Found this Joe, may give you some leads:

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a celebrated story with a rich history. It was popularized in the late eighteenth century by German writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) in his poem, "Der Zauberlehrling" (The Magician's Assistant). He based his poem on the Philopseudes, a dialogue written by Lucian in the second century. In the Philopseudes (The Lover of Lies), the character Eucrates meets a powerful Egyptian magician named Pancrates. They become friends, and Pancrates invites Eucrates to come live with him.