The Death of Empedocles

Empedocles, a philosopher and healer of Agrigentum, was once revered for his wisdom and his closeness to the forces of nature. His claim to divinity, however, becomes the source of a conflict with the priest Hermocrates, who engineers his exile and turns the citizens against him. While his disciple Pausanias struggles to understand his teacher’s state of mind, Empedocles reflects on the nature of his downfall and the limits a human being cannot cross without consequence. Even when the people of Agrigentum are prepared to accept him as their leader once more, he refuses to return to his former life. To him, such a return would mean reconciliation with his people and the restoration of a harmony he can no longer attain on human terms.