ARISTOTLE AND THE EARLIER PERIPATETICS vol.I by Eduard Zeller, B.F.C.Costelloe 1897

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THE LIFE OF ARISTpTLE 19
That event opens a new chapter of Aristotle's
life. So long as Plato led the Academy, Aristotle
would not leave it. When Speusippus took his place, 1
Aristotle had nothing to keep him in Athens; since
he does not seem to have at first contemplated the
foundation of a philosophical school of his own, for
which Athens would naturally have been the fittest
place.
Therefore he accepted, with Xenocrates, an invitation
from Hermias,the lord of Atarneus and Assos, 2
who had himself at one time belonged to Plato's school. 3
The prince was the intimate friend of both, 4 and they
remained three years with him. 5 Thereafter Aristotle
went to Mytilene. 6 This, Strabo says; was for his own
safety, because Hermias had fallen into the power of
the Persians by treachery ;
Aristotle had left before that event. 7
texts — perhaps the iwayayij
T^uuiv — seem to belong to the
first Athenian period.
1
This choice has caused surprise,
but wrongly. It is possible
that Plato had a greater personal
liking for Speusippus than for
Aristotle, or expected from him
a more orthodox continuation of
his teaching. Speusippus was
a much older man, was Plato's
nephew, had been brought up
by him, had followed him
faithfully for a long period of
years, and was also the legal
heir of Plato's garden near the
Vcademy. Besides, we do not
snow whether Plato did himself
bequeath the succession or not.
2 Boeckh, Hermias,' Abh. ' d.
Berl. AJtad. 1853, Hist. Phil. Kl.
p. 133 sq.
3
Stbabo, xiii. 1, 57, p. 610,
Apollodor. em. Diog. 9, and
it is probable, however, that
After the death
Diohys. Ep. ad Amm. i. 5, who
agree that Aristotle went to
Hermias after Plato's death.
The opposite would not follow
from the charge cited from Eubulides
on p. 10, n. 1 , supra, even if
that were tree. Strabo names
Assosasthe place where Aristotle
lived during this period.
* Cf. p. 17, n. 2, supra. Aristotle's
enemies (apud Dioo, .'.',
Anon. Menag., and Suidas,
'Ap.), suggest that this friendship
was an immoral one, but this
is impossible; BoBCKH, ibid.
137.
5
Apollodorus, Strabo, Dionysius,
etc., ut supra.
6
01. 108. 4 = 345-4 B.C., in
the archonship of Eubulus : see
Apollod. and Dionys. ibid.
7
Boeckh, ibid. 142, refuting
Strabo, has shown this to be
probable, though not certain.
c 2
20 ARISTOTLE
of Hermias the philosopher married *
either the sister or niece of his friend
Pythias, who was
2
and of his lasting
affection for them both he left more than one
memorial. 3
1
According to Aeistocles
(see next note) citing a Letter to
Antipater : reBveSros y&p 'Ep/aelov
Sth riiv irpbs
txewov eivoiav %yi\iitv
abrty, &A\as piv etitppova Kal
ayaitiiv oZaav, arvxivtrav fiiVTOi
Sia tAs Kara\afioitras avjupophs rby
aSe\