Now it was just at this moment (in 335 B.C.) that Aristotle came to Athens and opened his school. We cannot doubt that he was already known and esteemed as the author of various published writings. But the prominent mark by which every one now distinguished him, was, that he had been for several years confidential preceptor of Alexander, and was still more or less consulted by that prince, as well as sustained by the friendship of Antipater, viceroy of Macedonia during the king's absence. Aristotle was regarded as philo-Macedonian, and to a certain extent, anti-Hellenic--the sentiment expressed towards him in the unfriendly epigram of the contemporary Chian poet Theokritus.[16] His new school, originally opened under the protection and patronage of Alexander and Antipater, continued to be associated with their names, by that large proportion of Athenian citizens who held anti-Macedonian sentiments. Alexander caused the statue of Aristotle to be erected in Athens,[17] and sent to him continual presents of money, usefully employed by the philosopher in the prosecution of his physical and zoological researches,[18] as well as in the purchase of books. Moreover, Aristotle remained in constant and friendly correspondence with Antipater, the resident viceroy at Pella,[19] during the absence of Alexander in Asia. Letters of recommendation from Aristotle to the Macedonian rulers were often given and found useful: several of them were preserved and published afterwards. There is even reason to believe that the son of Antipater--Kassander, afterwards viceroy or king of Macedonia, was among his pupils.[20] [Footnote 16: Diog. L. v. 11. [Greek: E(rmi/ou eu)nou/chou ê)/d' Eu)bou/lou a(/ma dou/lou Sê=ma keno\n keno/phrôn teu=xen A)ristote/lês; O(\s dia\ tê\n a)kratê= gastro\s phu/sin ei)/leto nai/ein A)nt' A)kadêmei/as Borbo/rou e)n prochoai=s.] Cf. Plutarch, De Exilio, p. 603.] [Footnote 17: Stahr, Aristotelia, vol. ii. p. 290.] [Footnote 18: Athenæus, ix. 398; Pliny, H. N. viii. c. 16. Athenæus alludes to 800 talents as having been given by Alexander to Aristotle for this purpose. Pliny tells us that Alexander put thousands of men at his service for enquiry and investigation. The general fact is all that we can state with confidence, without pretending to verify amounts.] [Footnote 19: Vit. Aristotelis, Leyden, 1861, Robbe, pp. 4-6; Aristokles ap. Eusebium Præp. Evang. xv. 2. Respecting the Epistles of Aristotle, and the collection thereof by Artemon, see Rose, Aristoteles Pseudepigr. pp. 594-598.]