ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.)

Aristotle was born in Stagira in Macedonia (hence he is referred to as the "Stagirite") to a wealthy family in 384 B.C. His father, Nicomachus, was a physician who died when Aristotle was young. His mother, Phaestis, was rich in her own right.

When he was seventeen (367) he was sent to Athens to study at Plato's Academy by his uncle, Proxenus. He was to spend the next twenty years there, first as a student and then as a teacher.

When Plato died in 347, the Academy came under the control of Speusippus, Plato's nephew, who favored the mathematical aspects of Platonism. Perhaps because of this, but more probably because of growing anti-Macedonian sentiment, Aristotle decided to leave.

He went with Xenocrates to Atarneus, in Asia Minor, to join his former fellow Academy student and now ruler, Hermeias, as well as other former students. Hermeias gave them the town of Assos in which to live and do philosophy. While he was there Aristotle married Hermeias's niece, Pythias, with whom he had a daughter (also named Pythias) and a son, Nicomachus.

In 345 Aristotle moved to Mytilene, on the island of Lesbos, where he met Theophrastus, a native. Theophrastus was Aristotle's student and later his closest colleague. On Lesbos they conducted biological research.

In 343 Aristotle was invited by Philip of Macedon to his court to serve as a tutor to his son Alexander (Alexander the Great), who was then thirteen years old. It is not known what Aristotle taught Alexander. It appears that the time Aristotle spent at the court of Macedon increased his interest in politics. In 340 Alexander was appointed regent, to put down a Thracian rebellion while his father was away, and his studies with Aristotle ended.

Alexander the Great, son of Philip of Macedon

What Aristotle did for the next fives years is unknown. However in 335 Philip died, and Aristotle returned to Athens. He established his own school, the Lyceum, just outside the city, where he lectured, wrote and discussed philosophy with his students and associates. They also carried out research on biological and other scientific topics. The Lyceum had peripatoi (walks), from which we have the expression "Peripatetic philosophy", or the school of philosophy of Aristotle and his followers, since apparently Aristotle used to walk while teaching philosophy.

During this time his wife Pythia died. He became involved with another woman, Herpyllis, who was also from Stagira. They never married.

During these years teaching at the Lyceum Aristotle was very productive. Most of what we have of his works were probably written during these years. However, when Alexander the Great died in 323, Athens became hostile once again to Macedonians, and Aristotle was charged with Impiety. Leaving the Lyceum in the hands of Theophrastus, he fled to the Macedonian city of Chalcis, where his mother was from. He is supposed to have said that he would "not allow the Athenians to sin twice against philosophy". He lamented spending these last days in isolation and died in 322 at the age of sixty-two.