ARISTOTLE. 25 



Meanwhile the Athenians knew nothing of these 

 altered relations between Aristotle and Alexander, but 

 continued to regard the philosopher as thoroughly im- 

 bued with kingly notions (in spite of his writings being 

 quite to the contrary) ; so that he was an object of 

 suspicion and dislike to the Athenian patriots. Never- 

 theless, as long as Alexander was alive, Aristotle was safe 

 from molestation. As soon, however, as Alexander's 

 death became known, the anti-Macedonian feeling of 

 the Athenians burst forth, and found a victim in the 

 philosopher. A charge of impiety was brought against 

 him. It was alleged that he had paid divine honours 

 to his wife Pythias and to his friend Hermias. Now, 

 for the latter, a eunuch, who from the rank of a slave 

 had raised himself to the position of despot over a 

 free Grecian community, so far from coupling his name 

 (as Aristotle had done in his hymn) with the greatest 

 personages of Hellenic mythology, the Athenian public 

 felt that no contempt was too bitter. To escape the 

 storm the philosopher retired to Chalcis, in Euboea, then 

 under garrison by Antipater, the Governor of Mace- 

 donia, remarking in a letter, written afterwards, that 

 he did so in order that the Athenians might not have 

 the opportunity of sinning a second time against philo- 

 sophy (the allusion being, of course, to the fate of 

 Socrates) . 



He probably intended to return to Athens again so 



