ARISTOTELES. 9 



throne, and gladly welcomed one of the men who 

 had given him knowledge, and, therefore, power. 

 The romance of Aristoteles' life followed quickly, 

 for, unfortunately, Hermeias was captured by the 

 Persians under a Greek general, after Aristoteles had 

 been three years with him. He was put to death, 

 and Aristoteles fled to Mitylene, the chief city of 

 the neighbouring island of Lesbos. Hermeias had 

 a sister, Pythias, and Aristoteles, knowing her ex- 

 cellent character and disposition, and being aware 

 of the sad fate which she would suffer, were she to 

 fall into the hands of the Persians, married her, and 

 she accompanied him in his flight. She made him 

 an excellent wife, and Aristoteles had always a 

 fervent and sincere affection for the patriotic and 

 philosophical prince his friend. 



After two years' residence in Mitylene, Aristoteles 

 was invited by Philip to return to Macedonia, to 

 superintend the education of his son Alexander, 

 the future Alexander the Great, then fourteen years 

 old. He was with this very able prince during 

 about four years, and instructed him in morality, 

 politics, and natural history. It was a strange 

 position for a student of nature to occupy, and 

 that he did his duty to his pupil is evident. It is 

 the universal opinion that much that was ad- 

 mirable in the character of Alexander the Great 

 was due to the influence of Aristoteles. The great 

 conqueror was fond of literature, delighted in 

 physical and even medical pursuits, sought the 

 intimacy of men who thought, rather than that 



