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Democritus of Abdera did not visit Athens, but considered that great city beneath his notice; nor did he care to win fame from a place but rather preferred himself to make a place famous.[1] When Hippocrates came to see Democritus, he ordered milk to be brought and having looked at it said that the milk came from a she-goat which had produced her first kid and was black; and Hippocrates marvelled at the accuracy of his observation. Moreover, Hippocrates was accompanied by a young girl, and the first day Democritus greeted her with "Good day, maid," but the next day with "Good day, woman." In fact, the girl had been seduced during the night.[2] Now, when he was very old and nearing the end his sister was upset that he would probably die on the Thesmophoria festival and thus she would not be able to make a proper offering to the goddess.[3] He told her to be of good courage and ordered that hot loaves should be brought to him every day; putting them under his nostrils, he managed to keep himself alive over the festival. When the days had passed -- there were three of them -- he let his life go out without great pain.[4]

*dhmo/kritos: o(/ti *dhmo/kritos o( *)abdhri/ths ou)k h)=lqen ei)s *)aqh/nas, a)lla\ tosau/ths po/lews u(perefro/nhsen, ou)k e)k tou= to/pou do/can labei=n boulo/menos, a)lla\ tw=| to/pw| do/can periqei=nai proelo/menos. o(/ti e)lqo/nta *(ippokra/thn pro\s *dhmo/kriton keleu=sai komisqh=nai ga/la kai\ qeasa/menon to\ ga/la ei)pei=n ai)go\s ei)=nai prwtoto/kou kai\ melai/nhs: kai\ th\n a)kri/beian au)tou= qauma/sai to\n *(ippokra/thn. a)lla\ kai\ th\n ko/rhn th\n meta\ *(ippokra/tous pro\s au)to\n e)lqou=san th=| me\n prw/th| h(me/ra| a)spa/sasqai ou(/tw: xai=re ko/rh: th=| de\ e)xome/nh|, xai=re gu/nai. kai\ h)=n h( ko/rh th=s nukto\s diefqarme/nh. h)/dh de\ u(pe/rghrwn o)/nta pro\s tw=| katastre/fein ei)=nai: th\n ou)=n a)delfh\n lupei=sqai, o(/ti e)n th=| tw=n *qesmofo/rwn e(orth=| me/lloi teqnh/cesqai kai\ th=| qew=| to\ kaqh=kon au)th\n ou) poih/sein: to\n de\ qarrei=n ei)pei=n kai\ keleu=sai au)tw=| prosfe/rein a)/rtous qermou\s o(shme/rai: tou/tous dh\ tai=s r(isi\ prosfe/rwn diekra/thsen e(auto\n th\n e(orth/n. e)peidh\ de\ parh=lqon ai( h(me/rai, trei=s de\ h)=san, a)lupo/tata to\n bi/on proh/kato.

For D. see already delta 447.
[1] From Diogenes Laertius 9.37, where this material is credited to Demetrius of Phaleron (delta 429).
[2] One wonders how Democritus could know unless he had been actively involved. On Hippocrates, see iota 564.
[3] Demeter. For the Thesmophoria see generally theta 270.
[4] From Diogenes Laertius 9.42-43 (closely followed).

Ross Scaife ✝ (added additional headword, keywords) on 12 October 2000@13:54:31.
David Whitehead (modified translation; added note and bibliography; cosmetics) on 13 October 2000@03:14:33.
Catharine Roth (added cross-reference) on 18 March 2002@01:01:48.
David Whitehead (augmented notes; added keywords; cosmetics) on 18 March 2002@03:39:24.
Catharine Roth (added cross-reference and keyword) on 18 March 2002@19:07:17.
David Whitehead (more keywords; cosmetics) on 26 June 2012@06:24:48.
David Whitehead (updated a ref) on 3 August 2014@04:52:26.

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