Final answer:
Empedocles' statement was the first to declare that the forces of Love and Strife govern the universe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Empedocles' statement was the first to declare that the forces of Love and Strife govern the universe. Empedocles, an ancient Greek philosopher, proposed the idea that the universe is made up of four basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. He believed that these elements were constantly being mixed and separated by the opposing forces of Love and Strife. This explanation of the physical world was groundbreaking for its time and laid the foundation for later philosophical and scientific ideas.