Aristotelis Opera (Bekker Edition, Vol. 2): Metaphysica, Ethica, Politica, Rhetorica, Poetica

...his son Alexander, whom he took and instructed in the royal science such that Alexander would say, when he had not helped anyone, that "I have not ruled today, for I have benefited no one." And when Aristotle once said that there are infinite worlds according to Democritus, they say Alexander wept, saying, "I have not been able to master even one single world." Upon returning from there, Aristotle hands over the school to Speusippus along with Xenocrates, and both were called Peripatetics, though they differed in location. For some were called Lyceum Peripatetics, like the Aristotelians, and others Academic Peripatetics, those with Xenocrates. In time, as happens, the name for the location faded, and the Aristotelians were called Peripatetics without "Lyceum," while the activity of the Xenocrateans faded, and they were called Academics. They were called Peripatetics not because they taught while walking, but because they succeeded to the school of Plato through the mediation of Speusippus, who made his explanations while walking. These are the seven ways of naming the sects in philosophy.

The second chapter of those proposed was to state the division of the Aristotelian writings, which number a thousand, as Andronicus, who became the eleventh successor at that time, hands down. Of the Aristotelian writings, some are particular, some universal, and some in-between. They are called particular not simply because they are written to one person; for it is possible to write even a universal matter to one person. The treatise On the World was universal, addressed to King Alexander. But I say "particular" are those which are about one person, or particular in being addressed to one person, like his letters. For the letters are written to one person, which Artemon, who lived after Aristotle, collected in eight books. They are called "universal" when they discuss all things of one kind, such as the Physics, which is about all natural things, and On the Heavens, and On Generation and Corruption, and the Meteors, which concerns all things that occur in the celestial region. The "in-between" are those that do not discuss all things, nor one, but several, such as history. This is twofold: political, like the Constitutions, which he researched while traveling much of the earth along with King Alexander, which he published, numbering about two hundred and fifty; and physical, like the history of plants and animals. Of the universal ones, some are hypomnēmatika memoranda/notebooks, others are syntagmatika systematic treatises. Memoranda are called those in which only the chapters were written down, without introductions and conclusions and the proper exposition of language (). The name "memorandum" is found in Plato in the Epinomis, as a summary of the laws. He says there (p. 980) regarding the laws that remained unpublished, that some people happened to have taken notes of them. Therefore, one must not trust Aristotle's doctrines from the memoranda, as they have not undergone correction. Of the memoranda, some are simple, others varied. Simple, as the On Interpretation was considered a memorandum due to its obscurity, before the philosopher Ammonius wrote a memorandum on it and showed that it has an introduction and a conclusion and the proper language for publication. Varied, as the seventy books written by him to Eudorus on Miscellaneous Inquiries, without introductions and conclusions and division. Of the systematic treatises, some are "self-authored," which are called akroamatika esoteric/lecture-based, and others are dialogical, which are called exōterika exoteric/external. Self-authored are opposed to dialogical, just as esoteric are opposed to exoteric. For Aristotle, wishing to benefit all people, wrote also to those suited for philosophy in his own person; thus they are called esoteric, as they require one to listen to them all. Hence, the Physical Lecture, since Aristotle seems to be most esteemed in it, and it is necessary for everyone to listen to it while being suited for philosophy. He also wrote dialogical works for those unsuited for philosophy. In the esoteric works, as he is conversing with men who intend to philosophize, he uses persuasive arguments (). When constructing the immortality of the soul, he constructs it through necessary arguments in the esoteric works, but through persuasive ones in the dialogical works, as is reasonable. He says in the esoteric On the Soul that the soul is indestructible. For if it were corruptible, it should especially be destroyed by the dimming in old age; but then it flourishes when the body is in decline. Just as when it declines when the body flourishes, when it must be destroyed while flourishing, it is indestructible. Therefore, the soul is indestructible. And this was in the esoteric works. In the dialogical works, he says this: the soul is immortal because all humans by nature offer libations to the departed or swear by them, and no one ever makes a libation to or swears by that which in no way exists. Alexander (**) mentions another difference between the esoteric and dialogical: that in the esoteric he says what seems true to him, and in the dialogical, what seems so to others, the false. But, O Alexander, one can say to him that this does not befit a philosopher. For it is not permitted to refute the false but to obscure the true: "For that man is as hateful to me as the gates of Hades who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another" (Homer, Iliad 9.313). Alexander said this because he wants the rational soul to be corruptible, and Aristotle seems to proclaim the immortality of the soul most in the dialogical works. Therefore, so as not to refute Aristotle, he said such a difference. The division of the self-authored also becomes the division of philosophy, being added...

() Simplic. f. 5. Memoranda are those which the philosopher compiles for his own recollection and further examination. Thus, some are simple, as if intended to recall one thing, and others are varied, as if for many. Memoranda do not seem to be worth every effort, which is why the philosopher's doctrines are not sought from them. Alexander, however, says that memoranda are confused and are not referenced to one goal; thus, by way of contrast to these, the others are called systematic treatises. cf. Ioh. Philop.
() [Should it be] persuasive [or] necessary arguments, and in the external [ones] persuasive? (**) cf. Ammon. f. 7 b.