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Corpus Aristotelicum and the Works of Aristotle

The Corpus Aristotelicum is a vast collection of texts attributed to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, which includes both preserved works and lost writings that were later discovered to be pseudo-Aristotelean.

### History of the Corpus Aristotelicum

Aristotle's library was destroyed by fire during the reign of Emperor Atal III (c. 241-221 BCE), but its contents survived through various channels. The texts were organized into a complete edition by Andronicus of Rhodes, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BCE. This first complete edition included works attributed to Aristotle and his students.

In the 19th century, scholars began to study and translate Aristotle's works more extensively. In 1831-1870, the Academia Regia Borussica published an edition of Aristotle's Opera, which included fragments from various sources. The New York Times, a weekly newspaper in the United States, first published an article on Aristotle in 1985.

### Types and Preservation of Lost Works

Aristotle's lost works can be categorized into three types: exoteric discourses, doxographic writings, and hypomnematic writings. Exoteric discourses include texts that were written for a general audience but later found to be pseudo-Aristotelean. Doxographic writings are collections of dogmas attributed to Aristotle or his students. Hypomnematic writings are notes taken by scholars during lectures.

Some notable lost works include Grylos' De la rhetorice (361 BCE), which is against Isocrates, and Eudeme's From the soul (354 BCE), which discusses immortality, preexistence, and transmigration of the soul. Protreptic of Aristotle (353 BCE) explores contemplative life, while On philosophy (348-345 BCE) critiques ideal Ideas and Numbers.

### Editions and Translations

Several editions and translations of Aristotle's works have been published over time. The Bekker edition, edited by Valentin Rose in 1863, included fragments from various sources. A new de Gruyter edition is currently being prepared. For a selection of the fragments in English translation, see W.D. Ross' Select Fragments (1952) and Jonathan Barnes' The Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation (1984).

### Critical Reception

Aristotle's works have been subject to various interpretations and criticisms throughout history. His theory of ideal Numbers has been