EPIMENIDES VS EMPEDOCLES: how early greek philosophers fought еpidemics

Essays

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15407/fd2020.04.039

Keywords:

Epimenides, Empedocles, pandemic, early ancient Greek philosophy, medicine, divine concept of origin of diseases, ontological concept of origin of diseases

Abstract

The article attempts to highlight the development of the unity of medicine and philosophy in the context of combating epidemics of two early Greek thinkers Epimenides and Empedocles. The idea that Epimenides adheres to the divine origin of the disease is justified, but at the same time, in the process of ritual purification from the plague, it attracts elements of the Pythagorean view of healing, as well as close to Indo-Iranian traditions of the time. It is proved that in the course of the development of ancient thought, the view of the disease also evolves “from myth to logos”, which leads to the understanding of this phenomenon in Empedocles as an ontological problem. Accordingly, it has been established that, for the Sicilian philosopher, mass diseases (epidemics) are caused primarily by the fact that he is more prevalent in the world. If the society is engulfed by hatred and malice, then diseases will inevitably emerge and increase. Instead, overcoming and disappearing of epidemics are possible because peace and harmony between people will prevail. The author substantiates the thesis that helping residents to overcome epidemics in various ancient cities, testifies to the great importance of the early Greek thinkers, who combined not only reflection but also praxis.

Author Biography

Vitalii Turenko

PhD, Junior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Philosophy, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,
60, Volodymyrska St., Kyiv, 01033

References

Aeschylus (2009). Persians. Seven against Thebes. Suppliants. Prometheus Bound / Ed. and tr. by A.H. Sommerstein. In: Loeb Classical Library 145 (vol. 1, pp.277-431). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

https://doi.org/10.4159/DLCL.aeschylus-seven_thebes.2009

Aphenaei Naucratitae (1887). Dipnosophistarum libri XV. S.l.: In aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1887. Aristotelis (1986). Athenaion Politeia / Ed. by E.M. Chambers. Leipzig: Bibliotheca Teubneriana. Clementis Alexandrini (1859). Stromata. In: Patrologiae graeca 20 (col. 9-206). S.l.: J.-P. Migne. Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker (1912). Bd.1 / Hermann Diels, Walther Kranz. Berlin: Weidmannsche buchhandlung.

Diogenes Laertius (1925). Lives of Eminent Philosophers (vol. I-II) / Tr. by R.D. Hicks. In: Loeb

https://doi.org/10.4159/DLCL.diogenes_laertius-lives_eminent_philosophers_book_vi_chapter_2_diogenes.1925

Classical Library 184. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Dorofeev, D.Yu. (2017). Philosophy and Medicine in Ancient Greece. [In Russian]. In: XXV

Scientific Conference "Universum of Platonic Thought": "Plato's Ancient Science". St. Peter- sburg, June 21-22, 2017. Collection of articles (pp. 197-205). St. Petersburg: Publishing house of the RHGA.

Eusebiou tou Pamphilou (1903). Euangelikes proparaskeues logoi. S.l.: Londini et Novi Eboraci, H. Frowde.

Eustathii Antiocheni (2002). Eustathii Antiocheni, Partis Nicaeni, opera quae supersunt omnia / Ed. by J. H. Declerck. Tournhout: Brepols.

Grishina, Ye. (2016). Early Greek Tyranny. [In Russian]. https://elib.pnzgu.ru/files/eb/doc/ t3Ujdc5XTczE.pdf

Guthrie, W.K.C. (1965). A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol. 2: The Presocratic Tradition from Parmenides to Democritus. S.l.: Cambridge University Press.

Herman, G. (1989). Nikias, Epimenides and the Question of Omissions in Thucydides. The Classical Quarterly, 39 (1), 83-93.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838800040490

Hippocrates (1868). De vetera medicina / Collected Works I. Hippocrates / W.H.S. Jones. Cam- bridge: Harvard University Press.

Iamblichus (1815). De Vita Pythagorica: Gr. et Lat. Textum post Kusterum ad fidem. New York Public Library.

Lebedev, A. (2015). "Theogony" of Epimenides of Crete and the origin of the Orphic-Pythagorean doctrine of reincarnation. [In Russian]. In: Indo-European Linguistics and Classical Philology - XIX. Readings in memory of I.M. Tronsky. Materials of the international confer- ence held on June 22-24, 2015 / Ed. by N.N. Kazanskii (pp. 464-498). St. Petersburg: Nauka.

Manoussakis, J. (2020). The City is Sick: Sophocles, Thucydides, Camus at the Times of Coronavirus. Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/42201882/THE_CITY_IS_SICK_Sophocles_Thucydides_Camus_at_the_Times_of_Coronavirus

Maximi Tyrii (1703). Dissertationes. Hayes.

Pausanias (1918). Description of Greece. Vol. I, Books 1-2 (Attica and Corinth) / Tr. by W.H.S.

https://doi.org/10.4159/DLCL.pausanias-description_greece.1918

Jones; Loeb Classical Library 93. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Plato (1926). Laws. Vol. I, Books 1-6 / Tr. by R.G. Bury; Loeb Classical Library 187. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

https://doi.org/10.4159/DLCL.plato_philosopher-laws.1926

Pliny (1963). Natural History. Vol. VIII, Books 28-32 / Tr. by W.H.S. Jones. Loeb Classical Library 418. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Porphyre (1982). Vie de Pythagore. Lettre Marcella. Texte tabli et traduit par E. des Places,

avec un appendice d' A. Ph. Segonds. Paris: Les Belles.

Shkliaruk, V. (2007). Historical and philosophical ideas about human health and life expectancy. [In Russian]. Filosofiya i obshestvo, 4, 155-164.

Theophrastus (1916). Enquiry into Plants. Vol. II, Books 6-9. / Tr. by A.F. Hort. Loeb Classical Library 79. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

https://doi.org/10.4159/DLCL.theophrastus-enquiry_plants.1916

Thucydide (1942). History of the Peloponnesian War / Ed. by H.S. Jones, J.E. Powell. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Volf, M.N. (2006). Early Greek Philosophy and Ancient Iran. [In Russian]. St. Petersburg: Aletheya.

Yakubanis, G. (1994). Empedocles: philosopher, physician and sorcerer. [In Russian]. Kyiv: SINTO.

Zaykov, A. (2002). Epimenides in Sparta (Cretan ecstatic mantle and the formation of "Spartan space"). [In Russian]. Bulletin of ancient history, 4, 110-130.

(1928). . Plutarch. Moralia. Vol. II: How to Profit by One's Enemies. On Having Many Friends. Chance. Virtue and Vice. Letter of Condolence to Apollonius. Advice About Keeping Well. Advice to Bride and Groom. The Dinner of the Seven Wise Men. Superstition / Tr. by F.C. Babbitt (рр. 346-452). Loeb Classical Library 222. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

(1936). . Plutarch Moralia. Vol. V: Isis and Osiris. The E at Delphi. The Oracles at Delphi no Longer Given in Verse. The Obsolescence of Oracles / Tr. by F.C. Babbitt (pp. 3-194). Loeb Classical Library 306. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Downloads

Abstract views: 722

Published

2020-11-04

How to Cite

Turenko, V. (2020). EPIMENIDES VS EMPEDOCLES: how early greek philosophers fought еpidemics: Essays. Filosofska Dumka, (4), 39–49. https://doi.org/10.15407/fd2020.04.039

Issue

Section

TOPIC OF THE ISSUE

Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Most read articles by the same author(s)