a son has been born to me. I thank the gods not so
much that they have given him to me, as that they have permitted him to
be born in the time of Aristotle. I hope that thou wilt form him to be a
king worthy to succeed me and to rule the Macedonians."

After the death of Plato, which occurred in 347 B.C., Aristotle quitted
Athens and went to Atarneus, where he stayed with Hermias, who was then
despot of that town. Hermias was a remarkable man, who, from being a
slave, had contrived to raise himself to the supreme power. He had been
at Athens and had heard Plato's lectures, and had there formed a
friendship for Aristotle. With this man the philosopher remained for
three years, and was then compelled suddenly to seek refuge in Mitylene,
owing to the perfidious murder of Hermias. The latter was decoyed out of
the town by the Persian general, seized and sent prisoner to
Artaxerxes, by whom he was hanged as a rebel. On leaving Atarneus,
Aristotle took with him a niece of Hermias, named Pythias, whom he
afterwards married. She died young, leaving an infant daughter.

Two or three years after this, Aristotle became tutor to Alexander, who
was then about thirteen years old. The philosopher seems to have been a
favourite with both the king and the prince, and, in gratitude for his
services, Philip rebuilt Stagira and restored it to its former
inhabitants, who had either been dispersed or carried into slavery. The
king is said also to have established there a school for Aristotle. The
high respect in which Alexander held his teacher is expressed in his
saying that he honoured him no less than his own father, for while to
one he owed life, to the other he owed all that made life valuable.

In 336 B.C. Alexander, who was then only about twenty years of age,
became king, and Aristotle soon afterwards quitted Macedonia and took up
his residence in Athens once more, after an absence of about twelve
years. Here he opened a school in the Lycaeum, a gymnasium on the eastern
side of the city, and continued his work there for about twelve years,
during which time Alexander was making his brilliant conquests. The
lectures were given for the most part while walking in the garden, and
in consequence, perhaps, of this, the sect received the name of the
Peripatetics. The discourses were of two kinds--the _esoteric_, or
abstruse, and the _exoteric_, or familiar; the former being delivered to
the more advanced pupils only. During the greater pa