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普罗塔戈拉（Protagoras）：一位前苏格拉底时期的希腊哲学家，通常被认为是最早的“诡辩家”之一。他最著名的观点是：“人是万物的尺度。”柏拉图的对话录《普罗塔戈拉》中，他与苏格拉底展开关于美德与教育的讨论。
法勒伦区（Phalerum district）：古代雅典的一个沿海区域，也被称为法勒隆（Phaleron），位于卫城西南方向。在古典时期，这里是雅典最早的主要港口，直到比雷埃夫斯港发展起来之前一直承担着重要的海运功能。亚里士多德门徒德米特里乌斯（Demetrius of Phalerum）就出生于此地。
马其顿的腓力二世（Philip II of Macedon）：亚历山大大帝的父亲，公元前359年至前336年担任马其顿国王。他将马其顿打造为强大的军事国家，并为其子后来的征服打下了基础。他还邀请亚里士多德担任年幼王子的家庭教师。
亚历山大大帝（Alexander the Great）：公元前336年至前323年在位的马其顿国王，以前所未有的军事征服闻名，征战范围横跨波斯、埃及直到印度。他是亚里士多德的学生，将希腊文化传播至亚洲内陆，成为东西方历史上的传奇人物。
A：
希腊七贤其实是个比较松散的概念，是后人整理出来的文化象征，而非当时存在的正式组织。类似中国的“竹林七贤” “唐宋八大家” “百家争鸣”一样，他们相互之间属于不同城邦，相互之间可能认识，但不是很熟，也不是每天串门的关系。公元前5世纪时，在柏拉图写下的，他和苏格拉底的对话录《Protagoras》中，苏格拉底提到了一些被认为是智者的人物。Plato, Protagoras, 343a-b中，苏格拉底说：
他们（前贤）不是像你们这些诡辩家，满口空谈，而是用格言表达智慧。例如我们雅典的梭伦、米提利尼的皮塔库斯、普里耶涅的比亚斯、林多斯的克里奥布鲁斯、切奈的迈松、斯巴达的基隆，以及米利都的泰勒斯……
到了公元前4世纪，如亚里士多德门徒 Demetrius of Phalerum正式提出“七贤”之说。 Demetrius of Phalerum 在公元前317年至公元前307年间担任雅典的统治者。在此期间，他对雅典的法律和政治制度进行了多项改革。在文化方面，他对“七贤”的概念进行了整理和推广。
门徒其实不是正式注册的学生的意思。“门徒”（disciple）这个说法，更多意味着某人在思想、学术、生活方式上长期受到某位大师的影响、指导，进而延续其传统或有所发展。在希腊哲学体系中，“门徒”是一种思想传承关系，通常有面对面学习经历（如听课、参与讨论），在老师死后会继续推进其学派或理论。所以说一个人是亚里士多德的“门徒”，意思是他在亚里士多德的学园中学习过，或他深受其哲学方法与政治思想影响，或他可能成为亚里士多德学派（Peripatetic School）的延续者或分支发展者。
Demetrius 出生于雅典，大约在公元前360年左右。作为出生于雅典 Phalerum 地区的上层青年，Demetrius 有机会接触当时最先进的教育资源。Lyceum 是亚里士多德创立的新学园，强调实证研究、分类系统、伦理政治。Demetrius 极有可能是在青少年或青年时期，直接在 Lyceum 接受亚里士多德、或其门人如 Theophrastus 的教导。公元前前322年、亚里士多德死后，Theophrastus 成为他的继任者。此时，Demetrius 保持与学园的紧密联系，并在马其顿控制下被任命为雅典的执政官（前317–前307），这本身也说明他获得了“哲学精英”与“马其顿王室”的双重认可。这一点也与亚里士多德与亚历山大大帝的关系遥相呼应。他们这派系/流派的人，不只是讲哲学，更是掌权的“思想家官僚”。
B： 马其顿王室的 Pilip II 曾经请亚里士多德为他13岁的儿子 Alexander the Great 的家庭教师。亚里士多德不仅传授哲学、修辞，还教他政治伦理与帝王术。 他所教的主要科目有，伦理学与政治学，即如何治理城邦、权力与责任；修辞与逻辑，即演讲、论辩、逻辑训练；生物学与自然哲学，直接导致亚历山大后来带科学家远征；文学与荷马史诗，据说亚历山大随身携带一本注释过的、“荷马史诗”的那个《Iliad》）；以及自我修养（paideia），据说是哲学统御政治的核心理念。
我了解了一下这个 paideia 具体指的是什么。Paideia 在希腊文里写作 παιδεία ，词源来自 “pais”（παῖς），也就是儿童。原义是 “养育、教育”，但不仅限于知识学习；似乎是指人从儿童成为理性的自由人、公共人、公民的培养。有点自我养成的意思。从小孩，到理性的自由人。不只是古希腊，世界上每个国家的每个课堂都得来一本亚里士多德教的这门学科。这个世界会变得更美好。
这门学科包括很多不同的维度：知识方面，学习诗歌、修辞、数学、哲学、历史；身体方面，进行体育训练、军事准备；德行方面，训练克己、节制、正义，培养公民责任；社会性方面，鼓励积极参与公共事务、辩论、议政；宗教感方面，学习敬神、遵礼、保持谦卑。是不是很全面？我想与其说是自我修养，不如翻译为“公民教育”。而现在社会，也有我们自己的”公民教育“，然而它不再能仰赖某位权威的哲学家，每个人都需要自己寻求自己的公民性、和适合自己的教育。小时候的教育经验，直接影响 Alexander the Grea 在征服东方时，随军携带大量书籍，并尊重哲人。亚里士多德也因此得以创办 Lyceum 学园，政治地位大增。
C：Demetrius 在担任雅典执政官时，Demetrius 审慎地改革法制、文化政策、演讲教育制度。后来他流亡至埃及，协助托勒密一世建立亚历山大图书馆，被称为“文化顾问”。再后来，他疯狂写书，虽然多已失传，但据说他著有超70部著作。题材横跨修辞、伦理、诗学、政治制度。这其实“亚里士多德学派”的典型轨迹，从理性训练，到制度设计，到实践治理，最后退休进行文化建设。根据后来的文献记载，德米特里乌斯在其著作中列出了七位被认为是智慧和德行的典范人物，即所谓的“七贤”。他们为：
米利都的泰勒斯（Thales of Miletus）
米提利尼的皮塔库斯（Pittacus of Mytilene）
普里耶涅的比亚斯（Bias of Priene）
雅典的梭伦（Solon of Athens）
林多斯的克里奥布鲁斯（Cleobulus of Lindos）
斯巴达的基隆（Chilon of Sparta）
科林斯的佩里安德（Periander of Corinth）    
D: 这七位贤人基本算是“同一历史时期的大致同一代人”，但不完全重叠，生活时间大致是公元前650年到前550年之间。
Preface: This article was written in collaboration with ChatGPT.
Notes for Readers:
竹林七贤 (Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove): A group of Chinese intellectuals, poets, and musicians from the 3rd century CE who retreated from court politics to live in nature, advocating individual freedom, spontaneity, and Daoist philosophy. They became symbolic of cultural nonconformity and resistance to authoritarian rule.
唐宋八大家 (Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties): Eight renowned Chinese essayists from the Tang and Song periods whose writings emphasized clarity, substance, and Confucian moral values. They played a key role in the classical prose movement and were later canonized in imperial education.
百家争鸣 (Hundred Schools of Thought): A term referring to the flourishing of diverse philosophical schools during China’s Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (approx. 770–221 BCE). Thinkers like Confucius, Laozi, Mozi, and Han Feizi emerged during this time, debating ethics, governance, and metaphysics.
Protagoras: A pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, often considered one of the first sophists. He is famous for the statement “Man is the measure of all things.” Plato’s dialogue Protagoras features him in conversation with Socrates about virtue and education.
Phalerum district: An ancient coastal area of Athens, also known as Phaleron, located southwest of the Acropolis. In classical times it served as the city’s primary harbor before the development of Piraeus. It was the birthplace of Demetrius of Phalerum.
Philip II of Macedon: The father of Alexander the Great and king of Macedon from 359 to 336 BCE. He transformed Macedon into a major military power and laid the groundwork for his son’s later conquests. He also invited Aristotle to tutor the young prince.
Alexander the Great: King of Macedon from 336 to 323 BCE, known for his unprecedented military conquests across Persia, Egypt, and into India. A student of Aristotle, he brought Greek culture deep into Asia and became a legendary figure in both Western and Eastern history.
A:
The so-called “Seven Sages of Greece” was a loosely defined concept, more of a cultural symbol later assembled by historians than a formal organization at the time. Much like China’s “Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove,” the “Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song,” or the “Hundred Schools of Thought,” these figures came from different city-states. They may have known one another but were not particularly close, nor were they in daily contact.
In the fifth century BCE, Plato recorded a conversation in his dialogue Protagoras, in which Socrates mentioned certain individuals who were considered wise. In Protagoras, 343a–b, Socrates said:
They, the sages of the past, were not like you sophists who talk endlessly with empty words. They expressed their wisdom through concise sayings. For example, Solon of Athens, Pittacus of Mytilene, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Lindos, Myson of Chen, Chilon of Sparta, and Thales of Miletus.
By the fourth century BCE, Demetrius of Phalerum, a “disciple” of Aristotle, formally proposed the idea of the “Seven Sages.” Demetrius served as the ruler of Athens from 317 to 307 BCE. During his time in power, he implemented many reforms to Athens’ legal and political systems. In the realm of culture, he organized and promoted the idea of the “Seven Sages.”
The word “disciple” does not refer to an officially registered student. Rather, it indicates someone who, over time, was influenced and guided by a teacher’s philosophy, way of life, and methods, and who continued or expanded that tradition. In Greek philosophical systems, being a disciple meant being part of an intellectual lineage. Typically, this involved face-to-face learning, such as attending lectures or discussions, and continuing the teacher’s legacy after their death. Saying someone was a disciple of Aristotle means that person either studied in the Lyceum or was deeply influenced by Aristotle’s philosophical methods and political thinking. Such a person would be regarded as part of the Peripatetic School or one of its offshoots.
Demetrius was born in Athens around 360 BCE. As a youth from the elite class in the Phalerum district, he had access to the most advanced education of his time. The Lyceum, founded by Aristotle, emphasized empirical research, classification systems, ethics, and politics. Demetrius likely received instruction there during his adolescence or early adulthood, either directly from Aristotle or from his followers such as Theophrastus. After Aristotle’s death in 322 BCE, Theophrastus became the head of the Lyceum. During this period, Demetrius maintained close ties with the school. Later, under Macedonian control, he was appointed governor of Athens from 317 to 307 BCE. This appointment suggests that he had gained recognition both as a philosophical elite and as a figure trusted by the Macedonian royal family. This dual recognition parallels the relationship between Aristotle and Alexander the Great. Members of this intellectual lineage were not merely philosophers but also administrative thinkers and statesmen.
B:
Philip II of Macedon once invited Aristotle to be the personal tutor of his thirteen-year-old son, Alexander the Great. Aristotle taught not only philosophy and rhetoric but also political ethics and the art of rulership. His core subjects included ethics and politics, covering how to govern a city-state, the use of power, and responsibility; rhetoric and logic, involving public speaking, debate, and critical thinking; biology and natural philosophy, which later led Alexander to take scientists with him on his military campaigns; literature and the Homeric epics—according to legend, Alexander carried a copy of the Iliad annotated by Aristotle wherever he went; and a discipline known as paideia, which was considered central to the idea of philosophy guiding politics.
I looked into what paideia really means. In Greek, paideia (παιδεία) comes from the root pais (παῖς), meaning child. Its original meaning is “nurturing” or “education,” but it goes beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge. It refers to the process by which a person grows from a child into a rational, free individual and public citizen. It carries a sense of self-cultivation. From child, to reasoned freedom. Not only in ancient Greece, but in every country today, every classroom ought to have a version of what Aristotle taught in this discipline. The world would likely be a better place.
This discipline included multiple dimensions. On the intellectual level, one would study poetry, rhetoric, mathematics, philosophy, and history. On the physical level, one would train in gymnastics and prepare for military service. On the ethical level, one would learn self-discipline, moderation, justice, and develop a sense of civic duty. On the social level, one would be encouraged to engage in public affairs, debates, and policymaking. On the religious level, one would learn reverence for the gods, ritual propriety, and humility. Is it not an incredibly holistic education? Rather than translating paideia as self-cultivation, I believe it is better rendered as civic education. Today’s society also has its own form of civic education, but it can no longer rely on the wisdom of a single philosopher. Everyone must now find their own path to citizenship and the kind of education that suits them.
Alexander’s educational experience deeply influenced his attitude during his conquest of the East. He brought books with him and showed respect for philosophers. Thanks to this connection, Aristotle was able to found the Lyceum and elevate his political standing.
C:
While serving as governor of Athens, Demetrius implemented careful reforms in legal structure, cultural policy, and rhetorical education. He later went into exile in Egypt, where he assisted Ptolemy I in establishing the Library of Alexandria, acting as a cultural advisor. He later dedicated himself to writing. Although most of his works have been lost, it is said he authored more than seventy books, spanning topics such as rhetoric, ethics, poetics, and political systems. This progression reflects the typical path of the “Aristotelian school”: rational training, institutional design, administrative governance, followed by cultural construction in later life. According to later records, Demetrius listed seven individuals in his writings as models of wisdom and virtue—what came to be known as the Seven Sages:
Thales of Miletus
Pittacus of Mytilene
Bias of Priene
Solon of Athens
Cleobulus of Lindos
Chilon of Sparta
Periander of Corinth
D: These seven sages were roughly of the same historical era and can be considered of the same general generation, though not all their lifespans completely overlapped. Most lived between 650 BCE and 550 BCE.