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The Chemical Muse: Drug Use and the Roots of Western Civilization
“The last wild frontier of classical studies.” ---The Times (UK)
The Chemical Muse uncovers decades of misdirection and obfuscation to reveal the history of widespread drug use in Ancient Rome and Greece. In the city-states that gave birth to Western civilization, drugs were an everyday element of a free society. Often they were not just available, but vitally necessary for use in medicine, religious ceremonies, and war campaigns. Their proponents and users existed in all classes, from the common soldier to the emperor himself.
Citing examples in myths, medicine, and literature, D. C. A. Hillman shows how drugs have influenced and inspired the artists, philosophers, and even politicians whose ideas have formed the basis for civilization as we know it. Many of these ancient texts may seem well-known, but Hillman shows how timid, prudish translations have left scholars and readers in the dark about the reality of drug use in the Classical world.
Hillman’s argument is not simply “pro-drug.” Instead, he appeals for an intellectual honesty that acknowledges the use of drugs in ancient societies despite today’s conflicting social mores. In the modern world, where academia and university life are often politically charged, The Chemical Muse offers a unique and long overdue perspective on the contentious topic of drug use and the freedom of thought.
The Chemical Muse uncovers decades of misdirection and obfuscation to reveal the history of widespread drug use in Ancient Rome and Greece. In the city-states that gave birth to Western civilization, drugs were an everyday element of a free society. Often they were not just available, but vitally necessary for use in medicine, religious ceremonies, and war campaigns. Their proponents and users existed in all classes, from the common soldier to the emperor himself.
Citing examples in myths, medicine, and literature, D. C. A. Hillman shows how drugs have influenced and inspired the artists, philosophers, and even politicians whose ideas have formed the basis for civilization as we know it. Many of these ancient texts may seem well-known, but Hillman shows how timid, prudish translations have left scholars and readers in the dark about the reality of drug use in the Classical world.
Hillman’s argument is not simply “pro-drug.” Instead, he appeals for an intellectual honesty that acknowledges the use of drugs in ancient societies despite today’s conflicting social mores. In the modern world, where academia and university life are often politically charged, The Chemical Muse offers a unique and long overdue perspective on the contentious topic of drug use and the freedom of thought.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 22, 2008
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August 12, 2023
I stumbled upon this book by a roundabout way. I’ve watched a documentary where D.C.A. Hillman was featured, and saw him labeled as the author of this Chemical Muse work on the drug use and the roots of western civilization.
For quite some time now, I’ve had this intuition (for lack of better word) that history classes were somewhat lacking in regards to acknowledging the role drugs played in whatever was happening back then. I got that feeling (stressing it was just a feeling, for I lack expertise on the subject) just by reading some of the works of the Greco-Roman period, since they seemed to hint that the author had had his mind altered in order to have the kind of view presented in his writing. Nevertheless, my intuition could easily be dismissed for lack of any expert view on the matter, so, if anything, this was just one of those things I kept on the back of my head for lack of further evidence.
And here is why finding this book struck me as such an interesting proposal. For here it was the expert’s opinion on this particular topic promising to dig up that forgotten (or hidden) aspect of our culture’s past. So I read it eager as I was to find out how the author would argue in favor of that thesis.
The book opens with a very engaging presentation of the main reason why Hillman chose to write this book. For those of you who have had college experience, his description of what happened during his doctoral cross examination in regard to his research findings concerning recreational drug use in Ancient Rome will not come as a surprise. He had to remove his findings from the overall work or his doctoral degree would be rejected. Having done so, he remedied the removal by publishing his findings in the form of this book.
And here is where things get interesting. I was expecting a different kind of approach; well, not that I had a particular map in mind, but what I mean is that Hillman’s approach surprised me positively. For he starts to describe how terrible and miserable was life back then in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Too much suffering, disease and death for those poor wretched people forsake plant medicines just for the sake of some abstruse morality. And it makes sense. Plants were needed for they provided at least some comfort and assurance where little to none was to find. That also meant that they stumbled upon the mind altering effects of those same plants. And knowing them, they surely used them. It makes more sense if you think as Hillman points out the way.
In the following chapters, the author continues to guide us through what amounts to a congruent view that the use of recreational drugs was not only a reality but a necessary one in the context of those living back then. Taking bits from different sources, Hillman mounts his case by showing that different authors in antiquity, both Greek and Roman, were not only familiar with the various aspects of the possible uses of medicinal plants, as they seem to hint they also knew by first-hand experience the recreational uses of those very same plants.
In one really interesting chapter, The Pharmacology of Western Philosophy, Hillman presents a good case stressing the importance of mind-altering substances in promoting the development of Greek philosophy in ancient Pre-Socratic times.
Overall, the book tries to speak with different people, with very different views and specialization concerning the subject of Greco-Roman civilization. On the one hand, Hillman is very critical of most Classicists stance in regard to the specific topic of drug use in antiquity; but on the other hand, he is also speaking to the larger public that may be open to understand the past through this new perspective.
In spite its many strengths, the book is a little short on hard evidence to support its case — that is, there are too few references to actual texts that could make a stronger case for those who are not convinced by his overarching argument. But that could easily be justified as this book is not intended to be a specialists book only. Instead of offering the passages, Hillman points to where one can find them, if one is so inclined to do so.
If, like me, you’re partial to this subject; that is, if you already are favorable to the view that drug use and human history go side by side wherever you look, you’ll find this book very enlightening and pleasing. But if you oppose this view, I’m not sure if you’ll find the whole argument compelling. Nonetheless, if you have in you some spark of curiosity to allow yourself a different understanding of what might have happened in the past, you probably will find this book very engaging.
For quite some time now, I’ve had this intuition (for lack of better word) that history classes were somewhat lacking in regards to acknowledging the role drugs played in whatever was happening back then. I got that feeling (stressing it was just a feeling, for I lack expertise on the subject) just by reading some of the works of the Greco-Roman period, since they seemed to hint that the author had had his mind altered in order to have the kind of view presented in his writing. Nevertheless, my intuition could easily be dismissed for lack of any expert view on the matter, so, if anything, this was just one of those things I kept on the back of my head for lack of further evidence.
And here is why finding this book struck me as such an interesting proposal. For here it was the expert’s opinion on this particular topic promising to dig up that forgotten (or hidden) aspect of our culture’s past. So I read it eager as I was to find out how the author would argue in favor of that thesis.
The book opens with a very engaging presentation of the main reason why Hillman chose to write this book. For those of you who have had college experience, his description of what happened during his doctoral cross examination in regard to his research findings concerning recreational drug use in Ancient Rome will not come as a surprise. He had to remove his findings from the overall work or his doctoral degree would be rejected. Having done so, he remedied the removal by publishing his findings in the form of this book.
And here is where things get interesting. I was expecting a different kind of approach; well, not that I had a particular map in mind, but what I mean is that Hillman’s approach surprised me positively. For he starts to describe how terrible and miserable was life back then in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Too much suffering, disease and death for those poor wretched people forsake plant medicines just for the sake of some abstruse morality. And it makes sense. Plants were needed for they provided at least some comfort and assurance where little to none was to find. That also meant that they stumbled upon the mind altering effects of those same plants. And knowing them, they surely used them. It makes more sense if you think as Hillman points out the way.
In the following chapters, the author continues to guide us through what amounts to a congruent view that the use of recreational drugs was not only a reality but a necessary one in the context of those living back then. Taking bits from different sources, Hillman mounts his case by showing that different authors in antiquity, both Greek and Roman, were not only familiar with the various aspects of the possible uses of medicinal plants, as they seem to hint they also knew by first-hand experience the recreational uses of those very same plants.
In one really interesting chapter, The Pharmacology of Western Philosophy, Hillman presents a good case stressing the importance of mind-altering substances in promoting the development of Greek philosophy in ancient Pre-Socratic times.
Overall, the book tries to speak with different people, with very different views and specialization concerning the subject of Greco-Roman civilization. On the one hand, Hillman is very critical of most Classicists stance in regard to the specific topic of drug use in antiquity; but on the other hand, he is also speaking to the larger public that may be open to understand the past through this new perspective.
In spite its many strengths, the book is a little short on hard evidence to support its case — that is, there are too few references to actual texts that could make a stronger case for those who are not convinced by his overarching argument. But that could easily be justified as this book is not intended to be a specialists book only. Instead of offering the passages, Hillman points to where one can find them, if one is so inclined to do so.
If, like me, you’re partial to this subject; that is, if you already are favorable to the view that drug use and human history go side by side wherever you look, you’ll find this book very enlightening and pleasing. But if you oppose this view, I’m not sure if you’ll find the whole argument compelling. Nonetheless, if you have in you some spark of curiosity to allow yourself a different understanding of what might have happened in the past, you probably will find this book very engaging.
May 9, 2013
This book states what should have been stated long ago and seems obvious in retrospect about how widespread the use of "recreational drugs" were in Hellenistic and Roman times. The books is written comprehensively enough and is somewhat entertaining. But the author gets bogged down in his arguments, for example saying that ancients had little concept of "recreational drugs" and then proceeding to use that term to describe ancient "drug" use, much of which was opiate pain relief. So he's using modern lenses for historical phenomenon, arguing they shouldn't be used, and then not really coming up with a better frame. It makes me doubt the validity of some of his conclusions, and not being a classics scholar, that gives me pause. Sometimes the author uses an authoritative tone in subject areas where speculative approaches would bode better for convincing readers. Overall, I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in the areas of historic entheogenic use. It's a good start and we should look forward to more scholarship in this area.
August 27, 2008
Hillman presents a very well-reasoned argument and is apparently breaking with centuries of Classical scholarship in doing so. While he does admonish fellow scholars for purposefully ignoring this aspect of ancient culture, he mostly focuses on proving his point. His basic reasoning is that medicinal and recreational drug use were inseparable in ancient times, mostly due to the extremely harsh living conditions that forced them to seek relief through plant toxins/medicines. In my opinion, his argument could have been distilled into fewer pages; I lost interest about 3/4 of the way through, as it got a bit repetitive and dry. The first half of the book is the strongest and goes a long way towards making his case. Fascinating reading for those interested in Classical studies or ethnobotany, perhaps a bit dry and scholarly for casual readers, but nonetheless accessible to all.
May 8, 2009
The Chemical Muse: Drug use and the Roots of Western Civilization, by D.C.A. Hillman, Ph.D., 2008.
Ancient Romans and Greeks high on drugs? Most definitely.
This book is a fascinating look into a seldom discussed topic - the Roman and Greek use of drugs. And not just drugs for medicinal use, but recreationally too. From psychedelic drugs like mandrake, wormwood, henbane and mushrooms, to fumigating cannabis or marijuana, the ancient texts, when translated precisely, show a deep and culturally ingrained use of drugs.
Why would the ancient Greeks and Romans, the founders of Western civilization, be involved in drug use? Not only due to the harsh environment of the times, and for standard medical treatments, but to expand consciousness and awareness for poetry, politics, science and philosophy. Case in point: Empedocles used drugs during his development of atomic theory - 2500 years ago!
And what are Hillman's qualifications? He's probably one of the only, if not the only, Ph.D. in Classics with a masters in Bacteriology. His background makes him especially qualified to study ancient medical texts that have yet to be translated to English, and those that have been; their drug content has been watered down or completely omitted.
Few scholars dare to tread into this area of history - the most pronounced scholar to do so prior to Hillman is Professor Carl Ruck from Boston University, who in private conversations with me has verified many of the statements that Hillman mentions here - from being blacklisted, to having his students blacklisted, to other academicians not being willing to even discuss the matter, and even having laboratories locked for the mere question that ergot might have been used at Eleusis.
A handful of independent researchers, like Chris Bennett, whom I've also interviewed, have touched on this area. But scholars, especially at the professorate level, are few and far between. And as Hillman discusses in this book, he too was threatened to remove all mention of recreational drug use from his dissertation (which was well proved with ancient textual citations), or he wouldn't earn his doctorate - to which he complied.
But why is this field of study so taboo? It may be because it forces us in Western society to question our own beliefs about the origins of medicine, democracy, science and religion - all of which, as the evidence strongly suggests, have their origins in drug use. The understanding of what true democracy and freedom are - including the right to do with our own bodies as we see fit - including taking drugs - was part of the social norm in these ancient societies - especially in Athens.
Many people wrongly assume that it was only the Native American cultures that held to such practices like Peyote, but as anthropology shows - and as the majority of Classics scholars have yet to admit - nearly all religions have their foundations in shamanic drug use. This period of time in ancient Greece and Rome seems to have been a converging point between the shamanic and modern themes. But losing the knowledge of drugs in our own society has been to our own detriment. Valuable medications that our society could be using from ancient medical texts are overlooked, while pharmaceutical companies pilfer shamanic medicines from Central and South America today.
What I find most amusing is that some people seem to hold this book up as unwavering support for some "maximal entheogen theory," which I think if they had read the book more carefully, hardly supports. The reviewers promoting this theory must omit huge swaths of text for such an argument. It is clear that all drug use was NOT permitted freely by all cultures "ubiquitously" in late antiquity like the "maximal entheogen theory" suggests (intentional omission?). And this was certainly not the case, as Hillman's book makes painfully clear:
"The greatest objections that the Spartans could raise against the representatives of democracy were that they talked far too freely and that they used drugs." Pg. 204
"The Spartans believed mind-altering substances, like books and art, were a threat to their totalitarian rule". Pg. 206
"Spartan society was no friend to the Dionysian concept of ecstasy, and most Spartans would have felt seriously out of place in Athens, where the magical intoxication of wine and strong drugs was just another aspect of daily life. They didn't like drug-wielding sorcerers either. The Spartans would never have attended decadent and immoderate Athenian festivals that celebrated the out-of-body experience." Pg. 207
Certainly societies of the Classical time period banned drugs, like the Spartans; and Chris Bennett argues that Deuteronomy evidences one of the first prohibitory laws from the 6th century BCE. Further study needs to be done on other totalitarian cultures of the time (like the Hebrews), and also on exactly when and where the Greco-Roman world began to ban and suppress many of these substances as a practice. I believe Hillman himself is currently undertaking this research and I hope it will likely yield valuable information regarding exactly when and where the change in acceptance occurred. I am excited to see what Hillman publishes in this regard.
The fact that the rites at Eleusis were held secret for 1600 years and guarded with the threat of death, and the fact that the inquisitions plundered the European tribal cultures, and later manifestations such as the Protestant beer purity laws - the Reinheitsgebot - banned the psychoactive gruit (beer) monopoly held by the Catholics, shows that a more careful, analytical and historical approach needs to be developed.
And in Allegro's defense, the Bible labels those who prepared medicines, the ancient pharmacists, magi and healers, as "sorcerers". G5331 and G5332 of Strong's Concordance of the Bible make it clear: G5331 pharmakeia: From G5332; medication ("pharmacy"), that is, (by extension) magic (literal or figurative): - sorcery, witchcraft. G5332: pharmakon (a drug, that is, spell giving potion); a druggist ("pharmacist") or poisoner, that is, (by extension) a magician: - sorcerer.
Galatians further reiterates this fact:
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft [pharmakeia - medication:], hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness [G3178: Apparently a primary word; an intoxicant, that is, (by implication) intoxication: - drunkenness.], revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Notice that Galatians clearly states that "they which do such things" with medications and intoxicants shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God. This certainly falls outside a "maximal entheogen theory" - while noting that "some" used these substances - but were clearly, as defined by the Bible, outside the accepted norm - not a maximal, ubiquitous theory.
Such fact-ignoring, gloss-over theories also need to more carefully define what an "entheogen" is. Do we include substances like opium into the category of entheogens? Surely opium has visionary potential, but shall we dare include it in such broad terms in over-simplified theories?
Regardless of these other theories that attempt to prop themselves up with Hillman's work (via omission), Hillman has brought us valuable insight into ancient Greek and Roman understandings of drug use, how widespread drug use was, and surrounding beliefs. I look forward to his future publications.
5 stars. An important addition to any ethnopharmacology library.
Ancient Romans and Greeks high on drugs? Most definitely.
This book is a fascinating look into a seldom discussed topic - the Roman and Greek use of drugs. And not just drugs for medicinal use, but recreationally too. From psychedelic drugs like mandrake, wormwood, henbane and mushrooms, to fumigating cannabis or marijuana, the ancient texts, when translated precisely, show a deep and culturally ingrained use of drugs.
Why would the ancient Greeks and Romans, the founders of Western civilization, be involved in drug use? Not only due to the harsh environment of the times, and for standard medical treatments, but to expand consciousness and awareness for poetry, politics, science and philosophy. Case in point: Empedocles used drugs during his development of atomic theory - 2500 years ago!
And what are Hillman's qualifications? He's probably one of the only, if not the only, Ph.D. in Classics with a masters in Bacteriology. His background makes him especially qualified to study ancient medical texts that have yet to be translated to English, and those that have been; their drug content has been watered down or completely omitted.
Few scholars dare to tread into this area of history - the most pronounced scholar to do so prior to Hillman is Professor Carl Ruck from Boston University, who in private conversations with me has verified many of the statements that Hillman mentions here - from being blacklisted, to having his students blacklisted, to other academicians not being willing to even discuss the matter, and even having laboratories locked for the mere question that ergot might have been used at Eleusis.
A handful of independent researchers, like Chris Bennett, whom I've also interviewed, have touched on this area. But scholars, especially at the professorate level, are few and far between. And as Hillman discusses in this book, he too was threatened to remove all mention of recreational drug use from his dissertation (which was well proved with ancient textual citations), or he wouldn't earn his doctorate - to which he complied.
But why is this field of study so taboo? It may be because it forces us in Western society to question our own beliefs about the origins of medicine, democracy, science and religion - all of which, as the evidence strongly suggests, have their origins in drug use. The understanding of what true democracy and freedom are - including the right to do with our own bodies as we see fit - including taking drugs - was part of the social norm in these ancient societies - especially in Athens.
Many people wrongly assume that it was only the Native American cultures that held to such practices like Peyote, but as anthropology shows - and as the majority of Classics scholars have yet to admit - nearly all religions have their foundations in shamanic drug use. This period of time in ancient Greece and Rome seems to have been a converging point between the shamanic and modern themes. But losing the knowledge of drugs in our own society has been to our own detriment. Valuable medications that our society could be using from ancient medical texts are overlooked, while pharmaceutical companies pilfer shamanic medicines from Central and South America today.
What I find most amusing is that some people seem to hold this book up as unwavering support for some "maximal entheogen theory," which I think if they had read the book more carefully, hardly supports. The reviewers promoting this theory must omit huge swaths of text for such an argument. It is clear that all drug use was NOT permitted freely by all cultures "ubiquitously" in late antiquity like the "maximal entheogen theory" suggests (intentional omission?). And this was certainly not the case, as Hillman's book makes painfully clear:
"The greatest objections that the Spartans could raise against the representatives of democracy were that they talked far too freely and that they used drugs." Pg. 204
"The Spartans believed mind-altering substances, like books and art, were a threat to their totalitarian rule". Pg. 206
"Spartan society was no friend to the Dionysian concept of ecstasy, and most Spartans would have felt seriously out of place in Athens, where the magical intoxication of wine and strong drugs was just another aspect of daily life. They didn't like drug-wielding sorcerers either. The Spartans would never have attended decadent and immoderate Athenian festivals that celebrated the out-of-body experience." Pg. 207
Certainly societies of the Classical time period banned drugs, like the Spartans; and Chris Bennett argues that Deuteronomy evidences one of the first prohibitory laws from the 6th century BCE. Further study needs to be done on other totalitarian cultures of the time (like the Hebrews), and also on exactly when and where the Greco-Roman world began to ban and suppress many of these substances as a practice. I believe Hillman himself is currently undertaking this research and I hope it will likely yield valuable information regarding exactly when and where the change in acceptance occurred. I am excited to see what Hillman publishes in this regard.
The fact that the rites at Eleusis were held secret for 1600 years and guarded with the threat of death, and the fact that the inquisitions plundered the European tribal cultures, and later manifestations such as the Protestant beer purity laws - the Reinheitsgebot - banned the psychoactive gruit (beer) monopoly held by the Catholics, shows that a more careful, analytical and historical approach needs to be developed.
And in Allegro's defense, the Bible labels those who prepared medicines, the ancient pharmacists, magi and healers, as "sorcerers". G5331 and G5332 of Strong's Concordance of the Bible make it clear: G5331 pharmakeia: From G5332; medication ("pharmacy"), that is, (by extension) magic (literal or figurative): - sorcery, witchcraft. G5332: pharmakon (a drug, that is, spell giving potion); a druggist ("pharmacist") or poisoner, that is, (by extension) a magician: - sorcerer.
Galatians further reiterates this fact:
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft [pharmakeia - medication:], hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness [G3178: Apparently a primary word; an intoxicant, that is, (by implication) intoxication: - drunkenness.], revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Notice that Galatians clearly states that "they which do such things" with medications and intoxicants shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God. This certainly falls outside a "maximal entheogen theory" - while noting that "some" used these substances - but were clearly, as defined by the Bible, outside the accepted norm - not a maximal, ubiquitous theory.
Such fact-ignoring, gloss-over theories also need to more carefully define what an "entheogen" is. Do we include substances like opium into the category of entheogens? Surely opium has visionary potential, but shall we dare include it in such broad terms in over-simplified theories?
Regardless of these other theories that attempt to prop themselves up with Hillman's work (via omission), Hillman has brought us valuable insight into ancient Greek and Roman understandings of drug use, how widespread drug use was, and surrounding beliefs. I look forward to his future publications.
5 stars. An important addition to any ethnopharmacology library.
September 11, 2024
For a book that was ‘forbidden’ as a PHD thesis, it’s a bit disappointing. Maybe because the American context of the war on drugs is much more intense then the European one, it’s hard to imagine that the things Hillman writes are so upsetting to some.
The fact that Greco-Roman ancient societies uses drugs can not be a surprise, the level in which they did and their advanced knowledge of many substances might be. Still, it’s in no way shocking.
All in all, some interesting facts and insights but it certainly isn’t groundbreaking or makes you wonder about the foundation of our modern day society.
The fact that Greco-Roman ancient societies uses drugs can not be a surprise, the level in which they did and their advanced knowledge of many substances might be. Still, it’s in no way shocking.
All in all, some interesting facts and insights but it certainly isn’t groundbreaking or makes you wonder about the foundation of our modern day society.
May 25, 2025
I’m a former pharmacy tech with a Classics degree, so this was a subject I had great interest in. However, I couldn’t make it very far in this book because the writing was so uninspired. It’s like reading an essay by a high school student who has dutifully done his research and followed his writing teacher’s rubric to the letter: introductory sentence, body of paragraph, concluding sentence; introductory sentence, body of paragraph, concluding sentence… it’s so incredibly dull and formulaic.
Edit: a far better book dealing with similar subject matter (though not exclusively focused on Classical civilization) is Ten Drugs by Thomas Hager.
Edit: a far better book dealing with similar subject matter (though not exclusively focused on Classical civilization) is Ten Drugs by Thomas Hager.
July 2, 2025
Being interested as I am in the topic of entheogens, early philosophy, and ancient magical practices—and the huge points of intersection between them—I was really looking forward to reading this book. Even if, yes, mainstream academia is still shy about the subject, if not simply dismissive, I find that the book is not only pompous and full of virtue signaling, but silly and adolescent. Awful combination.
The book's thesis would be obvious if it weren’t for post-Victorian era prejudices: drug usage was pretty, pretty common in antiquity. Sadly, in order to make his point—and what he and the editors might have considered an attempt to appeal to larger audiences—the book seems written for that kind of fifteen-year-old that just discovered drugs and laughs out loud when hearing the word "weed," no matter how many times it happens.
The author repeats the word "drug" tirelessly and treats the subject of herb and plant lore in antiquity as if he were discussing illegal drugs in New York in the ’70s. He talks about a "drug route" and "drug dealers.” As he explains in the conclusion—probably realizing in the process how dumb most of the book sounds—drug trade was just trade. The interpretations on "narco-mythology," as he frames it, are subpar, not serious at all. His analysis of the Promethean mythos and The Odyssey are laughable—that is, if you can at least find it funny.
The role of the magician—surprise, surprise—is treated poorly. Decades of wonderful modern research, from Frances Yates to Ioanescu, PGM, Stratton-Kent, Kingsley, all the work done around the role of the goēs and iatromancy—so this guy can just content himself with the fact that "they did drugs." It’s one of the most ignorant books I've read on classical culture.
The book's thesis would be obvious if it weren’t for post-Victorian era prejudices: drug usage was pretty, pretty common in antiquity. Sadly, in order to make his point—and what he and the editors might have considered an attempt to appeal to larger audiences—the book seems written for that kind of fifteen-year-old that just discovered drugs and laughs out loud when hearing the word "weed," no matter how many times it happens.
The author repeats the word "drug" tirelessly and treats the subject of herb and plant lore in antiquity as if he were discussing illegal drugs in New York in the ’70s. He talks about a "drug route" and "drug dealers.” As he explains in the conclusion—probably realizing in the process how dumb most of the book sounds—drug trade was just trade. The interpretations on "narco-mythology," as he frames it, are subpar, not serious at all. His analysis of the Promethean mythos and The Odyssey are laughable—that is, if you can at least find it funny.
The role of the magician—surprise, surprise—is treated poorly. Decades of wonderful modern research, from Frances Yates to Ioanescu, PGM, Stratton-Kent, Kingsley, all the work done around the role of the goēs and iatromancy—so this guy can just content himself with the fact that "they did drugs." It’s one of the most ignorant books I've read on classical culture.
August 31, 2016
I'm leaving Goodreads. This review is now available on LibraryThing, user name CSRodgers.
July 31, 2009
While sympathetic to Hillman's general argument, I was disappointed with how bland and repetitive The Chemical Muse was.
November 15, 2017
A solid midrange Meh...
Despite the thriller opening (the MAN wouldn't let Hillman publish the TRUTH...), what he comes up with is a largely circumstantial re-framing of translated texts he argues proves that psychotropic drugs were not invented by Timothy Leary in the 1950s. It is a valuable correction in that drugs (medicinal and recreational) clearly were a part of classical civilization, but I am not certain how much value is added to our understanding by this. Anyone who has ever read St. John the Divine just knows that dude was on 'shrooms. It is still a canon text of Christianity. Would it diminish the importance of Plato's metaphor of the cave to learn that he first conceived it while tripping balls? How does that information reshape our opinions of materialist versus idealist philosophies?
And that is my main reason for feeling underwhelmed by the argument laid out by Hillman here, and why I can sympathize with his committee when they were less than enthused by this chapter of his dissertation. It is not prudish to ask, "So what?", of an argument that adds virtually nothing to how we understand classical civilization or ideas. The origin of an idea is nowhere near as important as its effects and influence.
A lightweight tome that requires no specialized knowledge, but doesn't add much to your knowledge base either.
Despite the thriller opening (the MAN wouldn't let Hillman publish the TRUTH...), what he comes up with is a largely circumstantial re-framing of translated texts he argues proves that psychotropic drugs were not invented by Timothy Leary in the 1950s. It is a valuable correction in that drugs (medicinal and recreational) clearly were a part of classical civilization, but I am not certain how much value is added to our understanding by this. Anyone who has ever read St. John the Divine just knows that dude was on 'shrooms. It is still a canon text of Christianity. Would it diminish the importance of Plato's metaphor of the cave to learn that he first conceived it while tripping balls? How does that information reshape our opinions of materialist versus idealist philosophies?
And that is my main reason for feeling underwhelmed by the argument laid out by Hillman here, and why I can sympathize with his committee when they were less than enthused by this chapter of his dissertation. It is not prudish to ask, "So what?", of an argument that adds virtually nothing to how we understand classical civilization or ideas. The origin of an idea is nowhere near as important as its effects and influence.
A lightweight tome that requires no specialized knowledge, but doesn't add much to your knowledge base either.
September 16, 2025
Classical Greek may be the first step in innerstanding our comprehension of history.
Dr. Hillman masterfully awakens one's curiosity in the hidden history contained in ancient texts. This book kept me glued to its pages from start to end, and I feel it only scratched the suface. We see how ideas that go against the grain get pushed over, and how much humanity is missing from real knowledge. Highly recommend this reading.
Dr. Hillman masterfully awakens one's curiosity in the hidden history contained in ancient texts. This book kept me glued to its pages from start to end, and I feel it only scratched the suface. We see how ideas that go against the grain get pushed over, and how much humanity is missing from real knowledge. Highly recommend this reading.
December 9, 2025
The Chemical Muse is such an eye-opening read. Hillman completely flips the script on how we imagine the ancient world by showing just how woven drugs and altered states were into religion, medicine, and everyday life. It makes you rethink “respectable” history and see how much has been edited out or sanitized. If you’re into mystery traditions, oracles, and consciousness, this book is like finding a missing piece of the puzzle.
August 8, 2025
Drugs... just drugs; no nuance: no trauma, no near-death experiences, no ritual, no meditation, no dreams, no sexual union, no love, no isolation, no grief, no illness, just drugs... the Mystery is drugs... The bedrock of Western civilisation is drugs... What paradigm is he supposedly critiquing here again? The old ecumenical unifier - once God, now its the Sacred Molecule? From monotheism to monopharmacism - same priesthood, new robe. Same hunger for the One, same fear of the Many.
May 6, 2018
interesting speculation
June 15, 2024
Great book! It is very eye-opening to learn about the role of entheogens in the ancient classical world. Very recommended!
June 18, 2024
Well worth a read. Drugs were more common in ancient Greece than they are now, just less stigmatized.
Dr. Hillman is a legend and a very interesting and funny podcast guest.
Dr. Hillman is a legend and a very interesting and funny podcast guest.
January 31, 2025
I learned about the writer from a Danny Jones podcast. I found it well researched and well written. The writer knows his subject well.
March 7, 2025
Interesting perhaps the key to all is drugs and that is why it’s so guarded and in many places made illegal because it is the KEY.
Enjoy the truth of history revealed.
Enjoy the truth of history revealed.
August 17, 2024
Ett intressant perspektiv. Författaren har skrivit något slags religionshistorisk översikt över medicinalväxter och religiös - och social droganvändning i antikens Grekland (till viss del antikens Rom). Intressant för oss antiknördar.
April 13, 2011
While the premise of this book already intrigued me...Hillman's intro made it irresistible. While finishing his doctorate degree & dissertation he was essentially told he had to cut out the section about the common use of recreational drugs in ancient Greece. Because the world is too stuffy to admit that Aristotle, Socrates & Plato may have been geniuses because they were a bit hiiiiiiiiigh all the time.
While ancient Greece to some may seem like one big stoner orgy... it was actually a shatty time to live in. You were lucky if you made it to 20, never mind MY old age. Disease, plagues, pestilence, wars. I totally see why these people took drugs.
That and while the ancient Greeks are a big reason why we have formalized medicine (thou I'm not sure the Greeks would love the bastardized practice it has become) at least we don't use "beaver juice" for headaches anymore. And for those who wanted to know "beaver juice" is really the short name of "beaver ball sack juice". I'm sure my Advil has that still in it but at least now we've formalized the name so I can barely pronounce it never mind infer what it may be.
It never ceases to amaze me thou how much historians have censored out of history. Does it really shock anyone the ancient Greeks liked to burn a few down? They also exposed their children to gladiator fights to the death. Which only tells me that humans have become bigger hoo-has over time. Not that I want to personally see that, but now it's tv ratings and explicit advisory stickers on cds (wait, what are those??). For a society humans & history hold so high, they seem to not hold back in showing life as it really was & having a few smiles while their at it.
I'm not a huge drug advocate, not my thing. But I find it hilarious that a society that looks down on marijuana use (for now), when the original reefer madness started back in one of the most creative and foremost thinking eras and societies. Boom Shaka laka.
Overall I loved the path this book took. Not to justify drug use (C'mon, you thought I was going there...admit it) but more to see what has been hidden from public consumption over time by scholars. I'm not gonna push for the freedom to do coke lines off the top of a urinal in a dirty club bathroom anytime soon (I’ll wait til my 30s for that) but I'm glad I'm educated that some of the foremost philosophers in history did a shat ton o drugs. Just like the Beatles.... Are we seeing a theme yet? I sure am...it's everything in moderation... or something....
While ancient Greece to some may seem like one big stoner orgy... it was actually a shatty time to live in. You were lucky if you made it to 20, never mind MY old age. Disease, plagues, pestilence, wars. I totally see why these people took drugs.
That and while the ancient Greeks are a big reason why we have formalized medicine (thou I'm not sure the Greeks would love the bastardized practice it has become) at least we don't use "beaver juice" for headaches anymore. And for those who wanted to know "beaver juice" is really the short name of "beaver ball sack juice". I'm sure my Advil has that still in it but at least now we've formalized the name so I can barely pronounce it never mind infer what it may be.
It never ceases to amaze me thou how much historians have censored out of history. Does it really shock anyone the ancient Greeks liked to burn a few down? They also exposed their children to gladiator fights to the death. Which only tells me that humans have become bigger hoo-has over time. Not that I want to personally see that, but now it's tv ratings and explicit advisory stickers on cds (wait, what are those??). For a society humans & history hold so high, they seem to not hold back in showing life as it really was & having a few smiles while their at it.
I'm not a huge drug advocate, not my thing. But I find it hilarious that a society that looks down on marijuana use (for now), when the original reefer madness started back in one of the most creative and foremost thinking eras and societies. Boom Shaka laka.
Overall I loved the path this book took. Not to justify drug use (C'mon, you thought I was going there...admit it) but more to see what has been hidden from public consumption over time by scholars. I'm not gonna push for the freedom to do coke lines off the top of a urinal in a dirty club bathroom anytime soon (I’ll wait til my 30s for that) but I'm glad I'm educated that some of the foremost philosophers in history did a shat ton o drugs. Just like the Beatles.... Are we seeing a theme yet? I sure am...it's everything in moderation... or something....
February 27, 2011
Mind-blowing. Will prove to be very challenging to any student of government, law, history, or science. The author makes a compelling case about how to improve society through increased personal liberties. Also makes a careful depiction of how scholarship in American universities is subject to censorship through a form of mob mentality created by a distorted sense of aesthetics... that somehow free inquiry and healthy, open debate does not really exist, at least in some areas of scholarship.
Read
September 9, 2008A book about how drugs influenced the Greek philosophers, e.g. Plato and Aristotle. The author goes on and on about how obvious the fact is and how/why the Acacemics would not accept the fact. Made me to view the Greek mythology from a different and interesting angle.
Read right after "Beautiful boy".
Read right after "Beautiful boy".
Read
June 13, 2010I was able to go to his reading at Borders in Madison. He is a hometown boy and has a very interesting story of being censored during his thesis because they didnt like the truth of Galen et al self-medicating. The more things change the more they stay the same.
March 3, 2014
Great topic; a bit redundant; reasonably well-written. Well worth a look.
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