...The word χημεια—from which we derive our English word 'chemistry'—first occurs, it is said,
in the Lexicon of Suidas, a Greek writer who flourished in the eleventh century. Here is his
definition of it:
'Chemistry is the art of preparing gold and silver. The books concerning it were sought out and
burnt by Diocletian, on account of the new plots directed against him by the Egyptians. He behaved
towards them with great cruelty in his search after the treatises written by the ancients, his purpose
being to prevent them from growing rich by a knowledge of this art, lest, emboldened by
measureless wealth, they should be induced to resist the Roman supremacy.' Some authorities
assert, however, that this art, or pretended art, is of much greater antiquity than Suidas knew of; and
Scaliger refers to a Greek manuscript by Zozomen, of the fifth century, which is entitled 'A Faithful
Description of the Secret and Divine Art of Making Gold and Silver.' We may assume that as soon
as mankind had begun to set an artificial value upon these metals, and had acquired some
knowledge of chemical elements, their combinations and permutations, they would entertain a
desire to multiply them in measureless quantities...