Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic

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 struggle to realize one's own divinity. Apart from providing a firm basis for understanding Empedocles' own teaching, the book presents fresh evidence which proves he was not an isolated figure and reveals new links between his work and ancient Pythagoreanism. The process of establishing these links now makes it possible to demonstrate, in detail, the Pythagorean origin of Plato's myths: a point of major importance for our appreciation not just of Plato himself, but also of the subsequent history of Neoplatonism. The second half of the book re-examines problems regarding the connections between ancient magic, science, and religion. More specifically, it traces for the first time a line of transmission from Empedocles and the early Pythagoreans down to southern Egypt, and from there into the world of Islam. This neglected process of transmission is of profound significance for our understanding not only of Presocratic philosophy but also of key themes in Greco-Egyptian magic and alchemy, and of the background to Sufism and medieval mysticism.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Fantasy, Philosophy. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.