Difference between revisions of "Pseudo-Democritus"

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'''Pseudo-Democritus''', also known as '''Democritus the Mystogogne''', was a Greek writer and alchemist active in the second century&nbsp;AD, and appears to have been a contemporary of [[Zosimos]] and [[Olympiodorus]]. He is best known for his treatise ''Physica et mystica'', which was translated by Pizzimenti in the sixteenth century, and his ''Letter to Leucippus''.<ref>{{LarousseXIXe | title = Démocrite le mystogogne | volume = 6 | page = 411}}.</ref>
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'''Pseudo-Democritus''', also known as '''Democritus the Mystogogne''', (Greek: {{polytonic|Δημόκριτος}}) was a Greek writer and alchemist active in the second century&nbsp;AD. He is best known for his treatise ''Physica et mystica'', which was translated by Pizzimenti in the sixteenth century, and his ''Letter to Leucippus''.<ref>{{LarousseXIXe | title = Démocrite le mystogogne | volume = 6 | page = 411}}.</ref>
  
 
''Physica et mystica'' is concerned with dyeing and with [[aurifaction]] ("making" gold).<ref>{{Cobb&Goldwhite|pages=36–37}}.</ref> One of his recipies for the "manufacture of silver" is quoted in the [[Stockholm Papyrus]]:<ref>{{citation | last = Caley | first = E. R. | year = 1926 | title = The Stockholm Papyrus: An English Translation with brief notes | journal =  J. Chem. Ed. | volume = 4 | issue = 8 | pages = 979–1002}}.</ref>
 
''Physica et mystica'' is concerned with dyeing and with [[aurifaction]] ("making" gold).<ref>{{Cobb&Goldwhite|pages=36–37}}.</ref> One of his recipies for the "manufacture of silver" is quoted in the [[Stockholm Papyrus]]:<ref>{{citation | last = Caley | first = E. R. | year = 1926 | title = The Stockholm Papyrus: An English Translation with brief notes | journal =  J. Chem. Ed. | volume = 4 | issue = 8 | pages = 979–1002}}.</ref>

Revision as of 17:03, 6 September 2010

Pseudo-Democritus, also known as Democritus the Mystogogne, (Greek: Δημόκριτος) was a Greek writer and alchemist active in the second century AD. He is best known for his treatise Physica et mystica, which was translated by Pizzimenti in the sixteenth century, and his Letter to Leucippus.[1]

Physica et mystica is concerned with dyeing and with aurifaction ("making" gold).[2] One of his recipies for the "manufacture of silver" is quoted in the Stockholm Papyrus:[3]

He [Pseudo-Democritus] rubbed common salt together with lamellose alum in vinegar and formed very fine small cones from these and let them dry for three days in the bath chamber. Then he ground them small, cast copper together with them three times and cooled, quenching in sea water.

References

  1. Démocrite le mystogogne. In Grand dictionnaire universel du XIXe siècle; Pierre Larousse: Paris, 1870; Vol. 6, p 411.
  2. Cobb, Cathy; Goldwhite, Harold Creations of Fire; Basic: New York, 1995; pp 36–37. ISBN 0-7382-0594-X.
  3. Caley, E. R. The Stockholm Papyrus: An English Translation with brief notes. J. Chem. Ed. 1926, 4 (8), 979–1002.

External links

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