Despite the fact that Plato authored no dialogues that dealt with alchemy as such, he is perhaps the one to whom more spurious alchemical works were attributed than any other ancient source except Hermes Trismegistus (see Singer, below). His name was also cited frequently by later writers as a revered alchemical authority, and it is quite possible that the dialogue form itself – so popular with alchemical authors – had its basis in the Platonic model. The reasons for this pseudonymous popularity are interesting and instructive. The names of Plato, Aristotle, Raymund Lull, Geber and others were frequently appropriated by lesser alchemical authors who sought to make their works appear important by attaching them to eminent authorities past or present. In the case of Plato, however, there were other more compelling reasons for the association with alchemy. Alchemy's existence and credibility depended heavily on “platonic” ideas and doctrines that were readily available – although not exclusively so – in the Timaeus, Plato's Creation account. Here, for example, are discussed such important topics as the world's creation following the pattern of a “living creature,” complete with body and soul; the Four Elements theory (not original to Plato) and the elements’ circle of interconvertibility; the world soul or anima mundi, and the relationship between form and matter, all of which were theoretically relevant.