A remarkable discovery has brought the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles back into the spotlight, with researchers identifying thirty previously unpublished verses hidden within a 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment stored in Cairo. The artifact, known as P.Fouad 218, was found in the archives of the Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale in Cairo, Egypt, offering a rare and direct glimpse into the original writings of the enigmatic thinker from Acragas. This extraordinary find not only sheds new light on his poetic philosophy but also underscores the enduring legacy of Pre-Socratic thought.
Empedocles. Line engraving by D. Cunego, 1785, after Raphael. (Wellcome Collection / CC BY 4.0)
Empedocles, who lived during the fifth century BC in Sicily, is celebrated for his foundational theory that all matter is composed of four classical elements: earth, air, fire, and water. According to his philosophy, these elements are perpetually driven together and apart by two opposing cosmic forces, Love and Strife. The newly discovered verses, carefully reconstructed from the fragmented papyrus by a team of scholars from Liege University, delve deeper into these concepts, presenting his ideas with the poetic elegance for which he was renowned in antiquity.
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The P. Fouad 218 papyrus fragment containing thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles, discovered in Cairo. (N. Carlig/ Université de Liège)
A Papyrus Hidden in Plain Sight
The papyrus fragment, P.Fouad 218, had been sitting in the Cairo archives for decades, largely overlooked among a vast collection of ancient documents. It was only through systematic re-examination of the collection that scholars recognized the significance of the text, identifying the distinctive hexameter verse style characteristic of Empedocles' two known epic poems, On Nature and Purifications. The find was announced by researchers, generating widespread excitement in the academic world.
The papyrus itself dates to the first century AD, indicating that Empedocles' works were still being actively read and copied centuries after his death. Researchers utilized advanced imaging techniques to decipher the faded and damaged text, revealing lines that had been lost to history for millennia. The verses provide a more nuanced understanding of his cosmology, illustrating how he wove together mythology, science, and mysticism to explain the natural world.
The Philosopher Who Leapt Into a Volcano
One of the most intriguing aspects of Empedocles' life is the legend surrounding his death. It is famously said that he threw himself into the active crater of Mount Etna to prove his divinity and immortality to his followers, an act that, according to the ancient biographer Diogenes Laërtius, was betrayed only when the volcano spat back one of his bronze sandals. While modern historians often view this tale with skepticism, it highlights the profound impact and god-like status he achieved during his lifetime. The recovery of his actual words from the sands of Egypt brings a tangible reality to a figure often shrouded in myth.
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Salvator Rosa, 'The Death of Empedocles', c. 1665 – 1670, Oil on canvas. (Public Domain)
The significance of this discovery extends beyond the realm of philosophy. It highlights the crucial role that papyrus fragments from Egypt play in recovering lost classical literature. The dry climate of the region has preserved countless ancient texts that would have otherwise perished in more humid environments. As scholars continue to meticulously examine collections like the one in Cairo, there is hope that even more missing pieces of the ancient puzzle will be found.
What the New Verses Reveal
The thirty newly identified verses are believed to belong to Empedocles' philosophical poem On Nature, a work that once ran to thousands of lines but of which only a few hundred fragments survived into the modern era. Scholars have noted that the newly recovered lines deal with the cyclical nature of the cosmos and the interplay between the four elements, themes central to his entire philosophical system. The verses also appear to contain vivid natural imagery, consistent with the style of the fragments already known to scholars.
This finding also emphasizes the interconnectedness of the ancient Mediterranean world. Empedocles, a Greek philosopher from Sicily, had his works preserved in Roman-era Egypt, demonstrating the widespread influence of his ideas. His theories on the four elements not only shaped later Greek thought, including that of Aristotle and Plato, but also laid the groundwork for early scientific inquiry and alchemy. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, another celebrated Egyptian collection, similarly yielded fragments of lost classical works, demonstrating how the archives of Egypt continue to transform our understanding of the ancient world.
A Voice Restored After Two Millennia
As the academic community eagerly awaits the full publication and translation of these thirty verses, the initial findings have already sparked renewed interest in Pre-Socratic philosophy. The verses promise to enrich our understanding of a thinker who dared to imagine a universe governed by fundamental forces, an idea that resonates even in modern physics. The voice of Empedocles, silenced for over two thousand years, speaks once again from the fragile fibers of an ancient papyrus found not in the ruins of a great temple, but quietly waiting in an archive in Cairo.
The discovery is a timely reminder that the ancient world still holds secrets waiting to be uncovered. With thousands of papyrus fragments remaining unstudied in collections across the globe, scholars are hopeful that further revelations are on the horizon. For now, the thirty verses of P.Fouad 218 stand as a testament to the enduring power of ideas, and to the remarkable capacity of the written word to survive the passage of millennia.
Top image: The P. Fouad 218 papyrus fragment containing thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles, discovered in Cairo. Source: N. Carlig/ Université de Liège
By Gary Manners
References
Carlig, Nathan, Martin, Alain, Primavesi, Oliver, 2025. L’Empédocle du Caire (P.Fouad inv. 218). Introduction, texte, commentaire. Brussels, Association Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 2025.
EurekAlert!. 2026. Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo. Available at: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1122449
Greek Reporter. 2026. 2000-Year-Old Unpublished Verses of Greek Philosopher Empedocles Found in Cairo. Available at: https://greekreporter.com/2026/04/02/unpublished-verses-greek-philosopher-empedocles-cairo/
La Brujula Verde. 2026. A Two-Thousand-Year-Old Papyrus with Thirty Unpublished Verses by Empedocles, the Philosopher Who Threw Himself into Etna, Found in Cairo. Available at: https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/04/a-two-thousand-year-old-papyrus-with-thirty-unpublished-verses-by-empedocles-the-philosopher-who-threw-himself-into-etna-found-in-cairo/
Universite Liege, 2026. Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo. Available at: Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo
