The writings attributed to Aristotle have been classified
according to three historical periods:

A. While under the direct influence of the Academy
( 367-347 B.C.). This is evident from both content and form
(the dialogue). He wrote The Eudemus, or On The Soul,
in which he admits Plato's doctrine of reminiscence, the
prior existence of the soul and his proofs of the immortality
of the soul, as well as the existence of Idea-Forms. The
Protrepticus appears to have been a letter to Themison of
Cyprus or a treatise dedicated to him extolling the life of
the philosopher. This may have been a model for Cicero's
Hortensius, which created such an enthusiasm in the young
Augustine for the intellectual life. It is said that the first 27
volumes in the catalogue of the works of Aristotle given by
Diogenes Laertius are in dialogue form and belon to this
and the succeeding period. Those which appear to be notes
on Platonic dialogues are definitely in this period; others,
such as the On Philosophy appear to be later. Some of the
titles are: On Justice, On Poets, Politicus, Gryllus (on Rhe-
toric), Statesman, Sophist, Eroticus, Symposium, On Riches,
Menexenus. It is probable that parts of the Organon and
the Physics and, perhaps, Book 3 of the De Anima were
written at this time.

B. During his stay at Assos, Mitylene and at the court
of Philip of Macedon. This is considered by some to be the
period of his own personal development in a direction away

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