Some times ago, where actually there is the philosopher tower (one of the main points to see during an Etna excursion), were visible the rests of an old construction built by the Philosopher Empedocle, the Sicilian philosopher born in Agrigento around V century.

Vain, egocentric, feeling himself like a God in the earth, Empedocle was a man that loved doing thing that would remain memorable to the eyes of the other people.

He was protagonist of the politic problems of his city, but we remember him for the miracles he made: the resurrection of a woman and the elimination of a "pestilenza" (pest) in the near city Selinunte. Because of his courage and the faith that  he were really God, he loved to "touch with his hands" all the things he wanted to know.

In fact he went up to the volcano Etna, to study its eruption phenomena, and there he built his dwelling. His death is a mystery, in fact the history tell us that he dead in Peloponnesus after his exile, but Legend wants that Empedocle dead gobbled by the crater of the volcano, because he was so much near and felled down.

But some people thought that was a suicide, because Empedocle wanted to demonstrate his immortality, throw off  of his body and rise to Divinity.

The crater accepted Empedocle’s soul, but throw out his sandal, and this means that his body were refuted.

But there is another possible origin of that dwelling, in fact Emperor Adriano (I-II to c.) went up to volcano Etna and ordered to build his dwelling near the crater.

The philosopher tower was visible until 1700 because the attestation of French inscriber Jean Houel, but today nothing remain of it, but just its mystery resolved in the Legend.

Other legends: Colapesce / Aci e Galatea  

Giancarlo Puglisi is a professional Historical writer. He is an expert on Philosophy and history of Sicily. You can hire him by using these contacts puglisi.giancarlo@hotmail.it Cell: 328/8281817