Aristotle

== Life ==

In general, the details of Aristotle's life are not well-established. The biographies written in ancient times are often speculative and historians only agree on a few salient points.{{efn-ua | See {{harvnb|Shields|2012|pp=3–16}}; {{harvnb|Düring|1957}} covers ancient biographies of Aristotle.}}

Aristotle was born in 384&nbsp;BC{{efn-ua|That these dates (the first half of the Olympiad year 384/383 BC, and in 322 shortly before the death of Demosthenes) are correct was shown by [[August Boeckh]] (''Kleine Schriften'' VI 195); for further discussion, see [[Felix Jacoby]] on ''[[FGrHist]]'' 244 F 38. Ingemar Düring, ''Aristotle in the Ancient Biographical Tradition'', Göteborg, 1957, {{p.|253}}}} in [[Stagira (ancient city)|Stagira]], [[Chalcidice]],{{sfn|Aristotle (Greek philosopher)}} about 55&nbsp;km (34 miles) east of modern-day [[Thessaloniki]].{{sfn|McLeisch|1999|p=5}}{{sfn|Aristoteles-Park in Stagira}} His father, [[Nicomachus (father of Aristotle)|Nicomachus]], was the personal physician to [[Amyntas III of Macedon|King Amyntas of Macedon]]. While he was young, Aristotle learned about biology and medical information, which was taught by his father.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Borchers|first1=Timothy A. |title=Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction |publisher=Waveland Press, Inc. |date=2018|first2=Heather |last2=Hundley|isbn=978-1-4786-3580-2|edition=Second |location=Long Grove, Illinois|oclc=1031145493}}</ref> Both of Aristotle's parents died when he was about thirteen, and [[Proxenus of Atarneus]] became his guardian.{{sfn|Hall|2018|p=14}} Although little information about Aristotle's childhood has survived, he probably spent some time within the Macedonian palace, making his first connections with the [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)#Kingship and the royal court|Macedonian monarchy]].{{sfn|Anagnostopoulos|2013|page=4}}

[[File:20160518 092 mieza nympheum.jpg|thumb|left|School of Aristotle in [[Mieza, Macedonia|Mieza]], [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia, Greece]]. ]]

At the age of seventeen or eighteen, Aristotle moved to Athens to continue his education at [[Platonic Academy|Plato's Academy]].{{sfn|Blits|1999|pp=58–63}} He probably experienced the [[Eleusinian Mysteries]] as he wrote when describing the sights one viewed at the Eleusinian Mysteries, "to experience is to learn" [παθείν μαθεĩν].{{sfn|Evans|2006}} Aristotle remained in Athens for nearly twenty years before leaving in 348/47&nbsp;BC. The traditional story about his departure records that he was disappointed with the Academy's direction after control passed to Plato's nephew [[Speusippus]], although it is possible that he feared the anti-Macedonian sentiments in Athens at that time and left before Plato died.{{sfn|Aristotle|1984|pp=Introduction}} Aristotle then accompanied [[Xenocrates]] to the court of his friend [[Hermias of Atarneus]] in [[Asia Minor]]. After the death of Hermias, Aristotle travelled with his pupil [[Theophrastus]] to the island of [[Lesbos]], where together they researched the [[botany]] and zoology of the island and its sheltered lagoon. While in Lesbos, Aristotle married [[Pythias]], either Hermias's adoptive daughter or niece. They had a daughter, whom they also named Pythias. In 343 BC, Aristotle was invited by [[Philip II of Macedon]] to become the tutor to his son [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]].{{sfn|Shields|2016}}{{sfn|Russell|1972}}

[[File:Aristotle_tutoring_Alexander.jpg|thumb|upright|"Aristotle tutoring Alexander" by [[Jean Leon Gerome Ferris]]. ]]

Aristotle was appointed as the head of the royal Academy of [[Macedon]]. During Aristotle's time in the Macedonian court, he gave lessons not only to Alexander but also to two other future kings: [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]] and [[Cassander]].{{sfn|Green|1991|pp=58–59}} Aristotle encouraged Alexander toward eastern conquest, and Aristotle's own attitude towards [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] was unabashedly [[Ethnocentricism|ethnocentric]]. In one famous example, he counsels Alexander to be "a leader to the Greeks and a despot to the barbarians, to look after the former as after friends and relatives, and to deal with the latter as with beasts or plants".{{sfn|Green|1991|pp=58–59}} By 335&nbsp;BC, Aristotle had returned to Athens, establishing his own school there known as the [[Lyceum (classical)|Lyceum]]. Aristotle conducted courses at the school for the next twelve years. While in Athens, his wife Pythias died and Aristotle became involved with [[Herpyllis]] of Stagira. They had a son whom Aristotle named after his father, [[Nicomachus (son of Aristotle)|Nicomachus]]. If the ''[[Suda]]'' {{En dash}} an uncritical compilation from the Middle Ages {{En dash}} is accurate, he may also have had an ''[[eromenos|erômenos]]'', [[Palaephatus|Palaephatus of Abydus]].{{sfn|Smith|2007|p=88}}

[[File:Aristoteles Louvre.jpg| thumb | upright | [[Bust (sculpture)|Portrait bust]] of Aristotle; an [[Roman Empire|Imperial Roman]] (1st or 2nd century AD) copy of a lost [[bronze sculpture]] made by [[Lysippos]].]]

This period in Athens, between 335 and 323 BC, is when Aristotle is believed to have composed many of his works.{{sfn|Russell|1972}} He wrote many dialogues, of which only fragments have survived. Those works that have survived are in [[treatise]] form and were not, for the most part, intended for widespread publication; they are generally thought to be lecture aids for his students. His most important treatises include ''[[Physics (Aristotle)|Physics]]'', ''[[Metaphysics (Aristotle)|Metaphysics]]'', ''[[Nicomachean Ethics]]'', ''[[Politics (Aristotle)|Politics]]'', ''[[On the Soul]]'' and ''[[Poetics (Aristotle)|Poetics]]''. Aristotle studied and made significant contributions to "logic, metaphysics, mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture, medicine, dance, and theatre."{{sfn|Humphreys|2009}}

Near the end of his life, Alexander and Aristotle became estranged over Alexander's relationship with Persia and Persians. A widespread tradition in antiquity suspected Aristotle of playing a role in Alexander's death, but the only evidence of this is an [[Hagnothemis|unlikely claim]] made some six years after the death.{{sfn|Green|1991|p=460}} Following Alexander's death, anti-Macedonian sentiment in Athens was rekindled. In 322&nbsp;BC, Demophilus and [[Eurymedon the Hierophant]] reportedly denounced Aristotle for impiety,{{sfn|Filonik|2013|pp=72–73}} prompting him to flee to his mother's family estate in [[Chalcis|Chalcis, on Euboea]], at which occasion he was said to have stated: "I will not allow the Athenians to sin twice against philosophy"{{sfn|Jones|1980|p=216}}{{sfn|Gigon|2017|p=41}}{{sfn|Düring|1957|p=T44a-e}} – a reference to Athens's [[Trial of Socrates|trial and execution of Socrates]]. He died in Chalcis, Euboea{{sfn|Aristotle (Greek philosopher)}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Britton |first=Bianca |date=27 May 2016 |title=Is this Aristotle's tomb? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/27/europe/greece-aristotle-tomb/index.html |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Humphreys|2009}} of natural causes later that same year, having named his student [[Antipater]] as his chief [[executor]] and leaving a [[Will (law)|will]] in which he asked to be buried next to his wife.{{sfn|Haase|1992|p=3862}}