# Empedocles — The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers character guide

> Empedocles in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the wise Empedocles

**First appearance:** 0073-empedocles

## Who they are

Pre-Socratic philosopher who made the four elements the building blocks of all things, and whose self-sufficiency and virtue-as-weapon doctrine helped shape the Cynic and Stoic traditions.

## In the story

### [Book VIII: The Pythagorean and Promiscuous Philosophers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/book-viii)

Central figure of the chapter; his philosophical lineage, poetic works, political actions, and claims to divinity are discussed in detail.

### [Empedocles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/empedocles)

Main subject of the chapter; philosopher, poet, physician, and political figure from Agrigentum.

### [Xenophanes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/xenophanes)

Engaged in a dialogue with Xenophanes about the discoverability of the wise man.

### [Zeno, the Eleatic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/zeno-the-eleatic)

Aristotle is said to have compared Zeno's invention of dialectics to Empedocles' invention of rhetoric.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/endnotes)

His death by leaping into Mount Etna is noted, with a reference to Horace.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/characters/empedocles
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/characters