Page 59 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

We would also expect Anaxarchus upon his return to Ionia, to have sold, at least a portion of his
loot, to Democritus, (nor do we expect Aristotle and Theophrastus to relate these facts to us),
since under the rules of the Mysteries, knowledge (spoken or written,) could be diffused only by
brethren among brethren. This we believe is the way Democritus came to possess such a large
number of scientific books.

Again it must be stated that Democritus taught nothing new, but simply what he had learnt from
the Egyptians, directly or indirectly. His doctrine on the universal distribution of fire atoms is
based upon a magical principle: if the atom is an ingredient of the world, then it would be
universally distributed. Furthermore, Democritus enters history as a magician, and since there is
historical evidence that he visited the Egyptian priests, it is evident that magic was part of the
training which he must have received from them. (Antisthenes: Treatise on Succession;
Herodotus; Origen; Diogenes Laertius: Bk. 9 p. 443; Zeller's Hist. of Phil. p. 77).

3. His Books are doubtful in authorship

Several important facts must be noted in connection with the books which are said to have been
written by Democritus:

(a) A large number of books which appears in a list in the 9th Book of Diogenes, Laertius, does
not appear elsewhere in the usual textbooks on the history of Greek Philosophy; while Zeller
asserts that the genuineness of these books cannot be determined upon the evidence of the
fragments. (Zeller's Hist. of Phil. p. 77). It seems that his list of publications remains doubtful in
authorship.

(b) More than 60 different subjects are treated and they include Ethics, Physics, Astronomy,
Botany, Zoology, Poetry, Medicine, Dialectics, Military Science, and Law; also books on Magic,
including divination.

(c) We are informed by Diogenes Laertius that this large list of books was compiled by
Thrasyllus (about 20 A.D.) who was a student of the school of Plato, and also a member of
Aristotle's movement, which had for its purpose, the compilation of Greek philosophy. (Zeller's
Hist. of Phil. p. 13–14) (Diogenes Laertius Bk. 9 p. 455–461).

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook