Q 01/05

Which nickname did the ancient world give Democritus for his outlook on human affairs?

A) The weeping philosopher

B) The laughing philosopher

C) The silent philosopher

D) The barefoot philosopher

Answer · why

B) The laughing philosopher

The laughing philosopher was his ancient tag, yet the one surviving line of his that mentions laughter says human misfortunes call for tears instead.

Q 02/05

According to an ancient report, what did Plato wish to do with every book Democritus had written?

A) Burn them all

B) Hide them away

C) Copy them out

D) Sell them abroad

Answer · why

A) Burn them all

Plato wanted to burn them all, the report goes, until two Pythagoreans pointed out that the books were already too widely circulated for it to work.

Q 03/05

Legend says Democritus deliberately ruined what, so nothing could distract him from study?

A) His hearing

B) His library

C) His eyesight

D) His right hand

Answer · why

C) His eyesight

His eyesight was the supposed sacrifice, but the tale is generally treated as the invention of a later age that was fond of colourful anecdotes.

Q 04/05

By one account, the dying Democritus outlasted a three-day festival by inhaling steam from what?

A) Mulled wine

B) Burning incense

C) Boiled herbs

D) Hot loaves

Answer · why

D) Hot loaves

Hot loaves, held to his nostrils each day, supposedly kept him alive so his sister could attend the Thesmophoria; he then let his life go without pain...

Q 05/05

A crater in the far north of which world carries the name of Democritus?

A) The Moon

B) Mars

C) Mercury

D) Ganymede

Answer · why

A) The Moon

The Moon carries his name on a crater in its far north, given by Giovanni Riccioli in 1651 under a naming system that is still the standard for lunar ...