Democrates

Democrates (; Ancient Greek: Δημοκράτης) was a Pythagorean philosopher about whom little is known. Apollonius of Tyana authored at least one letter, his epistle no. 96, to a Democrates, but it is unclear whether this philosopher were the addressee.

A collection of moral maxims called the Golden Sentences (γνῶμαι χρυσαῖ, Gnomai chrysai) has come down to us under his name. However, many scholars argue that these maxims all originate from an original collection of sayings of Democritus and brand Democrates a misnomer, though others believe that there was a little-known Democrates whose name became confused with Democritus. Thirty of the Golden Sayings are also found in Stobaeus, there as in other sources attributed to Democritus, but some scholars think some of these unsuited to the better-known philosopher's style; at least scholar divides them, part going to a Democrates, whom he identifies with Democrates of Aphidna, and part to Democritus.