Ancient philosophy, mystery, and magic

by Peter Kingsley

Empedocles played a crucial role in the development of western culture; yet little is known or understood about this man, who lived in Sicily in the fifth century BC. That is mainly because his teaching has been reconstructed by modern scholars first and foremost on the basis of Aristotle's hostile reports producing a picture which is disconnected and lacking in depth. Using material never exploited before, this is the first full-scale study of Empedocles to situate his fragmentary writings in their original context of philosophy as a way of life, of mystery religion and magic, and of the...

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