Apollon et la ΦΡΗΠΙΕΡΗ ΚΑΙ ΑΘΕΣΦΑΤΟΣ (Empédocle, fr. 134 DK)

RÉSUMÉ: Ammonius nous rapporte que les vers du fr. 134 DK d'Empédocle appartenaient à une critique de la conception anthropomorphique des dieux, et notamment d'Apollon. Contre un dieu à forme humaine, Empédocle met en valeur sa conception d'Apollon en tant que « phrèn sacrée qui parcourt de ses pensées rapides le cosmos tout entier ». La question est de savoir quelle est exactement cette phrèn sacrée et pourquoi Empédocle a-t-il choisi cette description d'Apollon. L'auteur critique les réponses existantes qui souvent rapportent d'une façon ou d'une autre cette phrèn au dieu Sphaîros. Il apporte des arguments pour faire d'Apollon le fils du Zeus présenté au fr. 6, que l'on déduit être le feu sous ses différentes manifestations dans le monde. L'Apollon empédocléen, caractérisé par son mouvement, serait le soleil. Les « pensées rapides », les rayons solaires. Le « cosmos », l'éther et le monde.MOTS-CLÉS: Empédocle, Apollon, phrèn, anthropomorphisme, présocratiques.ABSTRACT: Ammonius tells us that the verses of Empedocles' fragment 134 DK were intended as criticism of an anthropomorphic conception of the gods and especially of Apollo. To counter the notion of a god with human shape, Empedocles puts forward his own conception of Apollo as a "holy phrèn darting through the whole cosmos with swift thoughts". But what is the holy phrèn that is here spoken of, and why has Empedocles chosen such a conception for his description of Apollo? The author of the study that follows calls into question the supposition that the holy phrèn is somehow or other related to the divine Sphairos. He argues, instead, that the Empedoclean Apollo is to be understood as a son of the Zeus who, in fr. 6, is identified as different manifestations of fire in the world. The Apollo, whose "darting" movement is described in fr. 134, will most likely be the sun. His "swift thoughts" are the sun's rays. The "cosmos" is the ether and the world.KEYWORDS: Empedocles, Apollo, phrèn, anthropomorphism, presocratics!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:PT-BR;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page WordSection1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -- ABSTRACT: Ammonius tells us that the verses of Empedocles' fragment 134 DK were intended as criticism of an anthropomorphic conception of the gods and especially of Apollo. To counter the notion of a god with human shape, Empedocles puts forward his own conception of Apollo as a "holy phrèn darting through the whole cosmos with swift thoughts". But what is the holy phrèn that is here spoken of, and why has Empedocles chosen such a conception for his description of Apollo? The author of the study that follows calls into question the supposition that the holy phrèn is somehow or other related to the divine Sphairos. He argues, instead, that the Empedoclean Apollo is to be understood as a son of the Zeus who, in fr. 6, is identified as different manifestations of fire in the world. The Apollo, whose "darting" movement is described in fr. 134, will most likely be the sun. His "swift thoughts" are the sun's rays. The "cosmos" is the ether and the world. KEYWORDS: Empedocles, Apollo, phrèn, anthropomorphism, presocratic