Book 20
5
THE philosopher Aristotle, the teacher of king Alexander, is said to have had two forms of the lectures and instructions which he delivered to his pupils. One of these was the kind called e)cwterika/, or exoteric, the other a)kroatika/, or acroatic. i.e. esoteric, or inner, for the initiated only. The term was originally applied to Aristotle's acrobatic (or acroamatic) writings, which were not made public, as were his exoteric Dialogues, but were read to hearers only (cf. a)kou/w) and were of a strictly scientific character. Except for the fragments of his Dialogues, all the works of Aristotle which have come down to us are of the latter class. Those were called exoteric which gave training in rhetorical exercises, logical subtlety, and acquaintance with politics; those were called acroatic in which a more profound and recondite philosophy was discussed, which related to the contemplation of nature or dialectic discussions. To the practice of the acroatic training which I have mentioned he devoted the morning hours in the Lyceum, See note on vii. 16. 1 (ii, p. 135). and he did not ordinarily admit any pupil to it until he had tested his ability, his elementary knowledge, and his zeal and devotion to study. The exoteric lectures and exercises in speaking lie held at the same place in the evening and opened them generally to young men without distinction. This he called deilino\s peri/patos, or the evening walk, the other which I have mentioned above, e(wqino/s, or the morning walk; Hence the term peripatetics, from peripate/w, walk up and down. for on both occasions he walked as he spoke. He also divided his books on all these subjects into two divisions, calling one set exoteric, the other acroatic.
