# Aristotle — The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers character guide > Aristotle in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius. **Role:** major **Also known as:** the Stagirite, Aristotle the Stagirite **First appearance:** 0047-aristotle ## Snapshot The Stagirite who studied under Plato, tutored Alexander, and turned philosophy into a systematic science of everything. ## Who they are Aristotle appears in Diogenes Laërtius as the great classifier, the pupil of Plato who founded the Lyceum and whose writings span logic, ethics, politics, and natural science. His relationship to Plato is the book's central intellectual drama — the student who revered the master yet built a rival school — and his connection to Alexander the Great gives philosophy a political reach no other thinker in the Lives can claim. He is the bridge between the Athenian schools and the Hellenistic world, the figure through whom Greek thought becomes encyclopedic. ## Relationships ### [Plato](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/characters/plato) _professional_ Aristotle was Plato's most brilliant student, later founding his own rival school. ## In the story ### [The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/the-lives-and-opinions-of-eminent-philosophers) Student of Plato, founder of the Lyceum, and prolific writer on diverse subjects. ### [Book I: The Origins and Divisions of Philosophy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/book-i) Aristotle is listed among the philosophers who wrote many works and is noted as the founder of the Peripatetic school. ### [Periander](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/periander) Cited as a source on Periander's tyranny and the debate over whether the wise Periander was the Corinthian tyrant. ### [Xenophon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/xenophon) Mentioned as noting that many writers composed panegyrics on Xenophon's son Gryllus. ### [Book III: The Life, Will, and Legacy of Plato](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/book-iii) Listed as a disciple; cited regarding the origin of dialogue form. ### [Plato](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/plato) Listed as a disciple of Plato. ### [Speusippus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/speusippus) Purchased Speusippus's books for three talents, according to Phavorinus. ### [Xenocrates](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/xenocrates) Compared unfavorably to Xenocrates by Plato; described as needing the bridle. ### [Clitomachus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/clitomachus) Mentioned as the founder of the Peripatetic school, which derived its doctrines from Plato. ### [Aristotle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/aristotle) The central figure of the chapter; his life, works, and doctrines are detailed, including his birth, education under Plato, career, death, and philosophical system. ### [Theophrastus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/theophrastus) Theophrastus's teacher who renamed him from Tyrtamus and entrusted him with the school. ### [Heraclides](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/heraclides) Last teacher of Heraclides, as per Sotion's Successions. ### [Pythagoras](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/pythagoras) Cited as an authority on Pythagoras's prohibitions regarding food. ### [Empedocles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/empedocles) Aristotle is cited multiple times regarding Empedocles' rhetoric, poetry, and character. ### [Eudoxus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/eudoxus) Mentioned as the father of Nicomachus, who reported that Eudoxus said pleasure was the good. ### [Heraclitus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/heraclitus) Referenced as a source for Heraclitus's doctrines on evaporation and natural phenomena. ### [Zeno, the Eleatic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/zeno-the-eleatic) Aristotle, in his Sophist, is cited as saying Zeno invented dialectics. ### [Protagoras](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/protagoras) Cited as the source for Protagoras inventing the porter's pad and for naming his accuser Evathlus. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/characters/aristotle - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/characters