A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

]2 EMPEDOCLES. EMPEDOCLES.
games. (Pind. 01. ii. 48, iii. 38, Pyth. vi. 5, with for diseases," &c. (Karsten, p. 142, v. 392, &c.;
the Scholiast, and Bickh's E plicat. ad Pind. pp. compare the accounts of the ostentation and haugh114, &c., 119, 122, 127, 135; M-uller, Orchom. tiness of Empedocles, p. 29, &c.) In like manner
p. 332, 2nd edit.) [L. S.] he promises remedies against the power of evil and
EMPANDA, or PANDA, was, according to of old age; he pretends to teach men how to break
Festus (s. v. Empanda), a dea paganorum. Varro the vehemence of the unwearied winds, and how
(up. Non. p. 44; comp. Gell. xiii. 22; Arnob. to call them forth again; how to obtain frbm dark
iv. 2) connects the word with pandere, but absurdly rainy clouds useful drought, and tree-feeding rivers
explains it by panemn dare, so that Empanda would from the drought of summer (ibid. v. 425, &c.),be the goddess of bread or food. She had a sanc- promises and pretensions, perhaps, expressive of
tuary near the gate, called after her the porta his confidence in the infant science, which had only
Pandana, which led to the capitol. (Festus, s. v. commenced its development, rather than in his
Pandana; Varro, de Ling. Lat. v. 42.) Her own personal capability. With equal pride he
temple was an asylum, which was alcays open, and celebrates the wisdom of the man-the ancient
the suppliants who came to it were supplied with historians themselves did not know whether he
food from the funds of the temple. This custom meant Pythagoras or Parmenides-who, possessed
at once shews the meaning of the name Panda or of the richest mental and intellectual treasures,
Empanda: it is connected with pandere, to open; easily perceived everything in all nature, whenever
she is accordingly the goddess who is open to or with the full energy of his mind he attempted to
admits any one who wants protection. Hartung do so. (Ibid. v. 440, &c.) The time was one of
(die Religion der Rrm. ii. p. 76, &c.) thinks that a varied and lively mental movement, and EmEmpanda and Panda are only surnames of pedocles was acquainted or connected by friendship
Julo. [L. S.] with the physicians Acron and Pausanias (Diog.
EMPE'DOCLES ('EpureeoKcAs), of Acragas La;nrt. viii. 60, 61, 65, 69; Plut. de Is. et Os. p.
(Agrigentum), in Sicily, flourished about Olymp. 383; Plin. H. N. xxix. 3; Suid. s. v.; comp.
84, or B. C. 444. (Diog. LaErt. viii. 74; comp. 51, Fragnm. v. 54, 433, &c.), with Pythagoreans, and
5-2; Simon Karsten, Empedoclis Agrigent. Carmin. it is said with Parmenides and Anaxagoras also
Reliquiae, p. 9, &c.) His youth probably fell in (Diog. Ladrt. viii. 55, 56, &c.; comp. Karsten, p.
the time of the glorious rule of Theron, from 01. 47, &c.); and persons being carried away by that
73 to 01. 77; and although he was descended from movement, believed themselves to be the nearer the
an ancient and wealthy family (Diog. La'rt. viii. goal the less clearly they perceived the way that
51), Empedocles with enthusiasm joined the revo- led to it, and they regarded a perfect power over
httion-as his father, Meton, had probably done nature as the necessary consequence of a perfect
before-in which Thrasydaeus, the son and suc- knowledge of it.
cessor of Theron, was expelled, and which became Timaeus and Dicaearchus had spoken of the
the watchword for the other Greek towns to shake journey of Empedocles to Peloponnesus, and of the
off the yoke of their monarchs. (Diog. Laert. viii. admiration which was paid to him there (Diog.
72.) His zeal in the establishment of political Lairt. viii. 71, 67; Athen. xiv. p. 620); others
equality is said to have been manifested by his mentioned his stay at Athens, and in the newlymagnanimous support of the poor (ibid. 73), by his founded colony of Thurii, B. c. 446 (Suid. s. v.
inexorable severity in persecuting the overbearing "AKpwv; Diog. Laert. viii. 52); but it was only
conduct of the aristocrats (Timaeus, ap. Diog. L. untrustworthy historians that made him travel in
viii. 64, comp. 65, 66), and in his declining the so- the east as far as the Magi. (Plin. H. N. xxx. 1,
vereignty which was offered to him. (Aristot. ap. &c.; comp. Karsten, p. 39, &c.) His death is
Diqog. viii. 63; compare, however, Timaeus, ibid. said to have been marvellous, like his life: a tradi66, 76) His brilliant oratory (Satyr. ap. Diog. tion, which is traced to Heracleides Ponticus, a
viii. 58; Timaeus, ibid. 67), his penetrating know- writer fond of wonderful things, represented him
ledge of nature and of circumstances, and the repu- as having been removed from the earth, like a
tation of his marvellous powers, which he had divine being; another said that he had perished in
acquired by curing diseases, by his successful the flames of mount Aetna.: (Diog. Laert. viii.
exertions in removing marshy districts, averting 67, 69, 70, 71; Hor. ad Pison. 464, &c.; comp.
epidemics and obnoxious winds (Diog. Laert. viii. Karsten, p. 36, &c.) But it is attested by the
60, 70, 69; Plut. de.CuGrios. Princ. p. 515, adv. authority of Aristotle, that- he died at the age of
Col. p. 126; Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 27, and others), sixty, and the statements of later writers, who
spread a lustre around his name, which induced extend his life further, cannot be set up against
Timaeus and other historians to mention him more such a testimony. (Apollon. ap. Diog. Lairt. viii.
frequently. Although he himself may have been 52, comp. 74, 73.) Among the disciples of Eminnocent of the name of "averter" or "controller pedocles none is mentioned except Gorgias, the
of storms" (KwAvoaep4fJas, CiAeSavytas) and of a sophist and rhetorician, whose connexion with our
magician (-y-7qs),which were given to him (Karsten, philosopher seems to be alluded to even by Plato.
1. c. p. 49, &c.), still he must have attributed to (Diog. Lairt. viii. 58; Karsten, p.56, &c.) Among
himself miraculous powers, if in the beginning of the works attributed to Empedocles, and which
his KaOapuof he said of himself-he may, however, were all metrical compositions (see the list in
have been speaking in the name of some assistant Karsten, p. 62, &c.), we can form an opinion only
daemon-" An immortal god, and no longer a on his KaOapuof and his didactic poem on Nature,
mortal man, I wander among you, honoured by all, and on the latter work only from the considerable
adorned with priestly diadems and blooming fragments still extant. It consisted of 2000 hexawreaths; to whatever illustrious towns I go, I meter verses, and was addressed to the aboveam praised by men and women, and accompanied mentioned Pausanias, - its division into three
by thousands, who thirst for deliverance, some books was probably made by later grammarians.
being desirous to know the future, others remedies (Diog. Ladrt. viii. 77; Karsten, p. 70, &c.) The