Monday, June 29, 2026
Science

Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo

A 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment, discovered in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo, reveals 30 previously unpublished verses by Empedocles, a pre-Socratic philosopher of the fifth century BCE. This discovery offers researchers direct access to a body of thought pr...

Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo
Image: Phys.org
A 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment, discovered in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo, reveals 30 previously unpublished verses by Empedocles, a pre-Socratic philosopher of the fifth century BCE. This discovery offers researchers direct access to a body of thought previously known only through quotations from later authors. The very first edition, translation, and commentary on these verses are published in the book "L'Empédocle du Caire," edited by Nathan Carlig, Alain Martin, and Olivier Primavesi.

Originally published at Phys.org

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