Empedokles
© Hermead of Surazeus
2011 11 12

Short speech by Empedokles about the four elements,
from my epic tale about scientists, Hermead of Surazeus.

"Trust not one sense alone to perceive truth,
rather consider everything you sense
as path for understanding all more clear.
Each teacher proposes something we see
as basic substance that forms everything,
water of Thales, fire of Herakleitos,
boundless Earth of Anaximandros, air
of Anaximenes, four warring factions
of hot and cold and moist and dry, conjoined
in ever-moving balance from one whole.
Convening concepts to investigate
strife of opposites, I merge arguments
to form one theory of multiple parts
combining in various measured amounts.
I think all four elements form base stock
in building blocks for structure of our world,
that mingle in combinations to form
objects we sense, like mud from earth and water,
mist from fire and water, and flowering plants
from all four elements that nourish life,
and shape infinite variety of things.
Since four elements combine to shape life,
transforming shape through multitude of forms,
all mortal things cannot be born or die,
since beginning and ending never occur,
for elements mingle changing their shapes,
and this new transformation we call birth,
as they mingle or separate or shift
positions to form new compounds of life.
No part of this whole is empty or full
and matter flows through equal distribution
in shifting kaleidoscope of new change
so bits of elements exchange their places,
like water, seeds, mud, twigs, leaves, and stones,
flow around each other in moving streams.
All live subjects and objects in our Kosmos,
through creation and destruction, adjust
positions of their elemental parts
so though we see everything change new shapes,
they form complete whole in our universe,
composing perfect sphere of solitude.
Four elements are equal in amount
and boundless around us on every side,
for division through strife is dim deception,
as elements strive for position, flow
in equal weight throughout our perfect sphere,
and love blends elements through harmony
in equal length and breadth, since things unlike
strive to separate through force of discord,
and things alike merge in union of desire,
so elements balance to nourish life.
Our Kosmos forms from strife of elements
in four stages of mingling to combine
and dissolve compounds, transforming by love,
through one ceaseless cycle of life and death.
First love mingles pure all four elements,
but strife separates them to form all things,
till each element is separate and distinct,
then love combines all elements again,
merging to form compounds that nourish life."