A New Fragment from the Letters of Aristotle

Abstract

An Arabic manuscript preserves what purports to be a letter from Aristotle to a noblewoman. Closer scrutiny of its contents suggests that the letter was addressed to Olympias (mother of Alexander the Great) on the death of her brother (Alexander I of Epirus). This identification is important because Aristotle was said to have left behind at his death one book of letters to Olympias, an edition of which was published in antiquity. The question is therefore raised as to whether the fragment is genuine or spurious.

Keywords

• Ancient edition. Andronicus. Aristotle. Artemon. Epistolography