Some Chemical Mirabilia in Plutarch and Apuleius: Platonist Piety, Natural Science, and Entertainment

This paper presents a comparison between the intellectual stance and philosophical background of Apuleius and Plutarch, based on some of the accounts of mirabilia (i.e. marvelous tales, phenomena, or objects) of chemical interest contained in their works. The discussion of such mirabilia offers an occasion to shed light on the two philosophers’ views on religious piety, natural philosophical inquiry, and scientific interests. Some of the passages are presented with detailed analyses and novel interpretations