Herpyllis
Herpyllis
7 min read
Aristotle's companion after the death of his wife Pythias, Herpyllis lived with the philosopher until his death in 322 BC. He showed her great affection and bequeathed her property in his will.
Key Facts
- Originally from Stagira, Aristotle's hometown
- Became Aristotle's companion after the death of Pythias (around 326 BC)
- Had a son with Aristotle named Nicomachus
- Aristotle bequeathed her a house and a sum of money in his will (322 BC)
Works & Achievements
The will of Aristotle, preserved by Diogenes Laërtius, is the main source on Herpyllis. It secures her protection, income, and freedom, bearing witness to the central role she played in the philosopher's life.
This major work of moral philosophy is associated with the name of Nicomachus, son of Herpyllis and Aristotle. Whether dedicated to him or edited by him, it keeps alive the memory of the lineage born from their union.
Without leaving any written text, Herpyllis took charge of Aristotle's household during his years at the Lyceum — a task recognized in Antiquity as a complete art in its own right, requiring organization, judgment, and domestic authority.
Anecdotes
In his will, written shortly before his death in 322 BCE and preserved by Diogenes Laërtius, Aristotle shows genuine affection for Herpyllis. He bequeaths her considerable property, offers her the choice between the family home in Stagira and the one in Chalcis, and asks his executors to ensure she is well treated, as she had always been devoted to him.
Herpyllis was, like Aristotle, a native of Stagira, a small city in Macedonia. This shared origin no doubt created a special bond between them — a mutual nostalgia for the hometown the philosopher had left as a child to study in Athens. How they met is unknown, but their relationship lasted several decades.
Herpyllis gave Aristotle a son whom he named Nicomachus, in honor of his own father who bore that name. This son has remained famous through the centuries, as the Nicomachean Ethics — one of the great works of Western philosophy — was probably edited or dedicated in his honor after Aristotle's death.
Aristotle specifies in his will that Herpyllis must not be made to remarry against her wishes, granting her a form of legal and moral protection that was rare for a woman of her status in ancient Greece. This clause reveals how deeply the philosopher, who had spent his entire life reflecting on ethics and justice, sought to apply those values within his own family life.
Upon Aristotle's death, Herpyllis also inherited household servants and received a substantial sum of money. The philosopher asked that the statues of his first wife Pythias be honored, but he reserved for Herpyllis a concrete, everyday form of protection — a sign that he distinguished between conjugal memory and enduring affection.
Primary Sources
He also directed that care be taken of Herpyllis, who had been good to him, and that she be given either the house at Stagira or the one at Chalcis, according to her choice, along with the furniture of the bedroom and twenty-five minas of silver.
As for Herpyllis, who has cared for me, my executors shall see to it that she wants for nothing, and if she wishes to marry again, let her not be given to one who is unworthy of her.
Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us, this being determined by rational principle — and by that principle by which the person of practical wisdom would determine it.
Key Places
The hometown of both Aristotle and Herpyllis, on the Chalcidice peninsula. This shared origin is considered one of the foundations of their relationship, and Aristotle bequeathed her his house there in his will.
It was at the Lyceum, the school founded by Aristotle in 335 BCE, that Herpyllis shared the philosopher's life during his most productive years. The family home stood near this centre of teaching.
Aristotle and Herpyllis withdrew here in 323 BCE following the political turmoil after Alexander's death. It was here that Aristotle died in 322, leaving Herpyllis the choice of remaining in Chalcis or returning to Stagira.
Capital of the Macedonian kingdom, where Aristotle stayed during his tenure as Alexander's tutor. Herpyllis may have accompanied him during this period, which roughly coincides with the beginning of their relationship.