TWO SCIENTISTS
The citizens of Abdera wrote to Hippocrates crying for help, because their great atomic scientist had gone mad. Hippocrates was long delayed. When he arrived with his bottle of hellebore, the weeping citizens led him to Democritus, where he sat unshod, dissecting animals and making notes in the book on his knees. Hippocrates asked why he was doing it, and he answered that he was looking for the causes of madness in the parts of beasts, and he demanded what had detained Hippocrates. He answered, “Family matters, engagements, money and other business.” Democritus roared with laughter — that men called great so waste their lives, marrying only to fall out of love, seeking wealth without measure, making wars to no purpose, and in peace overthrowing one tyrant to set up another. Hippocrates listened to his railing and, turning to the people, told them to cease their lamentation, for Democritus was not only sane but the wisest man in Abdera.
From Warren S. McCulloch’s 1962 essay, “Where is Fancy Bred?,” collected in Embodiments of Mind. In addition to being a great scientist and philospher, he had a rather compelling visage:
