Influence of Aristotle

[chris]

What influence do you think Aristotle had on Alexander?

[jona]

Less than is often assumed. Alexander was still young. If he had really learned something of philosophy, he would -after he had murdered Clitus- have seen through Anaxarchus's misrepresentation of Aristotle's ideas about the just king as "a god among men".Jona

[chris]

HiSome believe he initiated Alexander in a spiritual way. Was it just chance the two were thrown together? It may seem a bit spooky, but Alexander was extraordinary - from an early age.

[jona]

Never underestimate the influence of a good teacher. But we know nothing about - we can merely make educated guesses.Jona

[abm]

recently Klaus Geus wrote an interesting study exploring Aristotle's influnece on Alexander in the field of scientific method, especially concerning geography and biology. One can indeed never be 100% certain that this was direct influnece or via other 'scientists' who were taking part in Alexander's campaign, but if you are interested in this matter, it is certainly worth reading the article:K. GEUS, 'Space and Geography', in A. ERSKINE (ed.), A Companion to the Hellenistic World (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World), Oxford 2003.

[yiannis]

Further more, on the notion of God-King, this was certainly out of the scope of democratic society but it was tangent to the notion of a hero-demigod, like Theseus or Herakles.
Meaning that someone who performed such a task like the destruction of the greatest empire on earth, "had" to be more than human. In that sense it provided a philosophical justification to Alexander's claim of divinity and concequently to the similar claim laid by the Roman emperors.

[dean]

Hello Chriso,Medicine, Greek literature- the effects of which would be felt as far as India- the Indians grew to love the story of the Trojan horse. Was it not also in Bactria that representations of Euripides or Sophocles plays took place thanks to Alexander's spreading of the Greek language?There was also the botanical side- sending specimens to add to Aristotles' collection.
Above all, the gift of the Iliad- a special annotated edition- which he took everywhere with him.I think though that Alexander was not the sort of person to be swayed heavily by others- we only have to look at his reaction to Parmenion's advice to see what happens there. A twenty year old rejecting not just once the advice of a veteran soldier who's counsel was held in high esteem by Philip.- so I think that Alexander would have learnt what he could with Aristotle but then treated each new situation individually and on its own merits.Best regards,
Dean.

[jona]

"Was it not also in Bactria that representations of Euripides or Sophocles plays took place thanks to Alexander's spreading of the Greek language?"The anecdote is that Apollonius of Tyana found a Punjabi king reading Euripides. It can be found in the *Life of Apollonius* by Philostratus, which follows in this particular either a suspect source (Damis) or makes it up. The book to read is by Flinterman, *Power, Paideia, and Pythagoreanism* (1996 or something)."There was also the botanical side- sending specimens to add to Aristotles' collection."I do not remember any information in Aristotle's biological studies that can be dated after his visit to Lesbos (ca. 341), but I may have ignored something. The exception that proves the rule seems to be the distinction between the camel and the dromedary.Jona

[chris]

HiThank you all for your comments. I recently attended a lecture, at a Rudolf Steiner school, and great emphasis was put on the teaching of Aristotle to the young ATG. Steiner apparently believed, no, knew, of a spiritual world, and it takes a great leap forward to accept his pronouncements. That said, the lecture was fascinating, and gave an insight into how ATG may have been initiated by Aristotle in a way reserved only for a chosen few. The teachings were oral only. Having entered the lecture with an open mind, it was rather interesting to hear a different take on the ATG story!! If one believes in these things, and reincarnation, a certain magic is given to the story. Oh well, it makes life interesting!!

[maciek]

This was one of my favourite subjects in my master work. I really think that the influence was greater then it is today believed. There are some importand points in their biographies which shows it. But it was not such straight that Alex had to do everything Aristotele wrote in his works. Aristotele was so genius not just because he learned from Plato and simply developed his theories but because he made his own conclusions, often disagreed with him and many things changed in their science. I think it was pretty simmilar with Alex. I'm not saying that he was some great philosopher but he knew, how to transfer Aristotele's lessons into real life and change it when it was too "theoretical". Like with the lesson about greeks-masters and barbarians-slaves which Aristotele wrote in "Politic" - Alex knew that such treating people is not a good way to rule the empire.
Beside this we also know last letter from Aristotele to Alex in which the lessons are changed conserning previouse - written in Politic and Ethics. Well I think that they both had influence on each other. Aristotele also learned much from practic use of his science made by Alex.
There are many of such points showing this influence.
The subject is quite complicated but very very interested!
Maciek

[Dr. Pal]

Hi,What differentiates Alexander from a despot like Tamerlane is Aristotele, and perhaps also Kalanus. I agree with Dean GÇÿthat Alexander would have learnt what he could with Aristotle but then treated each new situation individually and on its own merits.GÇÖAbout AristoteleGÇÖs influence of Alexander Jona Lendering wrote,GÇ£Less than is often assumed. Alexander was still young. If he had really learned something of philosophy, he would -after he had murdered Clitus- have seen through Anaxarchus's misrepresentation of Aristotle's ideas about the just king as "a god among men". GÇ£To me this is an unfair assessment. Bertrand Russell knew something about philosophy even if Alexander did not, and this is how he derides AristoteleGÇÖs GÇ£PoliticsGÇ¥,
GÇ£There are, it is true, allusions to Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and Carthage, but except in the case of Carthage they are somewhat perfunctory. There is no mention of Alexander, and not even the faintest awareness of the complete transformation that he was effecting in the world. The whole discussion is concerned with City States, and there is no prevision of their obsolescenceGÇ¥.
But as Jona agrees, we know so little, especially about what drove him to such violence against Clitus.

Regards,
Dr. Pal

[Dr. Pal]

Hi, GÇ£Never were there more wonderful years than these in which the brains of Alexander and Aristotle were ceaselessly workingGÇ¥, wrote Russell Meiggs. From the Eastern sources we learn that the Yue Chi king Chandana Kanistha plundered Pataliputra and took away the most prized belonging of the city, the sage Asvaghosha. This has been senselessly linked to King Kanishka by Jonesian writers but Chandana Kanistha means Chandana the young and Alexander was known in the east as Alakh Chandra(and Ale Khan Der). Asvaghosa is none other than Kalanus whose name was given as Sphines (Aspines) by Plutarch. Only the greatest philosopher of the east could impress upon a king who was instructed by the greatest thinker of the West.There is a huge difference between Tamerlane and Alexander. TamerlaneGÇÖs fury was in part fired by his teacher whose vision of absolute truth guided him throughout his life and who was buried beside him. Alexander however was very different. His greatness lies in that he could, when the situation demanded, rise above his teacher. He did not blindly share AristoteleGÇÖs view that Hellenes were superior by nature to peoples of other races. In my view this has something to do in the tragic Clitus episode.Russell Meiggs also writes that Aristotele opposed GÇ£the most original and enlightened feature of AlexanderGÇÖs policy GÇô the ruling of Greeks and barbarians on an equality.GÇ¥Wishing you all a happy New Year!Dr. Pal