Work by ‘lost’ philosopher who inspired Plato and Aristotle found in Egypt

A work by a ‘lost’ Ancient Greek philosopher has been rediscovered, written on a 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment found in Cairo.

The fragile document contains 30 previously unknown verses by Empedocles, a pre-Socratic philosopher of the 5th century BCE.

Elements of Empedocles’ philosophy are mentioned by later philosophers and writers, including Plato and Aristotle, but it was not thought that his own words had survived, until now.

The fragment was found and identified in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology (IFAO). The first edition, translation and commentary of the verses have been published in the book L’Empédocle du Caire, edited by Nathan Carlig, Alain Martin and Olivier Primavesi.

Carlig, a papyrologist at the University of Liège, identified the document — known as papyrus P.Fouad inv. 218 — as part of Physica, Empedocles’ major poetic work.

‘Until now, our knowledge of Empedocles’ work relied exclusively on indirect sources such as fragmentary quotations, summaries or allusions scattered throughout the works of authors such as Plato, Aristotle or Plutarch,’ he said.

‘Papyrus P.Fouad inv. 218 allows us to read the philosopher in his original text, without the intermediary of often partial or biased sources. It is also the only known copy of the Physica, fragments of other parts of which from the same scroll are preserved in Strasbourg.’

The newly uncovered text focuses on theories of particle effluvia and sensory perception, particularly vision. Researchers say the material sheds fresh light on links between Empedocles and later thinkers.

Analysis suggests the fragment may have served as a direct source for a passage by Plutarch in the 2nd century, as well as influencing a dialogue by Plato and a work by Theophrastus in the 4th century BCE.

Previously unnoticed echoes have also been identified in the writings of the comic poet Aristophanes and the Roman philosopher Lucretius.

The study also suggests that Empedocles may be viewed as a precursor to atomist philosophers, including Democritus, who proposed that matter is composed of tiny, indivisible particles.

Though not scientifically correct the theories displayed a remarkably advanced understanding of the principles behind theories we now adhere to today.

Like Renaissance humanists who searched European libraries for lost manuscripts, papyrologists have spent more than a century examining ancient papyri in the hope of uncovering forgotten texts.

‘It is, in a way, to borrow Peter Parsons’ words, a “second Renaissance” of ancient literature,” Carlig said.

Researchers believe the publication will open new avenues for understanding Empedocles’ ideas and help place his work more clearly within the development of Greek philosophy, as well as clarifying his relationship with earlier and later thinkers.

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