Aristotle in all likelihood learnt at home the
fundamentals of the practical skill he displayed later on in his biological researches.
The early connection with medicine and with the rough-living court of Macedonian largely explains the predominantly biological cast of Aristotle’s philosophical thought and the intense dislike of princes and courts to which he gave expression more than once.
At a young age Aristotle’s father died and became a word of Proxenus. He was sent to Academy of Plato at Athens in 367 B. C. and remained there for 20 years. These years formed the first of three main periods in Aristotle’s intellectual development, the period dominated by the formative influence of Plato and his colleagues in the Academy.
| Aristotle took keen interest in the activities of the Academy. He devoted some time to study rhetoric and he wrote and spoke for the Academy in its battles against the rival school of Isocrates. |
In about 348/347 B.C. Plato died, and shortly
thereafter Aristotle left Athens in disgust, at not being appointed Plato’s
successor. Absence of Aristotle for 12 years from Athens nevertheless indicates that he
valued more the circle of friends who accompanied him during his travels, chief of them
was Theophrastus of Eresus, his pupil; colleague and eventual successor as head of the
Lyceum.
After his visit to the Athenian Academy, Aristotle invited two of Plato’s graduates to set up a small branch to help spread Greek rule as well as Greek philosophy to Asian soil. Aristotle came to this new intellectual centre. Therefore first 12 chapters of Book 7 of Aristotle’s ‘Politics’ are attributed to this period.
Simultaneously, Aristotle composed "On Kingship" in which he distinguished clearly the function of the philosopher from that of the king. He differed from Plato’s quote – for the better, it is said-by teaching that it is.
Aristotle said : ‘Not merely unnecessary for king to be a philosopher, but even a disadvantage. Rather a king should take the advice of true philosophers. Then he would fill his reign with good deeds, not with good words."
Aristotle had good terms with his patron, Hermias, and married his niece Pythias, and became father of a daughter. Aristotle prescribed the ideal ages for marriage - 37 for the husband and 18 for the wife, in his work ‘Politics’.
Aristotle ordered in his will that "Wherever they bury me, there the bones of Pythias shall be laid in accordance with her own instructions".
Of course, Pythias did not live long, and after her death, Aristotle choose another companion, Herpyllis, by whom, he had a son.
