Would a king rebuild a city he destroyed just to get you to teach his son? That’s what happened some 3,350 years ago in ancient Macedonia. Philip II got Aristotle to teach young Alexander (A.K.A. “the Great”) by rebuilding Stagira, Aristotle’s hometown and resettling the inhabitants the king had ousted. The philosopher’s knowledge was the bargaining chip.
Alexander seems to have profited from Aristotle’s lessons if you think conquering the world is an accomplishment. If you think spreading and preserving the arts and culture is also significant, Alex did pretty well there, too. His fame is with us today, and many accomplished people have borne his name. Alexander Fleming, thanks for the penicillin. Alexander Pushkin, thanks for the stories. Alex G. Bell, thanks for the phone. Alexander Hamilton, thanks for the political thought.
We put Fleming, Bell, Pushkin, and Hamilton in textbooks as models of accomplished people. Can’t do that will all Alexanders, of course. Some are infamous. There’s Alexander Pichushkin, the Russian serial killer responsible for 48 deaths. Not sure who taught him or what he learned. Then there’s Roderic Borgia, who took the name Pope Alexander VI, famous not so much for his being the brightest lawyer on the block, which he seems to have been, but rather for his dalliances and illegitimate children, including the famous Lucrezia Borgia.
But enough about geniuses and criminals. Back to you. Really, would a king want you to teach his children, to educate the next Alexander the Great? Will those you influence spread that influence like Aristotle’s famous student? You might have no desire to be an Alexander, but you might want to consider being an Aristotle.
Alexander seems to have profited from Aristotle’s lessons if you think conquering the world is an accomplishment. If you think spreading and preserving the arts and culture is also significant, Alex did pretty well there, too. His fame is with us today, and many accomplished people have borne his name. Alexander Fleming, thanks for the penicillin. Alexander Pushkin, thanks for the stories. Alex G. Bell, thanks for the phone. Alexander Hamilton, thanks for the political thought.
We put Fleming, Bell, Pushkin, and Hamilton in textbooks as models of accomplished people. Can’t do that will all Alexanders, of course. Some are infamous. There’s Alexander Pichushkin, the Russian serial killer responsible for 48 deaths. Not sure who taught him or what he learned. Then there’s Roderic Borgia, who took the name Pope Alexander VI, famous not so much for his being the brightest lawyer on the block, which he seems to have been, but rather for his dalliances and illegitimate children, including the famous Lucrezia Borgia.
But enough about geniuses and criminals. Back to you. Really, would a king want you to teach his children, to educate the next Alexander the Great? Will those you influence spread that influence like Aristotle’s famous student? You might have no desire to be an Alexander, but you might want to consider being an Aristotle.
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