Apollo and other gods in Empedocles
(Oliver Primavesi, 2006)
Apollo and other gods in Empedocles, in: La costruzione del pensiero filosofico nell’età dei Presocratici / The Construction of Philosophical Discourse in the Age of the Presocratics, a cura di Maria Michela Sassi, Pisa : Edizioni della Normale 2006, p. 52-77 (B 1152, B 1151, B 134).
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between the two components of Empedocles’ teachings. On the one hand, there is a myth about the primordial guilt of the daimon, his punishment by a series of reincarnations, and his redemption. This myth is somehow linked to an advocacy of vegetarianism. On the other hand, there is a ‘presocratic’ physics, including a theory of principles, a cosmology, and a biology. It will be argued that the function of the Empedoclean myth is to mirror the cosmic cycle of the physical system in an allegorical way which brings out its impact from a human perspective. Furthermore, among the two or three conceivable models of the Empedoclean myth the legend of Apollo’s exile seems to be the one which was not only perceived as such a model already in antiquity but also hinted at by Empedocles himself.
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Empedocle: tra poesia, medicina, filosofia e politica
(éd. G. Casertano, 2007)
1. Indice generale
Presentazione ...................................................................................................... pag. 5
1. Empedocle poeta.
Alcune considerazioni sul fr. B 152 DK (Alain Martin) » 15
2. Teologia fisica, mitica e civile in Empedocle (Oliver Primavesi) » 30
3. L’immaginario empedocleo (Giuseppina Grammatico) .......................... » 48
4. Empedocle fra mythos e logos (Federica Montevecchi) ....................... » 71
5. Empedocle e il linguaggio poetico (Lidia Palumbo) ............................... » 83
6. Vita e morte, amore e contesa in Empedocle
(José Gabriel Trindade Santos) » 108
7. Livello scientifico e livello mitico nei poemi di Empedocle
(Giovanni Cerri) » 122
8. Empedocle mago (Paolo Scarpi) ............................................................. » 143
9. Empedocle: una struttura di duplicità (Stefania Nonvel Pieri) » 157
10. Empedocle e Agrigento (Alfonso Mele) .................................................. » 179
11. La città di Empedocle: le evidenze archeologiche (Giovanna Greco) » 198
12. Epicuro ed Empedocle (Giuliana Leone) ................................................ » 221
13. Empedocle nelle testimonianze ermarchee (Gioia Maria Rispoli) ...... » 241
14. Demetrio Lacone ed Empedocle (Enzo Puglia) ..................................... » 270
15. Filodemo ed Empedocle (Giovanni Indelli) ........................................... » 277
16. Empedocle in Hölderlin (Violetta Waibel) .............................................. » 289
17. L'Empedocle di Nietzsche (Monique Dixsaut) ....................................... » 310
Appendice Una volta fui arbusto e muto pesce del mare
(Giovanni Casertano) ...................................................................... » 331
Indice dei nomi .................................................................................................. » 339
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Philosophie antique, n° 7, 2007.
Table des matières
M. Laura Gemelli Marciano
Lire du début :
remarques sur les incipit des écrits présocratiques 7-37
Holger Schmid
Sur la généalogie du rationnel : une ou deux questions 39-50
Oliver Primavesi
Empédocle : divinité physique et mythe allégorique 51-89
Anne-Laure Therme
Est-ce par un tourbillon que l’amour empédocléen joint ?
L’hypothèse de l’aimantation 91-119
Frédéric Gain
Le statut du daimon chez Empédocle 121-150
Annie Hourcade
Transformation de l’âme et moralité chez Démocrite et Épicure 151-178
Paul Demont
Démocrite, l’atomisme, l’éthique et les atomes de l’âme :
quelques remarques 179-187
Maria Michela Sassi
Ordre cosmique et isonomia :
en repensant Les Origines de la pensée grecque de Jean-Pierre Vernant 189-218
Ada Neschke-Hentschke
Platonisme politique et jusnaturalisme européen 219-254
Comptes rendus 255-280
Bulletin bibliographique 281-283
Résumé de chacun des trois articles consacrés à Empédocle :
EMPÉDOCLE : DIVINITÉ PHYSIQUE ET MYTHE ALLÉGORIQUE
Oliver PRIMAVESI
Université de Munich
Philosophie antique, n° 7 (2007), 51-89.
RÉSUMÉ. On se propose dans cet article d'examiner la relation entre la théorie physique d'Empédocle et sa loi mythique sur le daimon coupable. Deux caractéristiques du système physique revêtent ici une importance particulière : (1) plusieurs composants élémentaires du système font partie des « dieux à la longue vie » ; cela s'applique, d'une part, aux masses concentriques de terre, eau, air et feu à l'état pur pendant les quatre mille ans de séparation complète, et d'autre part au Sphairos, c'est-à-dire au mélange intégral des quatre éléments pendant les quatre mille ans d'unité complète. En ce sens, le système physique est une théologie physique ; (2) dans l'exposition du système, il y a deux façons de renvoyer aux cinq dieux à la longue vie : parfois il en est question en termes purement physiques, parfois ils sont identifiés de manière allégorique aux dieux traditionnels de la mythologie et du culte. Les quatre masses pures à la longue vie peuvent ainsi recevoir les noms de Zeus, Héra, Aidoneus et Nestis ; de même, le Sphairos pouvait être appelé Apollon. On soutiendra ici que la loi mythique sur le daimon coupable appartient à ce registre allégorique ; sa fonction est de refléter le cycle cosmique du système physique de façon à en exprimer toute la force d'un point de vue humain.
SUMMARY. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between Empedocles' physical theory and his mythical law about the guilty daimon. two features of the physical System are of special importance here: First, several basic items of the system unequivocally count as "long-lived gods"; this applies on the one hand to the four pure concentric masses of earth, mater, air, and fire during the 4 000 years period of complete separation, on the other hand to the Sphairos, i.e. the all embracing combination of the four elements during the 4 000 years period of complete unity. In this sense, the physical system is a physical theology. Second, within the exposition of the system, there are two different ways of referring to the five long-lived gods: Sometimes they are addressed in straightforward physical terms, sometimes they are identified in an allegorical way with the traditional gods of myth and cult. Thus, the four long-lived pure masses can be called Zeus, Hera, Aidoneus, and Nestis; similarly, the Sphairos may possibly called Apollo. It will be argued that the mythical law about the guilty daimon belongs to the allegorical level of expression; its function is to mirror the cosmic cycle of the physical system in a way which brings out its impact from a human perspective.
EST-CE PAR UN TOURBILLON
QUE L'AMOUR EMPÉDOCLÉEN JOINT?
L'hypothèse de l'aimantation
Anne-Laure THERME
Lycée Chanzy, Charleville-Mézières
Philosophie antique, n° 7 (2007), 91-119.
RÉSUMÉ. Pour Empédocle, le devenir se résout en termes de mélange et de dissociation de quatre éléments matériels, dus à des forces contraires, Amour et Haine : ces processus doivent-ils être conçus comme symétriques, opérant à rebours l'un de l'autre selon un même schème ? Si l'on sait que la séparation par la Haine, d'un point de vue cosmique, advient au moyen d'un tourbillon discriminant, qu'en est-il du mode opératoire de l'Amour, par lequel les dissemblables se mêlent ? Le présent article développe l'hypothèse que la cohésion et la compacité des mélanges réalisés par l'Amour peut se comprendre par analogie avec les phénomènes d'attraction « magnétique », dont la théorie empédocléenne des effluves offre une explication.
SUMMARY. Becoming is analyzed by Empedocles in terms of motion: the four material elements are mixed and dissociated by two opposite forces, Love and Strife. Are these processes to be conceived as symmetrical, that is as operating within the same framework, though in opposite ways? At a cosmic level, we know that separation by Strife occurs by means of a discriminating whirl: but how does Love mix the dissimilars? The hypothesis of this article is that cohesion and compactness of the mixtures produced by Love may be understood by analogy with the «magnetic» attraction, which Empedocles' theory of effluences accounts for.
LE STATUT DU « DAIMON » CHEZ EMPéDOCLE
Frédéric GAIN
Université Lille III
Philosophie antique, n° 7 (2007), 121-150.
RÉSUMÉ. Cet article vise à établir un lien entre l'occurrence pratique du terme daimon dans le fragment B 115 d'Empédocle, généralement associée à un sens propre, et son usage dans le contexte simplement physique de B 59. Afin de trancher la question de l'indépendance, de la subordination ou de l'équivalence entre les deux usages, nous menons une analyse lexicologique des deux occurrences dans leur contexte syntaxique : l'importance de l'individualité comme relation à d'autres entités de même ordre fait signe dans les deux cas vers une notion unique de daimon, rendant possible de fonder une analogie entre démons physiques et démons pratiques.
SUMMARY. The aim of this article is to set out a relation between the practical occurrence of daimon in Empedocles B 115, usually taken to carry the proper meaning of the term, and its use in B 59 in a merely physical context. In order to decide whether the two occurrences are equivalent, independent from one another, or in a relation of subordination, I analyse, from a lexical point of view, the two occurrences in their syntactical contexts: the fact that, in both cases, the term refers to an individuality considered in relationship to other entities of the same level suggests a common notion of daimon, which could enable us to ground an analogy between physical and practical daimones.
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Tomáš Vítek, Empedoklés : I. / Studie, 2001
Tomáš Vítek, Empedoklés : II. / Zlomky, 2006
Ci-dessous : un résumé en anglais, rédigé par l’auteur, de Studie et de Zlomky (= fragments).
VtekEmpedoklsIII.pdf______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1
Butler, James Eric, Effluvia: Empedocles Studies, in: Epoché 9/2, 2005, p. 215-31 (B 89, B 17.3-5, 21-5, B 35, 2.1, B 100, B 84).
Supplemented engl. résumé: “Taking as a guiding theme his claim that ‘there are effluvia from all things that have come to be’ (DK B 89), the author presents a reading of Empedocles that stresses the central role of effluvia in his natural philosophy. In presentations of Empedocles, the tradition has usually emphasized the importance of the elements - earth, air, water, fire, Love, and Strife. But as an alternative to that tradition, the author here argues that one must bring to the forefront the role of the effluvia, which give to Empedocles’ cosmology a fluid, viscous character. The history of western natural science has been dominated by a mechanics of solid bodies following, however indirectly, in the tradition of the atoms and void of early Greek atomism. Empedocles represents a forgotten exception to that history, and the present paper attempts to return to his philosophy, unearth its fluid mechanical foundations, and presents a challenging alternative to the dominant physical paradigm.”
2
Clay, Diskin, Recovering Originals: Peri Physeos and De Rerum Natura, in: Apeiron 33/3, 2000, p. 259-71
Supplemented fr. résumé: “Critique de l’ouvrage de D. Sedley intitulé ‘Lucretius and the Transformation of Greek Wisdom’ (1998) qui développe une approche à la fois fondamentaliste et radicale de l’oeuvre de Lucrèce. Des proèmes sur Empédocle et Epicure, au ‘De Rerum natura’, l’a. reconnaît avec Sedley l’influence littéraire et philosophique d’Empédocle sur Lucrèce.”
3
Finkelberg, Aryeh, Xenophanes’ Physics, Parmenides’ Doxa and Empedocles’ Theory of Cosmogonical Mixture, in: Hermes 125/1, 1997, p. 1-16
Suppl. fr. résumé: “Étude des corrélations systématiques entre les doctrines physiques d’Empédocle et de Parménide, à travers l’analyse de la notion de doxa chez Parménide. Examinant la conception cyclique de l’évolution cosmique qui sous-tend la doxa parménidienne, l’A. montre que la théorie du mélange des éléments d’Empédocle constitue la conceptualisation finale d’une doctrine physique qui trouve son origine dans la théorie du mélange des corps primitifs chez Xénophane.”
4
Kulig, Katarzyna, “Dlatego ogarnieci wielka nikczemnoscia, nigdy nie uwolnicie serca od smutnego cierpienia” - Empedoklejski grzech, in: Roczniky humanistyczne 52/3, 2004
Supplemented engl. résumé (transl. by T. Karłowicz): “Empedocles of Acragas showed ‘the history of sin’. From his poem we may learn what the sin consisted in, what was its cause and consequence, as well as how it might be avoided. Empedocles presents some advice that is supposed to help man stay ‘pure’. The one, who stains his hands with blood or commits perjury - for these are the two aspects of Empedocles’s sin - after his death will be driven out of the country of ‘happy gods’. His daimon will ‘purify’ himself in his subsequent incarnations, and at last he’ll have the honor of seeing the immortals again.”
5
Marin, Mauritio, Empedocle, il Pitagorico di Afrodite, in: Salesianum 60, 1998, p. 65-80.
Supplemented fr. résumé: “Empédocle d’Agrigente était un philosophe doué d’une sensibilité de poète, un politique doublé d’un prophète, un médecin capable de rhétorique. L’ A. entreprend d’exposer les aspects religieux de sa philosophie. Il s’agit de déterminer l’influence des milieux pythagoriciens sur sa pensée. Il s’agit aussi de montrer le rôle de la déesse Aphrodite dans la symbolique dévelopée par Empédocle.”
6
Megino Rodríguez, Carlos, Orfeo y el Orfismo en la poesía de Empédocles, Colección de Estudios, Madrid : UAM Ediciones 2005
Introducción: Empédocles y la tradición mística Griega. 1. Empédocles y Orfeo; 2. Empédocles y los ‘orfeotelestas’; 3. Paralelismos de tipo teogónico y cosmigónico: 3.1. La concepción cíclica del proceso de creación del cosmos; 3.2. Necesidad y ley divina; 3.3. La froma única original y el papel cosmogónico de Discordia; 3.4. Afrodita y Amistad como principios cosmogónicos; 3.5. Los cuatro elementos; 4. La concepción del hombre: 4.1. Visión degenerativa de la historia humana; 4.2. Antropogonía y culpa antecedente; 4.3. La concepción del alma y su relación con el cuerpo; 4.4. Teoría de la transmigración de las almas; 4.5. Relación del hombre con lo divino; 4.6. El papel de la memoria; 4.7. El destino feliz de las almas en el Más Allá; 4.8. Puritanismo y prescriptiones rituales: 4.8.1. Prohibición del sacrificio cruento; 4.8.2. Prohibición del consumo de ciertos alimentos; Conclusiones; Bibligrafía; Índice de pasajes citados; Índice de autores modernos.
7
Wada, Toshihiro, The Period of Present World in Empedocles, in: Methodos
Supplemented engl. résumé: “Most proponents of the traditional interpretation of Empedocles’ cosmic cycle have placed the present world to the phase of increasing Strife. I suppose there are three grounds for their arguments; (a) the secondary testimonia; (b) Empedocles’ position toward Parmenides’ Alétheia; (c) the tragic tone of Katharmoi. My aim in this paper is to place the present world to the phase of increasing Love within the framework of the traditional interpretation, on the premise that Peri phuseôs and Katharmoi are coherent. Concerning (a), Aristotle’s GC 334a5-7 is the main passage on which they depend. In Empedocles’ own frg. 71, however, the word “nun” is put in the context of a zoogony by Love’s mixture. This fragment does not illustrate that although the present world is under increasing Strife, Love can be still active. Simplicius’ juxtaposition of frg. 35 and fr. 71 also supports this view. On the other hand, Aristotle’s implication in Cael. 301a15-16 is not a zoogony but a cosmogony. Further, Theophrastus’ Sens. 20 has no particular significance for the present argument, since this is merely a criticism to the whole of Empedocles’ theory of effluences. Now, among those who, admitting the consistency between two poems, refer the present world to the period of increasing Strife, Inwood, who emphasizes the necessity in the cosmic cycle, falls into the obscure argument about the immediate salvation. On the other hand, Wright, who underestimates the perfection of Strife’s dominion, allows the state of perfect mixture, in hwich the salvation is accomplished, during the increase of Strife. These problems arise from the assumption that the present world belongs to the period of increasing Strife. However, when the present world is regarded as a stage of increasing Love, such problems can be solved smoothly. To suppose Empedocles posited the present world to the period when the ethical dedds can be rewarded will be very natural. Next, there is no doubt that the starting point of Empedocles’ physical doctrines was (b) and that what was required on that occasion was Strife, whose ambivalence brought about (c). But Empedocles’ main point in Katharmoi was neither to ‘save appearances’ nor to expose all the miseries of the present world but to ‘save from appearances’. Accordingly, so long as we eliminate our preconceptions, it seems to be inevitable that the present world belongs to the phase of increasing Love.”
8
Butler, James Eric, Effluvia: Empedocles Studies, in: Epoché 9/2, 2005
Supplemented engl. résumé: “Taking as a guiding theme his claim that ‘there are effluvia from all things that have come to be’ (DK B 89), the author presents a reading of Empedocles that stresses the central role of effluvia in his natural philosophy. In presentations of Empedocles, the tradition has usually emphasized the importance of the elements - earth, air, water, fire, Love, and Strife. But as an alternative to that tradition, the author here argues that one must bring to the forefront the role of the effluvia, which give to Empedocles’ cosmology a fluid, viscous character. The history of western natural science has been dominated by a mechanics of solid bodies following, however indirectly, in the tradition of the atoms and void of early Greek atomism. Empedocles represents a forgotten exception to that history, and the present paper attempts to return to his philosophy, unearth its fluid mechanical foundations, and presents a challenging alternative to the dominant physical paradigm.”
9
Kulig, Katarzyna, “Dlatego ogarnieci wielka nikczemnoscia, nigdy nie uwolnicie serca od smutnego cierpienia” - Empedoklejski grzech
Supplemented engl. résumé (transl. by T. Karłowitz): “Empedocles of Acragas showed ‘the history of sin’. From his poem we may learn what the sin consisted in, what was its cause and consequence, as well as how it might be avoided. Empedocles presents some advice that is supposed to help man stay ‘pure’. The one, who stains his hands with blood or commits perjury - for these are the two aspects of Empedocles’s sin - after his death will be driven out of the country of ‘happy gods’. His daimon will ‘purify’ himself in his subsequent incarnations, and at last he’ll have the honor of seeing the immortals again.”
10
Vítek, Tomáš, Nové Empedokleovy verše, in: Reflexe 27, 2004, p. 75-94
Supplemented engl. résumé: “The article discusses the texts recovered on the Papyrus Strasburghiensis and edited by Martin and Primavesi. The present author concludes that, first, the text of papyrus is very uncertain and contributes little to our knowledge; second, the Martin - Primavesi restoration of Empedocles’s verses is far too speculative and distorted by the controversial philosophical position of the editors: for instance, the reading -meqa in aI,6, aII,17, and c3, and M-P’ presentation of Empedoclean daemonology are demonstrably incorrect.”
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