Aristotle and Phyllis

Henri d’Andeli wrote at the beginning of the 13th century “Lai d’Aristote” an obscene comic story about the Greek philosopher that enjoyed huge popularity in the Anglo-Norman medieval times, with many illustrations in engravings lasting up to classic and early modern times.

Aristotle accompanied Alexander the Great on his expedition to India, where the king was in love with a beautiful young courtesan, named Phyllis. Aristotle, as his tutor, advised his pupil to leave Phyllis in order to be prepared for the exercise of virtue and responsibilities of government. Phyllis, aware of the advice of the philosopher, got offended and promised to herself revenge. One morning, she began to dance and sang so sensual love songs in the garden adjacent to Aristotle’s room. The beauty of her singing made the philosopher feel a strong desire for the young woman and opened the window to view and require her services. She accepted his proposal and she promised to satisfy him with one condition: he must pretend to be a horse and let her ride on his back while walking in the garden. Aristotle agreed. At the time he was fulfilling the courtesan’s will , Alexander, who was informed about by Phyllis previously, saw them from a height of the castle and full of anger about his teacher’s hypocrisy he required an explanation from him. The answer was clear: “If an old and wise man like him has been caught in this situation because of love and lust, what could happen to a callow youth like Alexander! That is the reason to guard against erotic desire, which does not respect age, reputation, or knowledge.” Alexander, pleased with the response, forgave him, and kept on being his teacher without any kind of reprimand.

The considerable popularity of this story draw the attention of Church, who spread a quite transformed story, removing any obsene part (for example, the courtesan was Alexander’s wife and the whole story was about women’s treachery and malice)