- Hermias of Atarneus
Hermias of Atarneus was
Aristotle 's father-in-law.The first mention of Hermias is as a slave to
Eubulus , a Bithynian banker who ruledAtarneus . Hermias eventually won his freedom and inherited the rule of Atarneus. Due to his policies, his control expanded to other neighboring cities, such asAssos , in Asia Minor.In his youth, Hermias had studied philosophy in Plato's Academy. There he first met
Aristotle . After Plato's death in 347 BC,Xenocrates and Aristotle traveled toAssos under the patronage of Hermias. Aristotle founded his first philosophical school there and eventually marriedPythias , Hermias' daughter or niece.Hermias' towns were among those that revolted from Persian rule. In 342 BC, the Persian King, Artaxerxes III, sent Memnon of Rhodes to reconquer these coastal cities. Under the guise of truce, Memnon tricked Hermias into visiting him, whereupon he sent Hermias in chains to
Susa . Hermias was tortured, presumably to learn about Philip of Macedon's upcoming invasion plans. Hermias' dying words were that he had done nothing unworthy of philosophy.After Hermias' death, Aristotle dedicated a statue in
Delphi and composed a hymn to Virtue in Hermias' honor.References
*
Diogenes Laertius , "Life of Aristotle". "Translated by [http://www.classicpersuasion.org/pw/diogenes/dlaristotle.htm C.D. Yonge] ".
* Athenaeus of Naucratis, [http://members.aol.com/heliogabby/deipnon/deipnon.htm The Deipnosophists] , Book XV, 696a.
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