Verses Written by Greek Philosopher Empedocles Have Been Discovered for the First Time
Empedocles stands as a towering figure in the realm of Ancient Greek philosophy. For the first time, verses credited to Empedocles, who graced the earth between 490 and 430 BC, have been unearthed. A papyrus, with an impressive age of approximately two millennia, excavated from an archive in Egypt, has served as a time capsule, transporting the renowned philosopher's words into the present day.
Source
A 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment unearthed in Cairo has revealed 30 verses attributed to Empedokles.
According to a report by Arkeofili, a 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment discovered in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo has revealed 30 previously unpublished lines attributed to Empedocles, a philosopher of the 5th century BC. The first edition, translation, and commentary of these lines have been published in the book 'L’Empédocle du Caire,' compiled by Nathan Carlig, Alain Martin, and Olivier Primavesi.
These lines have stirred significant excitement in the scientific community, as they provide direct access to Empedokles' thoughts. Prior to this, the philosopher's ideas were only known through fragmented and indirect quotes relayed by other authors. According to researchers, this discovery could profoundly alter our current understanding of early Greek thought.
Instead of indirect information, provide direct text.
According to researchers, the most significant aspect of this discovery is that it provides the opportunity to examine Empedocles' thoughts directly for the first time.
Until now, the philosopher's ideas were primarily known through quotations found in the works of figures like Plato, Aristotle, and Plutarch. This situation implied that interpretations could be incomplete or biased.
The newly discovered papyrus, on the other hand, offers the chance to read Empedocles' own words without any interpretive filter. Moreover, this text holds the distinction of being the only known direct copy of Physica.
Scientists view this discovery as a kind of 'second Renaissance' in terms of unearthing ancient texts. Carlig states, 'Borrowing the words of Peter Parsons, this is, in a way, the 'second Renaissance' of ancient literature. The publication of this research opens up new perspectives for understanding Empedocles' teachings and his work in a broader sense; it aids in better positioning the philosopher within the history of Greek philosophy and in defining his relationships with his predecessors and successors more accurately.'
Keşfet ile ziyaret ettiğin tüm kategorileri tek akışta gör!
Test
Gündem
Magazin
Video
Send Comment