The Historical Background-3
The other incidents of this Athenian period are still more problematical.
Some biographers tell us that Aristotle founded a school of oratory to rival Isocrates;
oratory，演说
and that he had among his pupils in this school the wealthy Hermias, who was soon to become autocrat of the city-state of Atarneus.
autocrat，独裁者
Afterreaching this elevation Hermias invited Aristotle to his court;
and in the year 344 B.C. he rewarded his teacher for past favors by bestowing upon him a sister (or a niece) in marriage.
One might suspect this as a Greek gift;
but the historians hasten to assure us that Aristotle, despite his genius, lived happily enough with his wife, and spoke of her most affectionately in his will.
will，遗嘱
It was just a year later that Philip, King of Macedon, called Aristotle to the court at Pella to undertake the education of Alexander.
It bespeaks the rising repute of our philosopher that the greatest monarch of the time, looking about for the greatest teacher, should single out Aristotle to be the tutor of the future master of the world.
bespeak，不言自明
Philip was determined that his son should have every educational advantage, for he had made for him illimitable designs.
illimitable，无可限定的
His conquest of Thrace in 356 B.C. had given him command of gold mines which at once began to yield him precious metal to ten times the amount then coming to Athens from the failing silver of Laurium;
his people were vigorous peasants and warriors, as yet unspoiled by city luxury and vice:
here was the combination that would make possible the subjugation of a hundred petty city-states and the political unification of Greece.
Philip had no sympathy with the individualism that had fostered the art and intellect of Greece but had at the same time disintegrated her social order;
in all these little capitals he saw not the exhilarating culture and the unsurpassable art, but the commercial corruption and the political chaos:
he saw insatiable merchants and bankers absorbing the vital resources of the nation, incompetent politicians and clever orators misleading a busy populace into disastrous plots and wars, factions cleaving classes and classes congealing into castes:
this, said Philip, was not a nation but only a welter of individuals—geniuses and slaves;
he would bring the hand of order down upon this turmoil, and make all Greece stand up united and strong as the political center and basis of the world.
In his youth in Thebes he had learned the arts of military strategy and civil organization under the noble Epaminondas;
and now, with courage as boundless as his ambition, he bettered the instruction.
▍语言点
oratory: n. 雄辩；演讲术
Isocrates: 伊苏克拉底，雅典爱国演说家
autocrat: n. 独裁者
elevation: n. 提升
bestow upon: 赐予；赠与
hasten: vi. 着急
affectionately: adv. 深情地；热情地
It bespeaks ... : 不言自明；不言而喻
monarch: n. 君王
illimitable: adj. 无法限制的
conquest: n. 征服
vice: n. 罪恶
subjugation: n. 臣服
foster: vt. bring up，抚养
exhilarating: adj. 令人振奋的
insatiable: adj. 难以满足的；贪得无厌的
cleave: vt. 劈开
congeal: vi. 凝结；凝固
caste: n. 印度社会中的种姓制度
welter: n. 大杂烩
turmoil: n. 混乱；骚动
better: vt. improve，提升
生词好句
oratory n. 雄辩；演讲术
Isocrates 伊苏克拉底，雅典爱国演说家
autocrat n. 独裁者
elevation n. 提升
bestowing upon bestow upon: 赐予；赠与
hasten vi. 着急
affectionately adv. 深情地；热情地
It bespeaks It bespeaks ... : 不言自明；不言而喻
monarch n. 君王
illimitable adj. 无法限制的
conquest n. 征服
vice n. 罪恶
subjugation n. 臣服
fostered foster: vt. bring up，抚养
exhilarating adj. 令人振奋的
insatiable adj. 难以满足的；贪得无厌的
cleaving vt. 劈开
congealing vi. 凝结；凝固
castes caste: n. 印度社会中的种姓制度
welter n. 大杂烩
turmoil n. 混乱；骚动
bettered better: vt. improve，提升
