Aristotle for several years, and, on setting out on his expedition, took
with him so many learned men as almost to justify the remark applied to
it, that it was as much a scientific as a military undertaking. Among
those who thus accompanied him was Callisthenes, a relative and pupil of
Aristotle, destined for an evil end. Perhaps the assertion that
Alexander furnished to his master 250,000_l._ and the services of
several thousand men, for the purpose of obtaining and examining the
specimens required in the composition of his work on the "History of
Animals" may be an exaggeration, but there can be no doubt that in these
transactions was the real beginning of that policy which soon led to the
institution of the Museum at Alexandria. The importance of this event,
though hitherto little understood, admits of no exaggeration, so far as
the intellectual progress of Europe is concerned. It gave to the works
of Aristotle their wonderful duration; it imparted to them not only a
Grecian celebrity, but led to their translation into Syriac by the
Nestorians in the fifth century, and from Syriac by the Arabs into their
tongue four hundred years later. They exercised a living influence over
Christians and Mohammedans indifferently, from Spain to Mesopotamia.

[Sidenote: Scientific training and undertakings of Alexander.]

[Sidenote: His unbridled passions and iniquities.]

If the letter quoted by Plutarch as having been written by Alexander to
Aristotle be authentic, it not only shows how thoroughly the pupil had
been indoctrinated into the wisdom of the master, but warns us how
liable we are to be led astray in the exposition we are presently to
give of the Aristotelian philosophy. There was then, as unfortunately
there has been too often since, a private as well as a public doctrine.
Alexander upbraids the philosopher for his indiscretion in revealing
things that it was understood should be concealed. Aristotle defends
himself by asserting that the desired concealment had not been broken.
By many other incidents of a trifling kind the attachment of the
conqueror to philosophy is indicated; thus Harpalus and Nearchus, the
companions of his youth, were the agents employed in some of his
scientific undertakings, the latter being engaged in sea explorations,
doubtless having in the main a political object, yet full of interest to
science. Had Alexander lived, Nearchus was to have repeated the
circumnavigation of Africa. Harpalus, w