Pseudo-Democritus

Pseudo-Democritus is the name used by scholars for the anonymous authors of a number of Greek writings that were falsely attributed to the pre-Socratic philosopher Democritus (c. 460–370 BC).

Several of these writings, most notably the lost works On Sympathies and Antipathies and Artificial Substances (Greek: Cheirokmēta), were probably written by the Pythagorean physician and pharmacologist Bolos of Mendes (fl. 3rd or 2d century BC).^[1]

There are also a number of extant Greek alchemical writings attributed to Democritus, whose author has sometimes likewise been identified as Bolos of Mendes,^[2] but who is now thought to have been an anonymous author active during the second half of the first century AD, most likely c. 54–68 AD.^[3] These writings are some of the oldest alchemical works in existence, and have played an important role in defining alchemy as a discipline. In their original form, they probably consisted of a series of four books on dyeing: two books on dyeing metals gold and silver, one on dyeing stones, and one on dyeing wool purple. They were highly regarded by later Greek alchemists, who cited them frequently and even wrote a number of commentaries on them.

The alchemical works of pseudo-Democritus are also responsible for popularizing the aphorism attributed to the legendary Persian alchemist Ostanes, Nature delights in nature, nature conquers nature, nature masters nature, which went on to become an often repeated quote among later alchemists.