When Alexander, the son of Macedonian King Philip II and his wife Olympias, was born in 356 BC, Plutarch writes: “…In the effort to educate him, there were, naturally, many so-called caretakers, tutors, and teachers, but above them all stood Leonidas, a man of great importance and a relative of Olympias… However, the one who claimed the role and title of educator for himself was Lysimachus, an Aetolian by birth…”
However, realizing that they will not be able to easily control Alexander’s fierce and impulsive nature, Philip writes to Aristotle: Philip greets Aristotle. Know that I have had a son. I am very grateful, not because I have a son, but because he was born during your lifetime. I hope that he will be raised and educated by you. then, to be worthy of both us and our heritage in government.
By doing so, Filip continues the tradition of his predecessors who maintained relationships with philosophers, artists, and distinguished figures of their time, and the choice of the most famous student of Plato as Alexander’s teacher was likely a matter of prestige. However, it seems that the main reason for the invitation was of a political nature, as Aristotle was an advisor and later the son-in-law of the king of Atarneus, Hermias, with whom Filip had formed an alliance for assistance in the war against the Persians, so this choice was intended to strengthen the alliance.
Aristotle readily accepted because his father, Nicomachus, was the personal physician of Filip’s father, King Amyntas, so Aristotle spent several years as a child at the Macedonian court. In addition, Aristotle, who was forty-two at the time, undoubtedly liked the possibility of combining political power with philosophical education, which was the unfulfilled ethical-political ideal of his teacher, Plato. Thus, Alexander at the age of fifteen. ( some sources indicate the thirteenth year ) for a teacher, he gets Aristotle. It was a historic meeting of a teacher and student, a meeting of a static philosophical genius with a hurricane-dynamic and impulsive Macedonian prince, as described by Miloš N. Ðurić, who will leave a strong mark in Western history.
Aristotle
Born in Stagira in 384 BC, Aristotle loses both parents at an early age, and Proxen takes care of him, who was most likely his relative. Recognizing the great potential in the smart boy, he sends him to study in Athens at the age of seventeen, where he joins Plato’s Academy. He will stay there for twenty years, until Plato’s death, and gain great respect – Plato himself called him the Reader and the Mind of Debate – and go from being a student to a teacher. His contemporaries recorded that there was no equal to his learning, and his works speak of an encyclopedic knowledge of many fields and exceptional systematicity.
Although the teacher and student did not fully There were no significant disagreements among them during Plato’s lifetime; it was only later that Aristotle distanced himself from Plato’s teachings. According to Plato, there is a transcendent, eternal world of ideas in which the idea of Good reigns. This transient and changeable world is its reflection, so the main goal of Plato’s philosophy is to turn away from the transient towards the eternal Good. Aristotle rejects Plato’s transcendent idea of Good as an ideal because it exceeds the limits of attainability and instead focuses on the highest good in this world. He changes the perspective of understanding Plato’s idea of Good and brings it down from divine heights to earthly life. His philosophy is rationalistic and realistic, rooted in experience. He himself refers to his philosophy as a philosophy of human affairs or practical philosophy.
The difference between these two giants is best described by Goethe: Plato moves upwards, longing to return to where he came from. Everything he expresses concerns something that is eternal, complete, Aristotle, a truthful and beautiful man, longs to stimulate improvement in everyone’s hearts… Aristotle stands towards the world like a skilled builder. He is present and wants to act and create there. He describes a vast circle for his construction, collects materials from all sides, and then arranges and stacks them, so that it rises properly like a pyramid, while Plato rises to the sky like an obelisk or even a sharp flame.
After Plato’s death, Aristotle leaves the Academy and goes to Assos in Asia Minor where he founds a branch. Upon the invitation of his most distinguished student, Theophrastus, he goes to Mytilene on Lesbos, where he is also invited by the Macedonian king, Philip.
After completing his teaching service at the Macedonian court, which according to different sources lasted from three to five years, he goes to Athens for the first time since Plato’s death. At that time, the Academy was under the leadership of Xenocrates, so Aristotle establishes his own philosophical school within the Lyceum. The morning lectures in the Lyceum were intended for a narrower audience. Within the circle of advanced students, Aristotel’s evening lectures were for enthusiasts of general knowledge. In Likej, for the first time, philosophy was empirically studied alongside physics, biology, zoology, botany, astronomy, literature, psychology, and many other sciences, all of which were pioneered by Aristotle himself. He laid the foundation for the exact study of the world, which modern science is based upon.
After Alexander’s sudden death in 323 BC, anti-Macedonian sentiment grew in Athens. Like Socrates, Aristotle was accused of impiety, and the political background of the accusation was his strong ties to the Macedonian court. After twelve years of teaching, he left Likej and retreated to the island of Euboea, explaining that he did not want to give the Athenians an opportunity to once again offend philosophy (alluding to Socrates’ death). However, he died the following year in 322 BC, only a year after his student Alexander, at the age of sixty-two.
It is said that his works were a synthesis of the entire Greek intellectual tradition. Aristotle wrote several well-known works, including “On the Soul,” “Metaphysics,” “Organon,” “Nicomachean Ethics,” “Rhetoric,” “Poetics,” and “Politics.” Alongside Plato and Socrates, Aristotle is considered one of the most important founders of Western philosophy. The influence of Aristotle’s works on Western thought was immense, leading Karl Marx to call him the Alexander the Great of Hellenic philosophy, and this is where his greatest significance lies.
As for how Aristotle educated Alexander, he found in him a worthy student who, according to Plutarch, had a natural inclination towards science, literature, and a love for reading. He considered the Iliad a source of martial virtue… King Philip designated the sanctuary of nymphs near Mieza, close to Stagira, as the place for their schooling and teaching. In the shaded pathways around the sanctuary, Aristotle taught the young prince along with his childhood companions, among whom were two future kings, Ptolemy and Cassander, as well as his best friend Hephaestion.
Already well-versed in music, gymnastics, and poetry Through his practical skills, Aristotle taught the future ruler and military leader about Hellenic ethics and politics, and possibly even rhetoric, as he held systematic lectures on rhetoric at the Academy. Although we do not know the exact content of his teachings, he undoubtedly aimed to have a moral influence on Alexander and develop virtues in him, following the examples of Homer’s heroes: honor, sobriety, justice, nobility, a sense of proportion, and friendship.
It is also very probable that he tried to instill in his student the fundamental teachings of his practical philosophy, which he would later write down: Life is something common to both humans and plants, and we are looking for something that is unique to humans. One must therefore separate oneself from vegetative life, nourishment, and growth. This is followed by sensory life – that alone is something humans share with horses, oxen, and every other animal. What remains as a specific characteristic of humans is a life filled with activity that is characteristic of a rational being, and specifically, a rational being that strives for On one hand, it subjugates to reason, and on the other hand, it possesses reason and thoughts itself. (Nicomachean Ethics) Since, according to Aristotle, only the rational part is inherent to humans, he believes that humans only act human when they act rationally. However, he says: The condition for reason’s influence on action is self-restraint or self-control; where there is no self-restraint, a gap appears between reason and action. Therefore, he warns of particular caution regarding pleasures.
As the true measure has always been a Hellenic ideal, the Hellenes boasted that they alone knew the measure and rhythm, and Aristotle took the principle of measure and moderation as the fundamental principle for his ethical and political considerations, which was certainly part of the lesson. I call the middle ground in matters what is equally distant from both extremes… and I call the middle ground with respect to our nature what is neither too much nor too little… Specifically, I am talking about ethical virtue, because it deals with emotions and actions, and it is in these that excess and deficiency and the middle ground are possible. Ina. For example, being afraid and not being afraid, wishing and getting angry, feeling sorry and feeling happy and feeling sad can be too much or too little, and neither is good… So virtue is a mean, because it is important for it to strive for what is in the middle… And the middle is a state between two vices, one of excess and the other of deficiency… Courage is the true mean between cowardice as a deficiency and reckless boldness as an excess… Because it is easy to miss the target and hard to hit it… So avoiding extremes and achieving moderation according to Aristotle is the task of man.
Aristotle claimed that for ethics, the most important thing is not the knowledge of virtue, but moral action, a moral life. For the acquisition of virtues, Aristotle highlighted the importance of exercise and habit. But many do not do that, instead they engage in ethical theorizing and believe that by philosophizing they will become moral. They resemble patients who, indeed, listen carefully to the doctor, but do not follow his orders at all. Like So, such patients cannot heal, nor will they save their soul by philosophizing…(…) Just as in Olympia, the crown is not earned by those who are the most beautiful and strongest, but by those who compete, in life, goodness and beauty are only acquired through proper actions.
Aristotle taught Alexander to be a leader to the Hellenes and a ruler to the barbarians, leading them to Hellenic culture. But the Hellenic tribe, by holding the middle ground not only in terms of geographical position between Europeans and Asians but also in terms of abilities, is both brave and rational… If united into one state, it could rule over all nations.
In an effort to prepare him for practical-political activity, he must have also taught him about the practical-political Hellenic tradition, on which his philosophy is based: Although human good is the same for the individual and the state, the establishment and maintenance of the good of the state appears as a greater and more perfect thing; if good is worthy of love by an individual, then it is worthy of love by the state as a whole. dynasty, it is even easier and more divine if it is done by a people or a state. … The best state can be achieved by those who are characterized by reason and warrior courage.
From Aristotle, Alexander adopted the idea of friendship, which was his guiding principle until the end of his life. Namely, in Hellenic tradition, friendship was given great importance, so the study of friendship was one of the most important parts of practical ethics in philosophical schools.
Since Alexander showed exceptional inclination towards esotericism, which he inherited from his mother Olympias, who was a great devotee of the cult of Dionysus, Plutarch states that Aristotle made him a participant in the secret and deeper teachings that these philosophers do not present to a wide audience… These teachings were transmitted orally and very little is known about them.
When Alexander was proclaimed king, Aristotle left the Macedonian court and the paths of teacher and student began to diverge.
Alexander loved and respected Aristotle and considered him his spiritual the parent. However, Plutarch writes: it was impossible to divert Alexander from anything he had set his mind to. While Aristotle saw the city-state as the center of life and emphasized the golden mean, Alexander dreamt big dreams of a world empire that would unite Europe and Asia. Aristotle also did not approve of Alexander’s ambition to treat Greeks and barbarians as equals. During his travels, Alexander would embrace different teachings and cults, which would partially contribute to their drift apart.
Over time, the bond between teacher and student became weaker, especially after Alexander had Calisthenes, Aristotle’s nephew, who he had taken into his service on Aristotle’s recommendation, executed for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy.
Alexander the Great – warrior and philosopher
During the reign of Philip II of Macedon, Greece experienced a decline in democratic, economic, cultural, and artistic development. The golden age of Athens had passed, and Greece was at the lowest point of its development. United, divided, the small states are mutually quarrelling and at war. Macedonia, led by Philip II, stands out as the strongest force, but Philip lacks the strength and charisma of Solon or Pericles to unite Greece. Democracy proved ineffective in a time that required a strong leader to revive ancient ideals and unite the Greeks. Aristotle recognized this leader in Alexander – the future philosopher king.
With the sudden death of King Philip, Alexander became king at the age of twenty (336 BC). In Corinth, the majority of Greek states appointed him as the supreme military commander in the campaign against Persia. He succeeded in doing what Philip could not – connecting and uniting war-torn Greece. After the Battle of Granicus, in which he decisively defeated the Persians, he became unstoppable in his campaign towards the East. This is the period in which the East and the West come closer, taking and giving the best to each other in terms of culture and science, creating what we now call Hellenism.
p) The teacher wanted the student to fulfill a pan-Hellenic mission, and the student indeed conveyed the most valuable Hellenic achievements throughout almost the entire known world. The cosmopolitan and humane side of his spirit made his subjects voluntarily bow down to him and his soldiers serve him almost without complaints.
After the victory, he was as noble as he was terrifying in battle. He always visited his wounded and provided them with moral support. Once, exhausted from a long march through waterless lands, he refused water that was sufficient only for himself, but not for his soldiers. And when the cavalrymen saw his self-control and greatness of soul, they shouted for him to boldly lead them (…) because they are neither tired, nor thirsty, nor do they consider themselves mortal as long as they have such a king. He considered mastering oneself more kingly than defeating the enemy.
It is said that once Alexander’s soldiers were frightened by the size and number of Darius’ army, so they advised their king to attack them at night, rather than in the daytime. During the day. I do not steal victory! the king calmly replied.
Historian Arijan writes like this: He skillfully chose what needed to be done in unclear circumstances, and in clear ones, it seemed like he knew what the consequences would be. He expertly organized the army, armed it, and managed it (…) In all of that, he was excellent.
Aristotle said of his student that he was very wise in counsel, courageous in battle, generous to the deserving, sometimes thoughtless in dealing with soldiers, but just, cheerful, and a good friend.
Teachers who have raised children well deserve more respect than parents who have only given them life; because these have only provided them with life, while true teachers – a good life, cites Diogenes Laertius Aristotle. Aristotle himself will write in his Politics how a person becomes virtuous through upbringing – people learn one thing by getting used to it, and another by listening…
How much did Alexander, who the future will call the Great, become virtuous through upbringing, or how much was he? A good student, or conversely, how much he had a good teacher, maybe we can perceive also from one of his letters to Aristotle: I would prefer to be distinguished by the highest knowledge rather than my political power…
Being at the intersection of two worlds, Aristotle belongs to the culture of ancient Greece, and with his scientific mind to the new era whose standard-bearer is Alexander the Great. With Aristotle, Hellenic thought reached its full bloom, Alexander will spread it to all the regions he conquered, and the intellectual centers will move from Athens to Alexandria.