T)yepeT7iv. 
 
 The cloud-collecting. 
 
 ISO. 
 ■jToXvaijJbarov "^irap. 
 
 The blood-full liver, 
 isi- 
 
 Life-giving. 
 
 IS2. 
 
 yrjpa^ ■^p.epa<s. 
 
 Evening, the day's old age. 
 
 IS3- 
 
 The belly. 
 
 iS3a. 
 ev eirra epoop.a(nv. 
 
 In seven times seven days. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 ON NATURE. 
 
 Fr. I. Pausanias is the friend to whom Empedocles addresses himself 
 throughout the poem On Nature. Matthew Arnold has made 
 him a character in Empedocles on Aetna. 
 
 Fr. 2. Narrow ways : these are the pores (iripoi) into which pass the 
 emanations (iirippooi) from things (cf. fr. 89) ; whence man's 
 portion — such as it is — of perception and knowledge (cf. the 
 simulacra of Lucr. IV). "Ways" (^ira\&/iai) are literally "de- 
 vices"; but the notion of small passages is suggested by 
 (TTemtoToi I cf. fr. 4. 
 
 Their little share of life : a note of sadness struck more than 
 once by Empedocles, and one of the few elements in common 
 with the personage in Arnold's poem. Cf. the comments on 
 life and man in the Gnomic writers. 
 Like smoke : cf . 
 "Ergo dissolui quoque convenit omnem animai 
 naturam, ceu fumus, in altas aeris auras." 
 
 Lucr., Ill, 4SS-6. 
 Than mortal ken may span: more literally, "than mortal 
 skill may have power to move" (^ipaper). 
 
 Fr. 3. Addressed to Pausanias; so elsewhere. 
 
 Fr. 4. Their madness : this evidently refers to the over-bold specu- 
 lations of Parmenides and other philosophers. 
 
 Meek Piety's : lit., "from [the realm of] Piety." 
 
 By every way of knowing: by every passage, or device 
 (iraXd/iD) ; cf. fr. 2. Empedocles, unlike Parmenides, affirms 
 the relative trustworthiness of the senses. 
 
 Trust sight no more than hearing, etc. : here E. may imply 
 a distinction between the understanding and sense perception; 
 
68 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 or he may consider, with the sensationalists of modern psy- 
 chology, one sense as acting as a check on another, without 
 realizing that there must still be something over and above 
 them which weighs and decides. His theory of knowledge 
 was apparently little developed. Aristotle {De an., Ill, 3, 427a 
 21-29) says that E. drew no distinction between voeiv or ippovelv 
 and alaO&veaBai. 
 
 Note by all ways : "ways" here translates Tr6pos, 'road,' 'pore.' 
 
 The Roman critic (Hor., De arte poetica, 134 ff.) warns the 
 poet against a beginning that promises bigger things than the 
 work bears out, and he might have chided Empedocles with 
 the contrary fault; for the reverent attitude, reflected in this 
 fragment, soon gives way to dogmatism and grandiloquence, 
 as the old philosopher's soul thrills to his large thought and 
 the roll of his splendid verse. Later writers on the Unknow- 
 able and the limitations of human knowledge have not always 
 been more consistent. 
 
 Fr. 5. The High and Strong: "'either philosophers or doctrines or 
 the gods Love and Strife." Diels, PPF. 
 
 Sifted through thy soul : an illustration of the dependence of 
 a poetic value on an emendation; if, instead of StatratiSivros 
 (FV), we read Siar/iTieivTos (PPF), the translation might run: 
 
 "Deep in thine inward parts dividing thought," 
 a very different, and to me less effective figure. 
 
 Fr. 6. The four-fold root : the four elements, but there is some dis- 
 agreement as to the interpretation of the symbols that follow. 
 Nestis is presumably a Sicilian water divinity, identified by 
 van ten Brink and Hesme with Proserpina, and the context 
 shows that she symbolizes water. Zeller (p. 759) makes Zeus 
 fire. Here air, and Aidoneus (Dis) earth; Burnet (p. 243) 
 and Bodrero (p. 78), following Knatz, make Zeus air. Here 
 earth, and Aidoneus fire. I am not persuaded that any peculiar 
 theory is implied in this mythology, as Bodrero attempts to 
 prove (cf. also Gomperz, p. 24s) ; at the most E. is hinting at 
 the elements as eternal (the "established gods" of fr. 17) and 
 primary — "the four-fold root of all things." Moreover, E. 
 was poet no less than philosopher. 
 
 EarlieK, philosophy had recognized the materials which E. 
 calls the four elements, though it had never made them Grund- 
 stoffe. Cf. also the "flowing" (like water), the "mistiform" 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 69 
 
 (like air) and the dry mist (like fire) of Heraclitus ; and the 
 contrasted warm and cold which Anaximander conceived as 
 differentiated from the &treipov. (The five-fold division of Phi- 
 lolaos was probably derived from E.) E. was the first ab- 
 solute pluralist ; preceding thinkers, Thales, Pythagoras, Hera- 
 clitus, Parmenides, etc., had made ultimate reality a material 
 One. Not utitil Plato have we an approach to an idealistic 
 monism (cf. Burnet, p. 207-8). 
 
 Fr. 7. Elements (imixeta), supplied here and elsewhere, is nowhere 
 preserved to us by E., and was apparently first used in philos- 
 ophy by Plato. Cf. Zeller, p. 759. 
 
 Fr. 8. End in ruinous death: this is not here enlarged upon as is 
 the idea of birth; it is, however, but the other aspect of the 
 latter: the interchange of the mixed implies a scattering as 
 well, the dissolution of the old to form the new; at least I 
 take it so. Cf. fr. 17. 
 
 Fr. 9. In man, etc.: properly, "in the case of man." 
 
 / too assent to use : how many philosophers have felt them- 
 selves balked in the perfect expression of their thought by 
 having in their vocabulary to "assent to use." 
 
 Fr. 10. Avenging Death: evidently used in a connection similar to 
 "doom of death" in fr. g (cf. Plut. quoted by Diels, PPF). 
 "ut 'ABriva aXoiru Lycoph. 93S est sceleris vindex, sic Mors 
 peccatorum ultrix." Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. 11-12. The doctrine (and in part the words) of Parmenides, 
 afterwards developed with such energy and imagination and 
 observation of the processes of the sensible universe in Book 
 I of the De Natura Rerum. 
 
 For there 'twill he, etc.: perhaps a more literal rendering 
 would make the meaning more obvious to some readers : "For 
 every time will it [i. e., any given object] be right there, where 
 any one every time puts it." 
 
 Fr. 13-14. E. held with Parmenides that the world is a Plenum, in- 
 capable either of excess or of deficiency. 
 
 Fr. 15. "But that there is here any affirmation of the immortality of 
 the psychic life (Siebeck, Gesch. d. Psychol., I, S3, 267) I do 
 not believe, fiporol denotes with E. not only men but all per- 
 
70 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 ■ ishable beings, and these are eternal only in so far as their 
 elements are eternal." Zeller, p. 756. 
 
 DielSj however, renders (FV) Pporol "wir Sterbliche"; in- 
 deed, as "men" is evidently the understood subject of KoKiovtri 
 ('call'), it must also be the subject of /SicSo-j ('live'), and it -is 
 but natural to construe Pporol below in the same sense. But 
 there is still presumably no reference to the immortality of the 
 soul. Thought and feeling with E. are part of the physical 
 system; and "our being" is but a physical being, to which, 
 however, as to every thing, the thought of fr. 11 must apply. 
 "Compacted" and "loosed apart" refer to the mingling and 
 the scattering of the body's constituent elements. 
 
 Fr. 16. Love and Hate: under varying names, "Lovingness'' 
 and "Strife," "Aphrodite" and "Wrath," etc., conceived by E. 
 as the dynamic powers of the universe. Many details of the 
 conception are still in dispute (cf. Zeller, p. 771; Tannery, p. 
 306). Efforts to relate them genetically to the Isis and Tjrphon 
 of the Egyptian, or to the Ormuzd and Ahriman of the Persian 
 seem to me unsuccessful ; one is rather reminded of the "War" 
 and "Harmonia" of Heraclitus. 
 
 Fr. 17. The longest, the most significant, and the most difficult of 
 the fragments; preserved by Simplicius. "The One" is the 
 Sphere; "the Many," as we see from line 18 (of the Greek 
 text), are the four elements. 
 
 Two-fold the birth, two-fold the death of things: a dark 
 saying; I paraphrase a Latin note of Diels, PPF: 
 
 "The wheel of nature runs a double course, one from the 
 complete separation of the four elements to the union of the 
 Sphere, the other from the Sphere to the separation of the 
 elements. In either course exist the certainties of creation 
 and dissolution: for, as the elements come together, their 
 meeting (o-fooSos) brings things to birth, but when the tend- 
 ency to mingle has finally increased so far as to form the 
 Sphere again, the same meeting is found at last to be no less 
 the source of their destruction (thus (rivoSos riKrei t" SK^Ket re) ; 
 again, as the elements begin to separate from the Sphere (Sia- 
 ipvotiivav), things are born into an orderly arrangement of 
 their elements, until, with the increased tendency toward sepa- 
 ration, everything at last flies apart (Stiirrri) and perishes." 
 Cf. f r. 26. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. Jl 
 
 It must be noted that, when Love is supreme, we have the 
 harmony of the Sphere; when Hate is supreme, a complete 
 dissipation. In neither state is anything like our world pos- 
 sible: we must be in either one or the other intermediate 
 period, where the elements are making headway (i) away 
 from the Sphere toward dissipation, or (2) from dissipation 
 toward the Sphere. Cf. Burnet (p. 248 flf.), who believes we 
 are in the former period. 
 
 Anaximander (but cf. Burnet, p. 64) and Heraditus and the 
 Pythagoreans seem also to have taught a succession of worlds 
 bom and destroyed; and a similar thought is implicit in the 
 nebular hypothesis of modern astronomy. 
 
 5*0 far have they a birth, etc. : "they" refers, I believe, to 
 the four elements : mortal, if viewed as parts of the perishable 
 things of our world; immortal and unshaken as gods (cf. the 
 mjrthological names of fr. 6), if viewed as the primeval sources 
 of all things and as subject to the law of the four cosmic 
 periods— eternal interchange and revolution round "the circle 
 of the world." 
 
 And shut from them apart, etc. : both Strife and Love are 
 apparently conceived as material, not simply as dynamic prin- 
 ciples. The early philosophers were a long way from the in- 
 corporealities and abstractions of modem science (cf. Burnet, 
 p. 246) ; and even the Pythagorean numbers were by no means 
 sharply distinguished from their concrete expression in geo- 
 metrical forms and material things, and even the "Nous" of 
 Anaxagoras was mindstuff in space. Thus Strife is in equi- 
 poise, i. e., everywhere of the same weight (driiXoi'Toi' s'entend 
 de I'equilibre des poids. Tannery, p. 305), and at this moment 
 somewhere outside the Sphere; while Love, equal in length 
 and breadth, is situated inside, and 
 
 "speeds revolving in the elements." 
 
 Tannery (p. 306) regards them as "media endowed with 
 special properties and able to displace each other, media in 
 the bosom of which are plunged the corporeal molecules, but 
 which are still conceived to be as material as the imponderable 
 ether of the modem physicists," i. e., almost as diffused 
 gases; but it is very doubtful if Empedocles had such a defi- 
 nite thought in mind. 
 
 'Tis she inborn, etc.: whatever the difficulties in thinking 
 out the thought with consistency of detail, there is a freshness 
 
^2, THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 and a grandeur in this identification of a cosmic principle, or 
 material, with a passion, or a faculty, in the life of man. E. 
 makes a similar identification of Hate (cf. fr. 109). Schopen- 
 hauer's identification of the dynamic principle of all nature 
 with "will" offers a modem analogy. Nor should we overlook 
 the prior significance in the very choice of the names, drawn 
 from the passions of men to stand for activities as funda- 
 mental and wide as the universe. 
 
 I think, by the way, that E.'s language here makes it possible 
 to interpret love ("thoughts of love," etc.) as more than the 
 physiological passion of sex for sex, with which it is usually 
 identified by the commentators. 
 
 Behold these elements own equal strength, etc. : E. conceives 
 the elements as each alike in quantity and strength, each alike 
 primeval; but each, with its peculiar function and appearance 
 (cf. E's specific descriptive adjectives used in naming the ele- 
 ments), qualitatively distinct from the others. Cf. Zeller, p. 
 762. But what he means by affirming that 
 
 "each 
 Prevailing conquers with revolving time" 
 
 is not, to me at least, perfectly clear. He speaks nowhere of 
 an age of Air, or Earth, or Water; and the peculiar agencies 
 he imputes to fire (see infra) are apparently at all times at 
 work, without ever ending in fire's dominating all, as in the 
 common interpretation of the system of Heraclitus. Possibly 
 he refers to the temporal sequence in the separation of the 
 elements from the Sphere (for which see Zeller, p. 787), or 
 simply to the fact that now this, now that created object in 
 natura rerum has more of this or more of that element in its 
 composition. Cf. fr. 26. In Chinese philosophy "The elements 
 are supposed to conquer one another according to a definite 
 law. We are told that wood conquers earth, earth conquers 
 water, water conquers fire, fire conquers metal, and metal con- 
 quers wood." Paul Carus, Chinese Thought, 1907, p. 47. But 
 there is nothing in E.'s thought that seems to correspond. 
 
 Through one another: an allusion to the theory of the pores, 
 the precursor of Atomism. Cf. Zeller, p. 767. 
 
 Fr. 18. The translator has made no effort to be consistent in render- 
 ing 4>i^lv and ^AiSnjt into English by different words. There 
 is evidently no vital difference of meaning in the Greek as 
 used by E. Cf. Plut., quoted by Diels, PPF. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 73 
 
 Fr. 19. With reference here to water, 
 
 Fr. 20. Line i has been supplied by the translator. Cf. with this 
 fragment f r. 57-62. 
 
 Fr. 21. But come, etc. : i. e., 'observe if what I have already said 
 does not give a sufficiently clear description of the form, or 
 physical characteristics of the elements' — "si quid materiae 
 etiam in priore numeratione elementorum relictum erat formae 
 explicandae." Diels, PPF. 
 
 The Sun : see note on fr. 41. 
 
 The eternal Stars : E. conceived the fixed stars as fastened to 
 the vault (of the dark hemisphere), the planets as free, and 
 both as formed of fire separated from the air. 
 
 The sun and the stars apparently correspond to the fiery 
 element, rain to the watery, and earth to the earthy, con- 
 sidered here as visible parts of the present universe no less 
 than as the sources thereof. Air seems to be unrepresented, 
 unless it be suggested by "glowing radiance." I am inclined 
 to take the phrase merely as a bit of poetry — it is the radiance 
 of the night, hardly the bright heaven, the aery expanse of 
 day. But were it so interpreted, one might well note that E. 
 regularly uses aie^ip ('sky*) and once oipav6s Cheaven') for 
 air, and might compare Lucretius' 
 
 "Unde aether sidera pascit" (Bk. I, 231), 
 and Virgil's 
 
 "Polus dum sidera pascit" (Bk. I, 608) — 
 
 phrases which, however, are not, as I understand them, based 
 on an astronomy like that of Empedocles. 
 
 The green : the Greek is BiKvpLva, 'the beginnings of things,' 
 the 'semina rerum' of Lucretius (Liddell& Scott), here possibly 
 with some suggestion of the growth of the vegetable world 
 (hence the translation "green"). There is assuredly no ref- 
 erence to the primeval "lumps with rude impress" of fr. 62, 
 for E. is here speaking of things as they are. 
 
 The long-lived gods: the gods in the On Nature of Em- 
 pedocles are part of the perishable world, formed, like tree or 
 fish, out of the elements ; hence, though "in honors excellent," 
 they are not immortal. 
 
74 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. 22. Heaven: air; cf. note to fr. 21. 
 
 For amber Sun, etc. : the mutual attraction of the like and 
 the repulsion of the unlike are here referred respectively to 
 the action of Love and Hate ; but elsewhere in his system Em- 
 pedocles leaves us much in the dark on the matter. Cf. Gom- 
 perz, p. 237. Tannery, p. 308. Also Burnet, p. 247. 
 
 Things that are most apt to mix: where the emanations of 
 the one are peculiarly well fitted to the pores of the other. Cf. 
 Burnet, 247 S. 
 
 Fr. 23. mixing harmonious, etc. : Gomperz (p. 233) sees a reference in 
 this fragment to the four primary colors, as analogous to the 
 four elements. The simile were then doubly striking. 
 
 The goddess: lit., 'divinity" {6eov), undoubtedly the Muse, 
 mentioned several times by E. (cf. fr. 4, 5, 131) ; important 
 as a hint that the author is poet as well as philosopher, and 
 may use language not always literally in accord with his sys- 
 tem. 
 
 Fr. 25. One may regret that Empedocles has not left us more such 
 pithy sayings. 
 
 Cf. 
 
 "A reasonable reason. 
 If good, is none the worse for repetition." 
 
 Byron, Don Juan, XV, Ji- 
 
 Fr. 26. In turn they conquer: "they" means the elements; cf. note 
 on fr. 17. 
 
 olden Fate: fate is mentioned several times by E., and can 
 only mean, I think, the universal law of being. 
 
 Whiles in fair order: Or. cfe ^va K6aiutv; it refers to that 
 orderly arrangement of the elements which results, as the uni- 
 fying process goes on, in the dead harmony of the Sphere. 
 
 Whiles rent asunder: this refers to the process which ends 
 in the complete dissipation of the elements and the destruction 
 of all things. 
 
 Till they, when grown. .. .succumb: i.e., as I understand it, 
 till, after having completed the process of coming together 
 again which ends in the Sphere, they again begin the process 
 of separating which ends in dissipation. Cf. fr. 17 ; and Zeller 
 (p- 77^) t who might question this interpretation. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 75 
 
 "Go under and succumb" is in the Greek virivepBe yiyrirai, a 
 phrase found in Theognis (1. 843) : 
 
 " 'AW iirSrav KaBiirepBev ii)v iirivepBe 7^itjtoi, 
 Tovrdxis of/caS* tfiev wavadiievoi Trifftos," 
 
 where the event is, however, hardly of the same cosmic im- 
 portance. 
 
 Fr. 27. There: in the Sphere, where one could distinguish none of 
 the elements and none of the forms of things. One notes that 
 the passage makes no mention of air, and wonders if a line 
 may have been lost The Sphere corresponds somewhat to 
 the "Being" of Parmenides, which was spherical and im- 
 movable; but the four elements, though in this sphere visibly 
 indistinguishable, must still maintain their respective qual- 
 ities. For various ancient interpretations of the nature of the 
 Sphere, cf. Burnet, p. 250 ff. 
 
 In the close recess of Harmony: "in Concordiae latebris 
 iixus tenetur." Diels, PPF. A poetic figure for the idea that 
 the Sphere is completely under the reign of Love. Possibly 
 "the close recess" is but the "surrounding solitude" below, and 
 is not, perhaps, to be taken any more literally than the refer- 
 ence to the Sphere as "exultant." If examined narrowly, 
 however, difficulties must be admitted. The figure may be 
 Pythagorean. Harmony, then, were the personified "fitting," 
 "adaptation," and would refer to the closely fitted parts of the 
 universe, when brought together by Love. TUkivb^ ('close- 
 fitted,' 'compact') were itself perfectly appropriate; but Kpitpos, 
 as a noun (meaning, as it seems to here, 'a hidden place') 
 would confuse the thought, for the figure, if Pythagorean, 
 requires us to conceive "Harmony" as pervading the Sphere, 
 not as hiding it somewhere in space. Moreover, one would 
 expect to find Kpi)0os applied to the Sphere rather than to the 
 recess. Prof. Newbold in a letter suggests Kpia for Kp^<l>v, i. e., 
 'in Harmonia's close-binding frost/ as "better than the MS 
 reading, though not altogether satisfactory." 
 
 Bodrero assumes (p. 135) that Harmony "is not Love alone, 
 but the union of Love and Hate, their equilibrium"; but his 
 whole interpretation of Erapedocles is very far from that of 
 all other scholars, and is usually, as here, of little service to 
 the point of view adopted in these pages. 
 
 The rounded Sphere: This primeval Sphere must never be 
 confounded with E.'s present spherical universe, composed, as 
 
76 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 we learn from the doxographers, of a revolving bright hemi-i 
 sphere of day and a dark hemisphere of night. Cf. note to 
 fr. 48. 
 
 Exultant in surrounding solitude: quoted with literary tact, 
 though in a corrupt form, by Marcus Aurelius (XII, 3) : "If 
 thou wilt separate, I say, from this ruling faculty the things 
 which are attached to it by the impressions of sense, and the 
 things of time to come and of time that is past, and wilt make 
 thyself like Empedocles' Sphere, 'AH round, and in its joyous 
 rest reposing.' " 
 
 Fr. 29. Cf. fr. 134, where expressions, in part identical, are used 
 apparently of the Divine; and note that below in fr. 31 the 
 Sphere is called God. 
 
 Nor form of life-producing member: a touch possible only 
 to a free and an austere imagination: Empedocles gazes upon 
 man, the naked and the swift, and seizes at once on that which 
 most identifies his manhood. 
 
 Fr. 30. Yet after mighty Strife : it will be remembered that Strife 
 breaks up and separates the elements in the Sphere. 
 
 Amplest oath : Gr. TrXar&s SpKov, lit. 'broad oath.' Cf. fr. lis. 
 
 Fr. 31. God: the Sphere. "This mixture of all materials is divine 
 only in the sense in which antiquity in general sees in the 
 world itself the totality of divine beings and powers." Zeller, 
 p. 813 ; cf . p. 814. 
 
 Fr. 32. "quod e coniectura scripsi artus iungit hina eleganter ex- 
 pressit Martianus Rota sive ingenio sive meliore libro fretus: 
 articulis constat semper iunctura duohus." Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. 33. Diels (PPF) cites Homer, £,902, and says "e Plut. patet 
 Concordise processum illustrari" — it illustrates the process of 
 Love. 
 
 Fr. 34. i. e., like a baker, according to Karsten and Burnet. 
 
 Fr. 35. When down the Vortex : the origin of the vortex is not ex- 
 plained in any existing fragment of Empedocles. Tannery 
 thinks (p. 312) "the vortex is due to a disturbance of equi- 
 librium. .. .the final resultant of the disordered movements 
 which Hate occasions in the Sphere." And again (p. 314) : 
 "Hate is the principle of division and movement; in con- 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. "JJ 
 
 sequence of its very mobility it works its way naturally into 
 the interior of the motionless Sphere, produces an agitation 
 and then a movement of revolution. Thereupon Hate is 
 thrown off to the circumference where the movement is most 
 rapid, and is finally excluded altogether." But cf. Zeller, p. 
 784, 787. This chaos, or vortex, caused, according to Tannery 
 by Hate, has suggested to some the "x'if/'a" of Hesiod and 
 the "rudes indigestaque moles" of Ovid; it was, however, an 
 accepted tenet of the older schools (cf. The Shv in Anaximenes 
 and Anaximander, W. A. Heidel, Class. Philology, I, 3., July 
 1906). 
 
 The eddying centre of the mass: "the mass" is not in the 
 Greek; but is to be understood rather than "the Sphere" — 
 which has properly ceased to be in becoming a vortex. 
 
 Oneness: not to be identified with the Sphere, but with the 
 "fair order" of fr. 26, as seems clear from the lines that fol- 
 low, "and from their mingling," etc. 
 
 Only as willingly: possibly a reference to the attraction of 
 like for like. Cf. note to fr. 22. 
 
 Not all blameless : i. e., Hate retreated under protest, differ- 
 ing from "blameless Lovingness" in not willingly submitting to 
 the "old decree" (see Diels, PPF, and fr. 30) ; although this 
 seems, if anjfthing more than a poetic touch, to involve the 
 inconsistency of a free will over against the fundamental ne- 
 cessity. Such cruxes recall the inconsistencies even in the 
 more developed materialism of modern times, which assumes 
 the possibility of sense experience and of distinguishing truth 
 and error, right and wrong. Cf. fr. 116. 
 
 The circle's utmost bounds : the circumference of the vortex, 
 not the Sphere. 
 
 The members: the elements. 
 
 Those mortal things : the elements as constituents of physical 
 objects in the perishable world, contrasted with the elements 
 as eternal sources of creation. Cf. fr. 17 and 26. "Dagli 
 elementi eterni si formano esseri viventi e peribili." Bodrero, 
 p. 130. The two states are again contrasted in 
 "The erstwhile pure and sheer 
 Were mixed," 
 below. 
 
 Fr. 36. They: The elements. Cf. preceding fragment 
 
78 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. 37. "cetera elementa duo commemorata fuisse veri simile (cf. 
 Lucr. II 1 1 14 sq.), at versus recuperari nequit." Diels, PPF. 
 Cf. fr. 109 on sense perception. 
 
 Fr. 38. If the brief examples of "all things we now behold" are to 
 correspond to the four elements, one finds nothing representa- 
 tive of fire, unless ether be here used, as by Anaxagoras, for 
 fire, with reference to the fiery sky (cf. note to fr. 135) and 
 to the etymology of the word itself (from atSeiv, 'light up,' 
 'blaze')— a sense, indeed, appropriate to the appellative "Titan." 
 But this were quite a different sense than is usual in E., with 
 whom ether regularly stands for the element air. This, how- 
 ever, involves us in another difficulty : "moist air" (vypis diip) 
 has been already mentioned ; but with Zeller we may interpret 
 it as the lower, thicker, misty air (so <ii}p in Homer), as op- 
 posed to the upper air, the pure ether, "without, however, 
 assuming any elemental difference," p. 786. "Moist air" is 
 rendered "feuchten Luftkreis" by Diels (FV), and "damp 
 mist" by Burnet. I may add that Burnet is evidently wrong 
 in affirming that iii}p never refers to air in E. : it is used inter- 
 changeably with aWvp ('air') in fr. 100 (q. v.) Cf. Stickney, 
 notes to Cicero's De Nat. Deorum, I, 44. 
 
 "With Ether, the Titan who binds the globe about :" 
 cf. 
 
 "Bread, kingdoms, stars, and sky that holds them all." 
 
 Emerson, Days. 
 
 Fr. 39. The white Ether: "white" is not in the Greek, but is in 
 keeping with E.'s "Ether, the all splendorous," the "awful 
 heights of Air," the vaulted sky of his imagination. 
 
 As forsooth some tongues, etc.: a gruffness reminding of 
 Heraclitus, and of Emerson's line: 
 
 "The brave Empedocles defying fools." 
 
 Fr. 41. E. seems to have conceived the sun as "a luminous image of 
 the earth, when the latter was lighted up by the fire of the 
 day [i. e., the bright hemisphere] and reflected upon the crys- 
 tal vault of heaven." Tannery, p. 317. But cf. Burnet, p. 254, and 
 Zeller, p. 789, for slight differences of interpretation. How 
 the sun, a mere reflection, was borne along its track in the re- 
 volving sky we are left to guess. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 79 
 
 Fr. 42. An anticipation of the modem scientific explanation of solar 
 eclipses. 
 
 The silver-eyed: yXavKdindos fi'nviiis; for the much discussed 
 7Xouitu7ris see the Homeric dictionaries. It refers properly 
 not to color but to "brightness and flashing splendor," used 
 especially of Athene, of whom the Iliad (A, 200) says, "Sewd 
 8^ oi 6a<re (piaveev." Cf. Schol. on Apoll. Rhod. I. 1280 (quoted 
 by Merrill and Riddell, Odys. A, 44) : "Suiy\aiaaov<ri.v ivrl toS 
 <j>aTliovai ^ SiaKiiittovai, SBev Kal ii 'Afliji/o yXavKuva, Kal 7\i}«j i) 
 xSpri rov 6<j>SaKiiov, irapi, ri y\ai(ra€iv S icrri X&imetv. Kal 'EipiwC- 
 Sijs eirj rijs aeKiivris ^xP'i<"^''0 y^avKuirls re arpitperai /jelivri-" But 
 it is doubtful if E., who speaks of "Selene mild," intended 
 here anything stronger than "with eye of silvery sheen." 
 
 y\avK6s is used of the willow, the olive, and E. himself uses 
 it (fr. 93) of the elder. Diels' "blauaugigen" seems to me in- 
 adequate. 
 
 Fr. 43. E. knew the source of the moon's light (cf. fr. 45, 47) ; but 
 the moon itself he held to be a disk of frozen air, and one-half 
 as far from the earth as the sun ("E. Sinkiatov ivixeu/ {rhv 
 ^Xwc) airb t^s 7^5 ^wep rip/ aeKlivitv." Plac. II, 31). 
 
 Fr. 44. He darts his beams : with Diels I take the subject to be 'the 
 sun' and not 'the earth' (Burnet) ; and "Oljrmpos" is then the 
 bright heaven. Tannery's "feu du jour" (see note to fr. 41). 
 E. explained the light of the heavenly bodies through his doc- 
 trine of emanations, and, accordingly maintained — a correct 
 conclusion from incorrect premises — that the sun's light re- 
 quires a certain time to reach earth. Cf. Zeller, p. 790. 
 
 Fr. 4B. Which round the outmost: probably 'goal is turning,' or 
 something of the sort, followed here. The form of the clause 
 shows that it served as a simile. 
 
 Fr. 47. Her lord : the sun, see -note on fr. 43. 
 
 Fr. 48. E. conceived our earth as surrounded by a hollow globe 
 composed of two hemispheres, a lighter of fire, a darker of 
 air, whose revolution produces day and night. Cf. Zeller, 
 p. 786 fl. This line means only that earth shuts off the light 
 of the fiery hemisphere that sinks below the horizon, bearing 
 with it its sun (see fr. 41). 
 
80 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. so. For authenticity cf. Diels, PPF. I am uncertain what scien- 
 tific meaning this line had for Empedocles ; but for the modern 
 reader it is at least charming poetry. Burnet (p. 256) says: 
 "Wind was explained from the opposite motions of the fiery 
 and airy hemispheres. Rain was caused by the compression 
 of the Air, which forced any water there might be in it out 
 of its pores in the form of drops." 
 
 Fr. SI. And upward, etc. : of fire, which, in E.'s thought, had an 
 upward, as air a downward (see fr. 54) tendency, innate 
 powers apparently not elsewhere explained. The peculiar 
 functions attributed by E. to fire led Aristotle (De gen. et con., 
 B 3. 330b 19) to separate it from the other elements of the 
 system, an interpretation developed with much ingenuity by 
 Bodrero (Chap. II.). 
 
 Fr. S2. Doubtless an allusion to volcanic phenomena, as common in 
 Sicily. 
 
 Fr. 53. "It" refers to air. "Met," i. e., with the other elements. 
 
 Fr. 54. See note to fr. 51. 
 
 Fr. ss. "The earth was at first mixed with water, but the in- 
 creasing compression caused by the velocity of the world's 
 revolution [the Vortex of fr. 35] made the water gush forth." 
 Burnet, p. 256. The phrase is not, then, as criticized by Aris- 
 totle, mere poetic metaphor. 
 
 Fr. 56. With E. fire has a crystallizing, condensing function. Cf. 
 fr. ^z. 
 
 Fr. S7-6i. These fragments contain the rude germ of the theory of 
 natural selection and the origin of species (but cf. Zeller, p. 
 79S) ; they seem to refer to a process of animal genesis during 
 the period when Love is increasing in power (i. e., the fourth 
 period ; see f r. 17) ; f r. 62, on the other hand to another process 
 when Hate is increasing (i. e., in the period of the present 
 world). Cf. Burnet, p. 261. 
 
 God zuith god : Gr. Sal/iovi Salnav, j. e.. Love and Hate. 
 
 There seems to be no reason for the conjecture, sometimes 
 advanced, that E. is here influenced by the monsters of Baby- 
 lonian legend and art. The Greek imagination was long fa- 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 8 1 
 
 miliar with centaurs, satyrs, chimaeras, Cyclops, hermaphro- 
 dites and other "mixed shapes of being." The library of 
 Johns Hopkins has recently (1906) been enriched, so a med- 
 ical colleague informs me, by a collection (originally from 
 Marburg), containing some 936 old volumes on monsters, 
 which the curious reader may consult at his leisure for further 
 parallels. 
 
 Fr. 62. See notes to fr. 57-61. 
 
 The sundered fire: Gr. Kpiv6itaiov irSp, lit. 'self-sundering* 
 — the fire which "bums beneath the ground" and has the 
 "upward zeal." Though E. is speaking here of mankind, 
 
 "Of men and women, the pitied and bewailed," 
 
 he probably considers the process as typical for the whole 
 animal kingdom. 
 
 Warm : warm and cold seem to have been important con- 
 ditions in E.'s system, the former favoring growth, the latter 
 inducing decay, old age, sleep, death, in the last instance per- 
 haps serving as the occasion for the separation of the elements 
 by Hate. The general idea is probably as old as speculation. 
 
 Fr. 63. For 'tis in part in man's : i. e., in part in the male semen. 
 E. explained conception as a union of male and female semen, 
 each furnishing parts for the formation of offspring. Cf. 
 
 "Aegre admiscetur muliebri semine semen." 
 
 Lucr., IV, 1239. 
 
 In so far as this ancient belief recognizes that both sexes 
 furnish the germs of the offspring, it is an anticipation of 
 modem embryology. 
 
 Fr. 64. An alternative reading, a little freer : 
 
 "Love-longing comes upon him, waking well 
 Old memories, as he gazes." 
 
 Fr. 65. This is, perhaps, as rational as most modem theories. "At 
 present we are almost absolutely ignorant concerning the 
 causation of sex, though certain observers are inclined to 
 suppose that the determining factor must be sought for in the 
 ovum." Williams, Obstetrics (1904), p. 143. 
 
82 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. 66. Cloven meads : surely the labia majora. 
 
 Ft. 68. White pus: Gr. t6 viov, not 4 tCos ('colostrum'), if my 
 available lexical information be correct, though the latter is 
 probably meant (Burnet). The comparison seems to be — 
 however grotesque — between mother's milk (properly colos- 
 trum) in the breast enlarging during pregnancy, and the 
 matter of a suppurating boil — the teat of the former corre- 
 sponding to the "head" of the latter. Colostrum is, however, 
 present in the breast after the first few months. 
 
 Fr. 69. Twice-bearing : i. e., bearing offspring in the seventh and 
 tenth month. 
 
 Fr. 70. Sheepskin: used of the membrane conceived as covering 
 the "embryo" (fcetus?). E. could only have been familiar 
 with the membranes which follow the birth of the young. 
 
 Fr. 71. Sun : this is of course here a symbol for the element fire. 
 
 Fr. 73. Kypris: Aphrodite, Love. 
 
 To speed of ■fi/re that she might grow firm: fire has a con- 
 densing property. Cf. fr. 56. 
 
 Fr. 74. The subject may be Aphrodite. 
 
 Fr. 75-76. Here the bones, the earthen part (in modern science, the 
 lime) within some animals are related, quite in the spirit of 
 our own physiology, to the shells on the outside of others. 
 The turtle's shell, consisting chiefly of keratin, is, however, 
 morphologically connected, like horn, finger-nails, etc., with 
 the Skin. Aristotle (Pneumat. 484a 38) says that E. explained 
 fingernails as produced from sinew by hardening. 
 
 Fr. 77-78. Trees were supposed by E. to derive their nourishment 
 through their pores from the air, more or less vitalizing ac- 
 cording to the mixture — again a suggestion of modern science. 
 
 Fr. 79. In thus assimilating the seeds of the olive tree to the eggs 
 laid by birds, E. was probably guided by similarity no less of 
 function than of form. 
 
 Fr. 80. Wherefore: Can any one tell me? Prof. McGilvary happily 
 suggests it is "because the pomegranate has a very hard 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 83 
 
 thick skin, not admitting air as readily as the thin skin of an 
 apple. See fr. 77-78." 
 
 Fr. 82. A doctrine of comparative morphology that has reminded 
 many critics of the poet-scientist Goethe. 
 
 Fr. 84. Of horny lantern : the ancients had lanterns made of trans- 
 lucent horn, and "horny," though not in the text, must he 
 understood here. 
 
 "Emp. conceives the eye as a sort of lantern. The apple 
 of the eye contains fire and water enclosed in films, the pores 
 of which, alternately arranged for each element, give to the 
 emanations of each a free passage. Fire serves for perceiving the 
 bright, water for the dark. When the emanations of visible 
 things reach the outside of the eye, there pass through the 
 pores from within it emanations of its fire and water, and 
 from the joint meeting arises vision." Zeller, p. 801. 
 
 "It was an attempt, however inadequate, to explain percep- 
 tion by intermediate processes. It was an attempt, moreover, 
 which admitted, however reluctantly, the subjective factor, 
 thus completing one stage of the journey whose ultimate goal 
 is to recognize that our sense-perceptions are anything rather 
 than the mere reflections of exterior objective qualities of 
 things." Gomperz, p. 235. Cf. Burnet, p. 267. 
 
 Fr. 86. Front which : i. e., from these elements. 
 
 Fr. 87. Bolts of love: a metaphor for the uniting power of Aphro- 
 dite. Cf. fr. 96. 
 
 Fr. 88. Interesting as an early lesson in a sound theory of optics. 
 
 Fr. 89. Cf. note on fr. 2. 
 
 Fr. go. Sour sprung for Sour: "went for'' (?/3i) would be a more 
 effective rendering, but for the slangy connotations. 
 
 Fr. 92. Diels (FV), following Aristotle, who has preserved us the 
 fragment, makes the connection sufficiently clear : "Die Samen- 
 mischung bet der Erzeugung von Mauleseln bringt, da zwei 
 weiche Stoffe zusammenkommen, eine harte Verhindung zu- 
 stande. Denn nur Hohles and Dichtes passt zu einander. 
 Dort aber geht es, wie wenn man Zinn und Kupfer mischt" 
 
84 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. 93. Silvery : See note to fr. 42. 
 
 Fr. 94. Preserved only in Latin (Plut. Qmest. not, SQ)- Diels 
 (PPF) has thus turned it into Greek: 
 
 "Kal iriKei ip ^ivBei TroTO/ioC luiKav eK aKtdevros 
 Kal awiiKai&Seaaiv i/iCis ivoparai ev &»rpoiS," 
 
 Fr. 9S. They : i. e., the eyes. The thought is thus completed by Diels 
 (FV), following Simplicius: "ergab sich auch der Unterschied, 
 dass einige bei Tag, andere hei Nacht heller sehen." 
 
 Fr. 96. Thus bones are formed of 2 parts earth, 2 parts water, and 
 4 parts fire. 
 
 Broad-breasted melting pots: "ben construtti vasi," as Bod- 
 rero translates it. 
 
 Glue of Harmony : cf . "bolts of love.'' 
 
 Fr. 97. Thus completed by Diels (FV), following Aristotle: "hat 
 ihre Form daher, dass sie bei der Entstehung der Tiere durch 
 eine sufdllige Wendung zerbrach." 
 
 Fr. 98. She met: Gr. avviKvpae, a word, among others, which sug- 
 gests in Empedocles' system, an implicit doctrine of chance. 
 Cf. fr. 102, 103. Cf. Bodrero, p. 107 ff. 
 
 Ether, the all-splendorous : an illustration of how E. will 
 sometimes emphasize a term, used symbolically to denote an 
 element as one of the four-fold roots of all things, by an 
 epithet suggestive of that element as it appears, in the world 
 about us. 
 
 Diels (PPF) paraphrases: "Tellus ad sanguinem efficiendum 
 fere pares partes ignis, aquae, aeris arcessit, sed fieri potest ut 
 paulo plus terrae aut minus, ut quae pluribus elementis una 
 occurrat, admisceatur." 
 
 Fr. 99. A fleshy sprout : E.'s picturesque definition of the outer ear. 
 The inner ear he likens to a bell which sounds as the air 
 strikes upon it — again an anticipation of modern science. 
 
 Fr. 100. This fragment (cf. fr. 105) shows some knowledge of the 
 motions of the blood, though far enough from the discovery 
 of Harvey. Cf. Harvest's own work On the Motion of the 
 Heart and Blood in Animals (1628) for the anterior views. 
 As a theory of respiration, it is as grotesque as it is ingenious. 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 85 
 
 The comparison with the clepsydra, though in form of a 
 Homeric simile, rests, as Burnet points 
 out, upon scientific experiment, and is " 
 
 doubly significant for its sound physics. 
 The following diagram and analysis 
 from Burnet (p. 230) will, perhaps, make 
 the allusion clear: 
 
 "The water escaped drop by drop 
 through a single orifice at a. The top b 
 was not altogether open, but was per- 
 forated so that the air might exert its 
 pressure on the water inside. The in- 
 strument was filled by plunging it in 
 water upside down, and stopping the 
 orifice at a with the finger before taking 
 it out again." 
 
 The water's destined bulk : i. e., a cor- 
 responding mass of water. 
 
 Fr. loi. All that is left of E.'s theory of scent. The mites are the 
 emanations. 
 
 Fr. 102. Got: lit, "chanced on'' (XeX<7xo<")- Cf. note on fr. 98. 
 
 Fr. 103. Chance: cf. note on fr. 98. Here, as in some passages 
 elsewhere, E. seems to be a hylozoist. Cf. Zeller, p. 802; but 
 E. nowhere credits the elements as such, with consciousness, 
 unless fr. 109 be so interpreted (but cf. Gomperz, p. 245). 
 
 Fr. 104. The lightest: supply "bodies.'' 
 
 Fr. 105. In the blood streams : cf. note to fr. 100. 
 
 The blood that stirs, etc. : the verse was often alluded to by 
 the ancients (cf. Diels, PPF), and TertuUian seems himself 
 to have turned it into Latin in his De Anima (chap. 16) : 
 
 "namque homini sanguis circumcordialis et sensus." 
 
 But E. did not mean here, I think, to exclude some power of 
 thought from other parts of the body ; he says "where prevails 
 the power," i. e., where it chiefly {liaKiara) exists. Cf. Zeller, 
 p. 803. 
 
86 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. io6. Cf. 
 
 "Praeterea gigni pariter cum corpore et una 
 crescere sentimus pariterque senescere mentem." 
 
 Lucr., Ill, 44S-6. 
 
 "Empedocles hat nicht die Seek aus den Elementen zusam- 
 mengesetzt, sondern er hat das, was wir Seelenthatigkeit nen- 
 nen, aus der elementarischen Zusammensetzung des Korpers 
 erklart, eine vom Korper verschiedene Seek kennt seine Phy- 
 sik nicht" — i. e., a soul as distinct from the composition of the 
 ekments in the body is nowhere found in the On Nature. 
 Zelkr, p. 802. 
 
 Fr. 107. These : the ekments. Cf. note on fr. 106. 
 
 Fr. 108. "By day" and "by night" have been supplied here from 
 references in Simpl. and Philop., quoted by Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. 109. Through Earth, etc. : "we think each element with the cor- 
 responding element in our body" (Zeller, p. 802), and the 
 same holds true of Love and Hate (cf. note on fr. 17). 
 
 Cf . Plotinus : 06 y&p &i> wtivore clSev 6(fi8a\iibs ^\iov i/KioeiSiis iiii 
 yeyernnipos. Cf . also Goethe : 
 
 "War' nicht das Auge sonnenhaft. 
 Die Sonne konnt' es nie erblicken ; 
 Lag" nicht in uns des Gottes eig'ne Kraft, 
 Wie konnt' uns Gottliches entziicken?" 
 
 Man is the microcosm. 
 
 Fr. no. All these things: perhaps the good thoughts of the master's 
 doctrine; E. is here, as elsewhere, addressing Pausanias. 
 
 For of themselves they grow, etc.: sound psychology, if 
 
 my interpretation just above be correct, and capable of serving 
 as the basis for a chapter in the philosophy of living, on the 
 practical bearings upon character of right and wrong thinking. 
 
 All things have fixed intent : i. e., consciousness. 
 
 Fr. III. Drugs: Gr. 0ipimKa; possibly "charms" is better, as sug- 
 gested to me by a friend. Galen makes E. the founder of the 
 Italian school of medicine. Cf. Burnet, p. 215. 
 
 The dominion over human ills, sickness, windstorms, drought 
 and death, here promised to Pausanias, was early imputed to 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 87 
 
 Empedocles himself (cf. Introduction), perhaps, chiefly by vir- 
 tue of these lines. 
 
 The might of perished men: Gr. Kara^Binivov lUvat &vSp6s. 
 "Spirits of the dead" seems hardly permissible with itivos 
 (though the word is sometimes used of the spirit, the courage 
 of man), and would render still more crass the contradiction 
 with what E. has elsewhere told us in the On Nature of the 
 psychic life. One would conjecture that the fragment belongs 
 to the Purifications, but for the fact that it is addressed to 
 Pausanias, and not, as the latter, to the citizens of Acragas. 
 
 THE PURIFICATIONS. 
 
 The inconsistency of the religious tenets of this poem with the 
 philosophic system of the On Nature is, like the relation between the 
 two parts of Parmenides' poem, a commonplace in the history of 
 Greek thought; and, though attempts at a reconciUation have been 
 made, conservatively by Burnet (p. 271), radically by Bodrero (pas- 
 sim), our materials seem too scanty for anything more than in- 
 genious speculation. The work evidently owes much to Orphic and 
 Pythagorean tradition; but there seems no reason for doubting its 
 genuineness. 
 
 Fr. 112. The yellow Acragas: The river beside the walls of Agri- 
 gentum. 
 
 As god immortal now : an Orphic line runs : 
 
 "Happy and blessed, shalt thou be a god and no longer 
 a mortal." 
 
 Cf. Harrison, Proleg. to Study of Greek Religion, p. 589. 
 
 Crowned both with fillets and with flowering wreaths: Em- 
 pedocles' passage about the Sicilian cities reminds one of the 
 peasant-prophet who went about the populous towns of Gali- 
 lee, followed by the multitudes seeking a sign or a healing 
 word; but th^ simplicity of the Jew is more impressive than 
 the display of the Greek. 
 
 Fr. 113. I. e., "Why should I boast of my miracles and my following, 
 who am a god and so much above mankind?" E., if an 
 Orphic (cf. Burnet, p. 213, and his references), has here 
 
88 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 little of even "the somewhat elaborate and self-conscious hu- 
 mility" of his sect. 
 
 Fr. IIS- With amplest oaths: cf. fr. 30. 
 
 Those far spirits: Gr. Batiioves; Burnet (p. 269) identifies 
 these with "the long-lived gods" of the On Nature. 
 
 With slaughter: i. e., bloodshed of animals, no less than of 
 fellowmen; it probably refers also to the eating of flesh. Cf. 
 fr. 136. 
 
 In offense : in sin, sinfully. 
 
 Thrice ten thousand years: Gr. rpJi iivplai Spai, by some 
 
 interpreted as 10,000 years. Cf. Zeller, p. 780. 
 
 Be born through time, etc.: the doctrine of metempsychosis 
 in E. is probably Pythagorean in origin, though apparently 
 not entirely Pythagorean in form: "Non e specializzata solo a 
 certi determinati esseri, ma riguarda tutti gli esseri organic! 
 e giunge sino agli Dei," according to Bodrero (p. 146). 
 
 For now Air hunts them, etc. : Here we have mention of the 
 familiar four elements, and below of Hate, but the realm of 
 the Blessed and the curse pronounced upon the spirits seem in- 
 compatible with the On Nature. Moreover, something is 
 needed after all for metemphychosis besides "the reappearance 
 of the same corporeal elements in definite combinations" 
 (Burnet, p. 271), though perhaps Empedocles deemed that 
 sufficient. Cf. the Buddhistic doctrine of reincarnation and 
 retribution. Cf. also Gomperz, p. 249 if. 
 
 Fr. 116. Charis: Aphrodite. In the On Nature (fr. 35) E. refers 
 to the unwillingness also of Hate to submit to the law of ne- 
 cessity. 
 
 Fr. 117. Possibly as a punishment for having tasted flesh: "Empe- 
 docle ci fa sapere che il suo spirito era gia pervenuto alia sede 
 dei besti, ma che cedendo alia tentazione accosto impuri cibi 
 agli labbri [cf. fr. 139], e torno ad essere arbusto, pesce, uccello, 
 fanciuUo e giovinetta." Bodrero, p. 147. 
 
 "So long as man [in the Orphic belief] has not severed 
 completely his brotherhood with plants and animals, not real- 
 ized the distinctive marks and attributes of his humanity, he 
 will say with Empedocles: 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 89 
 
 'Once on a time a youth was I, and I was a maiden, 
 A bush, a bird, and a fish with scales that gleam in the 
 ocean.' " 
 
 Harrison, Proleg. to Study of Greek Religion, p. 590. 
 
 Fr. 118. This must refer to Empedocles' feelings, as he entered, 
 after banishment from heaven, upon his earthly career (cf. fr. 
 119). Cf. 
 
 "Infans. . . . 
 vagituque locum lugubri complet, ut aequmst 
 cui tantum in vita restet transire malorum." 
 
 Lucr., V, 226. 
 
 For other parallels see Munro and Guissani, notes to loc. cit. 
 
 Fr. 119. Cf. note to fr. 118. 
 
 Fr. 121. A joyless land: with fr. 122 and 123 this refers, as I under- 
 stand it, to our mundane world itself. 
 
 And Labors hurthened with the water-jars: this is a para- 
 phrase of the puzzling ^PT" 'pevarA., which, it has been sug- 
 gested to me by Prof. Newbold, "'can hardly be anything other 
 than the fruitless toil of the water-carriers, representing, if 
 the scene be earth, life's disappointments and the vanity of all 
 human pursuits." If this interpretation be correct, the figure 
 is evidently taken from the conception of the Orphic Hell, 
 which, if the literary tradition be reliable, was situated upon 
 earth (for water-carriers in Hell, cf. Harrison, Proleg. to 
 Study of Greek Religion, Chap. XI, p. 614 ff.) ; but that E. is 
 depicting scenes from the Orphic Hell itself may be ques- 
 tioned from what is preserved to us of the context: he seems 
 throughout these adjacent fragments to be dwelling on the 
 earthly abiding place unto which he and others must descend 
 from the realm of the blessed. 
 
 But Diels (PPF) : "'nee sunt humanae res Huxae (Karsten) 
 nee vero foedum morbi genus (Stein), sed agri inundationibus 
 vexati." According to this, it might run in English : 
 
 "And slimy floods of wasting waters rise 
 And wander," etc. 
 Cf. 
 
 "Lightning and Inundation vexed the plains." 
 
 Shelley, Prometheus Unbound, I, 169. 
 
90 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 Fr. 122. There : i. e., in the joyless land," the "roofed cave," this 
 earth. 
 
 Virgin of the Sun: the moon(?). 
 
 The personages that follow are feminine. E. evidently 
 imitates the catalogue of Nymphs in II. S 39: 
 
 "'h6' &p' hjv rXai5/oj re, SiiXeui re KvfioSdKii re". . . .ktX, 
 
 Fr. 125. This refers, perhaps, to the passage from the life of the 
 blessed to the (relative) death on this earth, where souls are 
 wrapped 
 
 "in unfamiliar tunics of the flesh" (fr. 126.), 
 and have a hapless existence. 
 
 Fr. 126. This refers to metempsychosis. 
 
 Fr. 127. The worthiest dwellings: for those who have proceeded in 
 their purification ; expanded from the context where the orig- 
 inal passage is found (in Ael. nat. an., XII, 7., quoted by Diels, 
 PPF) : "\dyei. di Kal 'E. t)iv iplarriv elvai utroiKiiaiv riiv tow 
 AvOpdirov, el fiiv is ^diov ^ X^{(s aiirhv /lerayiyoi, X^ovra ylvea- 
 0ai ■ et Sh is ipvTov, S&ipvriv." E. conceived the plants as having 
 souls, a fancy not confined to antiquity. 
 
 Fr. 12S. A Golden Age seems incompatible with the biology of the 
 On Nature, but cf. Burnet (p. 271), who thinks it to be re- 
 ferred to the time when Hate was just beginning to separate 
 the elements. 
 
 Kydoimos: personification of uproar, as in battle. 
 
 Unmixed blood: the figure is from unmixed wine, which, 
 as such, is thick and dark. 
 
 Fr. 129. "Similiter mentis infinitam vim (philosophi scilicet non vatis) 
 Parmenides praedicat fr. 2 \evtTtre 8' S/uas iire6vTa viiai irapeSvTa 
 Pepalias kt\. unde apparet cur nonnuUi Parmenidem hie respici 
 arbitrati sunt, nee dubium cur Pythagorae quater redivivi 
 mentio ["a reference to Pythagoras, four times returned to 
 life"] facta sit." Diels, PPF. But Burnet (p. 236), conjec- 
 turing that E. is still speaking of the Golden Age, thinks the 
 "supreme man" is Orpheus. 
 
 In ten or twenty human ages: cf. paraphrase of Diels 
 (PPF) : "ubi summa vi mentem intenderat, facile singula quae- 
 
THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. QI 
 
 cumque sive decern sive viginti hominum saeculis fiebant per- 
 spicere solebat." 
 
 Fr. 132. Bodrero in his attempt to interpret harmoniously all the 
 thoughts of Empedocles explains this passage with reference 
 to what has gone before in the On Nature as follows : "Felice 
 colui che ha una cosi perfetta composizione di elementi da 
 poter comprendere la natura degli Dei; misero chi per la 
 poverta delle proprie risorse, segue le credenze superstiziose 
 e comuni" (p. 159). 
 
 Fr. 134. Cf. fr. 29 and note. Burnet thinks that E. is here too 
 speaking of the Sphere; but the last lines seem out of place 
 in such a connection, even though we recall that E. has vaguely 
 named the Sphere "God" (fr. 31). 
 
 Fr. 135. Broad-ruling Ether, etc. : "den weithin herrschenden Feuer- 
 aether und den unermesslichen Himmelsglanz." Diels, FV. 
 Cf. note to fr. 38. 
 
 Din of slaughter: killing of animals. Cf. fr. 137 and 115. 
 The reader need hardly be reminded of the Orphic interdict 
 against eating animal food. 
 
 Fr. 138. "As our philosopher placed life and soul in the blood [cf. 
 fr. 105], it was not unnatural for him to speak of 'drawing the 
 soul.' " Diels, PPF. The passage seems to refer either to 
 the draining or scooping up into a bronze vessel of the blood 
 of slaughtered animals, or to cutting their throats with a 
 sacrificial knife of bronze. 
 
 Fr. 139. Cf. note on fr. 117. 
 
 Fr. 140. For the probable reason of this injunction cf. fr. 127. 
 
 Fr. 141. A familiar Pythagorean commandment, on the meaning of 
 which scholars have offered a variety of suggestions. Bodrero 
 (p .149) and others connect it with the doctrine of metem- 
 psychosis (cf. fr. 139, 127) ; Burnet (p. 104) well compares it 
 (and kindred Pythagorean rules) to the bizarre taboos of 
 savages. Possibly there was some fancied association, based 
 on shape, with the egg (as E. likened olives to eggs in fr. 79), 
 which, as may be gathered from Plutarch, was held by Orphics 
 and Pythagoreans to be taboo, perhaps as being the principle 
 
92 THE FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOCLES. 
 
 of life (cf. Harrison, Proleg. to Study of Greek Religion, p. 
 
 Fr. 142. "etiam sensus incertus, utrum lovis et Hecates regna (cf. 
 fr. 13s, 2?) opponantur an quattuor elementa, unde exclusus 
 sit scelestus (cf. fr. 115, 9)." Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. 143. Scooping : Gr. ra/iSpr', 'cutting,' i. e., water for purposes of 
 ceremonial lustration(?), for which bronze vessels were regu- 
 larly employed. 
 
 Fr. 144. George Herbert uses the same figure somewhere in his 
 poems. 
 
 Fr. 14s. Evil doings: presumably such "sin" as referred to above 
 which doom souls to 
 
 "be born through time 
 In various shapes of mortal kind which change 
 Ever and ever paths of troublous life." Fr. 115. 
 
 Fr. 146-7. The last words left us of the all too few on the trans- 
 migration of the soul. 
 
 Fr. 148. This does not refer to "mother earth," but to the human 
 body, "t6 TTJi fvxvi irepiKelinevov aS/ia" (Plut. Quaest. Conviv. 
 V 8, 2, p. 683 E [post fr. 80], quoted by Diels, PPF). 
 
 Fr. 149. Of air. 
 
 Fr. 151. Of Aphrodite. 
 
 Fr. 152. Preserved in Aristotle's Poetics, 21, quoted by Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. 153. Gr. Pav^ii, a very rare word : "arnialva SJ koI KoCKlav &s trap' 
 'EiiveSoKKel." Hesych., quoted by Diels, PPF. 
 
 Fr. iS3a. Diels (FV) translates the doxographer: "In sieben mal 
 sieben Tagen wird der Embryo (seiner Gliederung nach) 
 durchgebildet."