The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. VI.

His School and manner of Teaching.

THus Aristotle having lived eight years with Alexander, returned to Athens, asa 1.1 Apollodorus andb 1.2 Dionysius Halicar∣nassaeus affirm, in the second year of the hundred and eleventh Olympiad, Pythodorus being Archon, where he found Xenocrates teaching in the Academy, which place was resigned unto him by Speusippus, in the fourth year of the hundred and ninth Olym∣piad.

Hence it appeareth, thatc 1.3 Hermippus erreth, in affirming, that Xenocrates took upon him the School of Plato, at what time Ari∣stotle was sent by the Athenians on an Embassy to Philip. For as d 1.4 Patricius hath observed, it can no way agree in time, it being certain, as Laertius attests, that Speusippus succeeded Plato in the School in the first year of the hundred and eight Olympiad, im∣mediately upon Plato's death, and continued therein eight years, that is, to the end of the hundred and ninth Olympiad; in the second year of which Olympiad, Aristotle, as we said, went to Philip, not on an Embassy, but upon his invitation to educate Alexander.

Neither is the Author of Aristotles life lesse mistaken, who saith, that upon the death of Speusippus, the Athenians sent to Aristotle, and that both of them, Aristotle and Xenocrates, took upon them Plato's School, Xenocrates in the Academy, Aristotle in the Lyceum. But this errour is easily detected by the same com∣putation; for at the time of Spe••sippus's death, Aristotle was with Alexander, nor did he leave him untill six years after, all which time Xenocrates profess'd Philosophy in the Academy.

e 1.5 The Academy being prepossess'd by Xenocrates, Aristotle made choice of the Lyceum, (f 1.6 a place in the suburbs of Athens, built by Pericles for the exercising of Souldiers.) Here he taught and discoursed of Philosophy, to such as came to him, walking con∣stantly every day till the houre of anointing, which the Greeks usually did before meals, whence he and his followers are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from walking Peripateticks. Others say, he was cal∣led Per••pa••et••ck from walking with Alexander, newly recovered of a sicknesse, in which manner he used to discourse of Philoso∣phy with him.

g 1.7 The number of his auditors encreasing very much, he gave over walking, and taught sitting, saying,

Now to be silent most disgracefull were, And see Xenocrates possesse the chair.

Though Cicero and Quintilian affirm, he used this verse against Isocrates, in emulation of whom, he taught Rhetorick to his Disciples every morning.h 1.8 So many Disciples resorted to him, that he made Lawes in his School, as Xenocrates did in the A••a∣demy, creating Archons that ruled ten daies.

i 1.9 The discourse and doctrine which he delivered to his Dis∣ciples was of two kinds. One he called Exoterick, the other Acro∣atick. Exoterick were those which conduced to Rhetorick, medi∣tation, nice disputes, and the knowledge of civill things. Acro∣atick those in which more remote and subtile Philosophy was handled, and such things as pertain to the contemplation of na∣ture, and Dialectick disceptations. Acroatick Discipline he taught in the Lyceum in the morning, not admitting every one to come and hear them, but those only, of whose wit and prin∣ciples of Learning, and diligence in study, he had before made tryall. His Exoterick Lectures were in the afternoon and even∣ings; these he communicated to all young men without any distinction, calling the latter his evening walk, the former, his morning walk.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Laert.
• b 1.2

  Epist. ad A••••m.
• c 1.3

  Laert.
• d 1.4

  Discuss. Perip.
• e 1.5

  Laert.
• f 1.6

  Suid.
• g 1.7

  Laert.
• h 1.8

  Laert.
• i 1.9

  Agell. lib. 21. cap. 5.