  One must not suppose that the study of Aristotle at these seminars belonged to a separate ‘course’ on the great successor of Plato.  After Plotinus, in fact Aristotle was studied on his own as preparation for studying Plato.  But with Plotinus, Aristotle, it seems, was assumed to be himself one of the most effective expositors of Plato.  Studying both Aristotle’s own philosophy as explained by commentators such as Alexander of Aphrodisias (2nd – early 3rd c. C.E.) and his explicit objections to Plato was a powerful aid in understanding the master’s philosophy.  In part, this was owing to the fact that Aristotle was assumed to know Plato’s philosophy at first hand and to have recorded it, including Plato’s ‘unwritten teachings’.  In addition, later Greek historians of philosophy tell us that Plotinus’ teacher, Ammonius Saccas, was among those Platonists who assumed that in some sense Aristotle’s philosophy was in harmony with Platonism.  This harmony did not preclude disagreements between Aristotle and Plato.  Nor did it serve to prevent misunderstandings of Platonism on Aristotle’s part.  Nevertheless, Plotinus’ wholesale adoption of many Aristotelian arguments and distinctions will seem less puzzling when we realize that he took these both as compatible with Platonism and as useful for articulating the Platonic position, especially in areas in which Plato was himself not explicit.