“They did.” Lourds ate a bichak, a small turnover stuffed with potatoes and herbs. “Aristotle was at the Academy when Plato was there. In fact, it was after Plato died—of natural causes, not hemlock like his mentor Socrates—and the position as head of the Academy came open, that Aristotle chose to leave Athens.”
Layla reached for a piece of bread. “As I recall, Aristotle was passed over for the position.”
“Yes. Even though he was the man best suited for the position, by all accounts. His work had already started to eclipse Plato’s, and Plato was even sitting in on some of Aristotle’s classes to learn the new methodologies his former student was creating.” Lourds sipped water. Wine had been offered, but he chose to honor the Islamic traditions of his hosts. “The position went to Speusippus, who was Plato’s nephew by his sister.”
“Ah, so the Greeks invented nepotism as well.” Captain Fitrat grinned again. “Very crafty, those Greeks.”
“Actually, they were practicing it, but the name didn’t come into favor until the Middle Ages with the Catholic popes and bishops who were busy trying to create heirs. That whole vow of chastity fouled up the normal fathers-to-sons inheritance. But I digress. After Aristotle discovered he was being passed over for the position and that it was being given to a man he felt was inferior to him, he left the Academy. There are some historians who think that he actually left before Plato died, that he already knew who was going to be appointed the head of the Academy. But that doesn’t matter. Xenocrates, his friend, also left.”
“I seem to recall that Xenocrates was head of the Academy.”
Lourds looked at Fitrat in surprise.
The captain looked a little embarrassed and shrugged. “I have a very good memory.”
“You must. Pity you took up being a soldier.”
“If I had not, perhaps you and Miss Cherkshan might not have survived your encounter earlier today.”
Anna, who had been mostly preoccupied, spoke up from her seat on the other side of Layla. “Personally, I am very glad that Captain Fitrat is who he is.”
Fitrat smiled at her.
Lourds held up his water and toasted Fitrat, who responded and clinked glasses with him. “Even without the death of Plato, Aristotle might have chosen to move on. He was thirty-seven and had to be feeling the pressure to develop something of a career.
“He and Xenocrates planned to start a school in Assos, which is near Lesbos. While Aristotle was in Assos, he married a young woman, Pythias.”
“I suppose Aristotle also felt it was time to take a wife?”
Uncomfortable now, the ring in his pocket pressing into his leg, Lourds squirmed in his chair. He caught Anna looking at him questioningly. He shook his head slightly, unnoticed by Layla, but not unnoticed by Captain Fitrat. The captain said nothing, but he looked appraisingly at them.
“Possibly, but their marriage only lasted ten years. She died, leaving Aristotle alone with a young daughter, named for her mother. He later married again, and he continued working at the school he founded with Xenocrates.”
“But not as the head of the academy?”
“No. Serving as second under Xenocrates, who would eventually be called to Athens when Speusippus died a few years later. But by that time, Aristotle was with Alexander. In 343 or later, depending on your resource, Philip II asked Aristotle to his court and presented Alexander to him. Alexander was thirteen, already a prime specimen of a man, tall and handsome and trained as a warrior. And in him, Aristotle must have seen his opportunity to make his mark in the world.”
“You make it sound like Aristotle groomed Alexander to take over the world.” Layla gazed contemplatively at Lourds.
“According to what Callisthenes wrote, that’s exactly what Aristotle did.”
“There’s no proof of that.”
“That was before Boris found these scrolls. Now academicians have fuel to add to that particular fire.” Lourds grinned sadly. “Boris would have been pleased to add something that would fan the flames of that particular argument.”
“Why is it an argument?”
“Some scholars say that Alexander merely wanted to see the world and the only way to truly see it was to conquer it so that he could travel safely. It also enhanced trade across the Middle East, then called Persia. Others see Alexander’s wars as a renewal of the Delian League.”
Anna was busy taking notes. “What was that?”
“The Delian League was a collection of Greek city-states, primarily under the guidance of Athens, that wanted to continue battling the Persian Empire.