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Some of the people involved include Synesius of Cyrene who was the Christian bishop of the city of Ptolemais, Bishop Cyril was the Christian bishop of Alexandria, and Orestes was the Prefect of Alexandria (The head of the Greek political machine in Alexandria). If you are reading these in the order they appear in the menu and get lost, continuing on to Why Hypatia and then coming back may make it clearer. English translations of first source writings to and about Hypatia Writings About Hypatia For those of you interested in a more detailed history of Hypatia I would recommend the book by Michael A. Deakin – “Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr” Prometheus Books. He goes into much more detail about the attempt to derive what of her fathers writings she was involved in as well as others writings. There are no known writings of hers that were not burned when the Christians destroyed the libraries in Alexandria (there were at least 2 libraries, the Royal Library and the Serapeum, both burned down during the purges of “pagan” writings.) English Translations of Known writings about Hypatia: A brief overview of the Primary Sources of what we know about Hypatia. Birth of Hypatia – 355CE? (Not well established) Birth of Hypatia – 355CE? (Not well established) Between 375CE and 405CE Early 398CE “. . . We have seen with our eyes, we have heard with our ears the lady [Hypatia] who legitimately presides over the mysteries of philosophy. And if human interests join those who share them in a bond of union, so a divine law demands of us who are united in mind, which is the best part of us, to honor each other’s qualities. . .”2 August 399CE “To-day Egypt has received and cherishes the fruitful wisdom of Hypatia. Athens was aforetime the dwelling-place of the wise: to-day the bee-keepers alone bring it honor. Such is the case of that pair of sophists in Plutarch who draw the young people to the lecture room—not by fame of their eloquence, but by pots of honey from Hymettus.”2 Late 404CE They esteem it an exposure of themselves if any one, deemed a philosopher, knows how to speak, for they think to hide behind a veil of simulation and to appear to be quite full of wisdom within. These are the two types of men who have falsely charged me with occupying myself in trivial pursuits, one of them because I do not talk the same sort of nonsense as they do, the other because I do not keep my mouth shut, and do not keep the ‘bull on my tongue’ as they do. Against these was my treatise composed, and it deals with the loquacity of one school and the silence of the other. Although it is to the latter in particular that it is addressed, namely to the speechless and envious men in question (doyou not think with some comeliness of form?), none the less it has found means of dragging in those other men also, and it aims at being not less an exhibition than an encomium of great learning. Nor did I abjure their charges, but for their still greater discomfiture I have even courted them. Next, passing to the choice of a life, the work praises that of philosophy as being the most philosophic of choices; and what sort of choice it must be regarded, learn from the book itself. Finally, it defends my library also, which some men have accused, on the ground that it conceals unrevised copies. The spiteful fellows have not kept their hands even off things like these. If each thing is in its proper place; and all things have been handled in season; if the motives behind each part of the undertaking are just; if it has been divided into a number of chapters in the manner of that divine work The Phaedrus, in which Plato discusses the various types of the beautiful; if all the arguments have been devised to converge on the one end proposed; if, moreover, conviction has anywhere quietly come to the support of the flatness of the narrative, and if out of conviction demonstration has resulted, as happens in such cases, and if one thing follows from another logically, these results must be gifts of nature and art. He who is not undisciplined to discover even a certain divine countenance hidden under a coarser model, like that of Aphrodite, those Graces, and such charming divinities as the Athenian artists concealed within sculptured figures of a Silenus or a Satyr, that man, at all events, will apprehend all that my book has unveiled of the mystic dogmas. But the meanings of these will easily escape others because of their semblance of redundancy, and their appearance of being thrown into the narrative too much by chance, and as it might seem roughly. Epileptics are the only people who feel the cold influences of the moon. On the other hand only those receive the flashes of the emanations of the intellect, for whom in the full health of the mind’s eye God kindles a light akin to his own, that light which is the cause of knowledge to the intellectual, and to knowable things the cause of their being known. In the same way, ordinary light connects sight with color. But remove this light, and its power to discern is ineffective. Concerning all this I shall await your decision. If you decree that I ought to publish my book, I will dedicate it to orators and philosophers together. The first it will please, and to the others it will be useful, provided of course that it is not rejected by you, who are really able to pass judgment. If it does not seem to you worthy of Greek ears, if, like Aristotle, you prize truth more than friendship, a close and profound darkness will overshadow it, and mankind will never hear it mentioned. So much for this matter. The other workGod ordained and He gave His sanction to it, and it has been set up as a thank-offering to the imaginative faculties. It contains an inquiry into the whole imaginative soul, and into some other points which have not yet been handled by any Greek philosopher. But why should one dilate on this? This work was completed, the whole of it, in a single night, or rather, at the end of a night, one which also brought the vision enjoining me to write it. There are two or three passages in the book in which it seemed to me that I was some other person, and that I was one listening to myself amongst others who were present. Even now this work, as often as I go over it, produces a marvellous effect upon me, and a certain divine voice envelops me as in poetry. Whether this my experience is not unique, or may happen to another, on all this you will enlighten me, for after myself you will be the first of the Greeks to have access to the work. The books that I am sending you have not yet been published, and in order that the number may be complete, I am sending you also my essay concerning the Gift. This was produced long ago in my ambassadorial period. It was addressed to a man who had great influence with the emperor, and Pentapolis profited somewhat from the essay, and also from the gift.”2 May 405CE May 405CE 405 or 406CE Oct 23, 407CE Early 413CE ‘Aforetime the Milesians were men of might.’ There was a time when I, too, was of some use to my friends. You yourself called me the providence of others. All respect which was accorded to me by the mighty of this earth I employed solely to help others. The great were merely my instruments. But now, alas, I am deserted and abandoned by all, unless you have some power to help. I account you as the only good thing that remains inviolate, along with virtue. You always have power, and long may you have it and make good use of that power. I recommend to your care Nicaeus and Philolaus, two excellent young men united by the bond of relationship. In order that they may come again into possession of their own property, try to get support for them from all your friends, whether private individuals or magistrates.”2 Early 413CE Early 413CE Early 413CE Death of Hypatia – 414CE (+16 to +26Yr) 430CE-440CE (+26 to 36Yr) 440-450CE “Conflict between the Christians and Jews at Alexandria: and breach between the Bishop Cyril and the Prefect Orestes. About this time it happened that the Jewish inhabitants were driven out of Alexandria by Cyril the bishop on the following account. The Alexandrian public is more delighted with tumult than any other people: and if at any time it should find a pretext, breaks forth into the most intolerable excesses; for it never ceases from its turbulence without bloodshed. It happened on the present occasion that a disturbance arose among the populace, not from a cause of serious importance, but out of an evil that has become very popular in almost all cities, viz. a fondness for dancing exhibitions. In consequence of the Jews being disengaged from business on the Sabbath, and spending their time, not in hearing the Law, but in theatrical amusements, dancers usually collect great crowds on that day, and disorder is almost invariably produced. And although this was in some degree controlled by the governor of Alexandria, nevertheless the Jews continued opposing these measures. And although they are always hostile towards the Christians they were roused to still greater opposition against them on account of the dancers. When therefore Orestes the prefect was publishing an edict—for so they are accustomed to call public notices—in the theater for the regulation of the shows, some of Cyril’s party were present to learn the nature of the orders about to be issued. There was among them a certain Hierax, a teacher of the rudimental branches of literature, and one who was a very enthusiastic listener of the bishop Cyril’s sermons, and made himself conspicuous by his forwardness in applauding. When the Jews observed this person in the theatre, they immediately cried out that he had come there for no other purpose than to incite sedition among the people. Now Orestes had long regarded with jealousy the growing power of the bishops, because they encroached on the jurisdiction of the authorities appointed by the emperor, especially as Cyril wished to set spies over his proceedings; he therefore ordered Hierax to be seized, and publicly subjected him to the torture in the theatre. Cyril, on being informed of this, sent for the principal Jews, and threatened them with the utmost severities unless they desisted from their molestation of the Christians. The Jewish populace on hearing these menaces, instead of suppressing their violence, only became more furious, and were led to form conspiracies for the destruction of the Christians; one of these was of so desperate a character as to cause their entire expulsion from Alexandria; this I shall now describe. Having agreed that each of them should wear a ring on his finger made of the bark of a palm branch, for the sake of mutual recognition, they determined to make a nightly attack on the Christians. They therefore sent persons into the streets to raise an outcry that the church named after Alexander was on fire. Thus many Christians on hearing this ran out, some from one direction and some from another, in great anxiety to save their church. The Jews immediately fell upon and slew them; readily distinguishing each other by their rings. At daybreak the authors of this atrocity could not be concealed: and Cyril, accompanied by an immense crowd of people, going to their synagogues—for they so call their house of prayer—took them away from them, and drove the Jews out of the city, permitting the multitude to plunder their goods. Thus the Jews who had inhabited the city from the time of Alexander the Macedonian were expelled from it, stripped of all they possessed, and dispersed some in one direction and some in another. [One of them, a physician named Adamantus, fled to Atticus bishop of Constantinople, and professing Christianity, some time afterwards returned to Alexandria and fixed his residence there.] But Orestes the governor of Alexandria was filled with great indignation at these transactions, and was excessively grieved that a city of such magnitude should have been suddenly bereft of so large a portion of its population; he therefore at once communicated the whole affair to the emperor. Cyril also wrote to him, describing the outrageous conduct of the Jews; and in the meanwhile sent persons to Orestes who should mediate concerning a reconciliation: for this the people had urged him to do. And when Orestes refused to listen to friendly advances, Cyril extended toward him the book of gospels, believing that respect for religion would induce him to lay aside his resentment. When, however, even this had no pacific effect on the prefect, but he persisted in implacable hostility against the bishop, the following event afterwards occurred. 2. Ibid ., Chapter XIV 3. Ibid ., Chapter XV (+86 to +150Yr) 500CE-630CE (+276Yr) 690CE The Chronicle of John of Nikiu, Chapter LXXXIV, §§ 87-103 “And in those days there appeared in Alexandria a female philosopher, a pagan named Hypatia, and she was devoted at all times to magic, astrolabes and instruments of music, and she beguiled many people through [her] satanic wiles. And the governor of the city honored her exceedingly; for she had beguiled him through her magic. And he ceased attending church as had been his custom. [But he went once under circumstances of danger.] And he not only did this, but he drew many believers to her, and he himself received the unbelievers at his house. And on a certain day when they were making merry over a theatrical exhibition connected with [dancers], the governor of the city [and he] published [an edict] [regarding] the public exhibitions in the city of Alexandria: and all the inhabitants of the city had assembled there [in the theatre]. Now Cyril, who had been appointed patriarch after Theophilus, was eager to gain exact intelligence regarding this edict. And there was a man named Hierax, a Christian possessing understanding and intelligence, who used to mock the pagans but was a devoted adherent of the illustrious Father the patriarch and was obedient to his monitions. He was also well versed in the Christian faith. [Now this man attended the theatre to learn the nature of this edict.] But when the Jews saw him in the theatre they cried out and said: ‘This man has not come with any good purpose, but only to provoke an uproar.’ And Orestes the prefect was displeased with the children of the holy church, and had Hierax seized and subjected to punishment publicly in the theatre, although he was wholly guiltless. And Cyril was wroth with the governor of the city for so doing, and likewise for his putting to death an illustrious monk of the convent of Pernôdj [Nitria] named Ammonius, and other monks [also]. And when the [patriarch] of the city heard this, he sent word to the Jews as follows: ‘Cease your hostilities against the Christians.’ But they refused to hearken to what they heard; for they gloried in the support of the prefect who was with them, and so they added outrage to outrage and plotted a massacre through a treacherous device. And they posted beside them at night in all the streets of the city certain men, while others cried out and said: ‘The church of the apostolic Athanasius is on fire: come to its succor, all ye Christians.’ And the Christians on hearing their cry came forth quite ignorant of the treachery of the Jews. And when the Christians came forth, the Jews arose and wickedly massacred the Christians and shed the blood of many, guiltless though they were. And in the morning, when the surviving Christians heard of the wicked deed which the Jews had wrought, they betook themselves to the patriarch. And the Christians mustered all together and went and marched in wrath to the synagogues of the Jews and took possession of them, and purified them and converted them into churches. [And one of them they named after the name of S. George.] And as for the Jewish assassins they expelled them from the city, and pillaged all their possessions and drove them forth wholly despoiled, and Orestes the prefect was unable to render them any help. And thereafter a multitude of believers in God arose under the guidance of Peter the magistrate—now this Peter was a perfect believer in all respects in Jesus Christ—and they proceeded to seek for the pagan woman who had beguiled the people of the city and the prefect through her enchantments. And when they learned the place where she was they proceeded to her and found her seated on a [lofty] chair; and having made her descend they dragged her along till they brought her to the great church, named Caesarion. Now this was in the days of the fast. And they tare off her clothing and dragged her [till they brought her] through the streets of the city till she died. And they carried her to a place named Cinaron, and they burned her body with fire. And all the people surrounded the patriarch Cyril and named him ‘the new Theophilus’; for he had destroyed the last remains of idolatry in the city.”2 (+496 to +501Yr) 810CE-815CE (+586 to +686Yr) 1000CE-1100CE 1. The Suda entry on Hypatia HYPATIA The daughter of Theon the geometer, a philosopher of Alexandria, and herself a philosopher and well known to many people. Wife of the philosopher Isidorus. Flourished in the time of the emperor Arcadius. She wrote a commentary on Diophantus, [one on] the Canon of Astronomy, and a commentary on the Conics of Apollonius. She was torn to pieces by the Alexandrians, and her body was mutilated, and scattered through all the city. This she suffered because of spite for her outstanding wisdom especially in matters of astronomy; according to some at the hands of Cyril, to others because of the innate unruliness and rebelliousness of the Alexandrians. For they also did this to many of the bishops among them; look at Georgius and Proterion. About Hypatia the philosopher; proof of the factiousness of the Alexandrians. She was born, raised, and educated in Alexandria. In nature more noble than her father, she was not satisfied with her education in mathematics by her father but also gained knowledge of philosophy the other not ignoble [study]. Donning the robe of a scholar, the lady made appearances around the center of the city, expounding in public to those willing to listen on Plato or Aristotle or any other philosopher. In teaching also she achieved the peak of excellence, and though naturally modest and fair-minded, she remained unwed, and she was so exceedingly beautiful and fair of form that one of her colleagues fell in love with her. And he could not control his passion, but made his affections obvious to her. Some uninformed stories say that Hypatia cured him of his sickness with music, but the truth long ago reported that tales of music were nonsense, and that bringing out one of her feminine napkins she thrust [or threw] it at him; and having displayed the evidence of her unclean nature said: “It is this you love, young man, not beauty”; and he, put off by shame and horror at this unseemly display, disposed his heart more temperately. This was Hypatia’s style: in speech articulate and logical, in her actions prudent and public-spirited, and the rest of the city gave her suitable welcome and accorded her special respect. The archons handling the affairs of the city would always go to see her first, as continued to happen also at Athens. For if the practice of philosophy had declined, still its reputation was seen to be revered and respected by those managing the most important affairs of the state. Now once it happened that Cyril, who was bishop of the opposing religious sect, was passing Hypatia’s house, and saw that there was a great crush around the doors, “a confusion of men and horses,” of people coming and going, and others standing about. And when he asked what the crowd was, and why there was a commotion at the house, he heard from his attendants that Hypatia the philosopher was now going to address them, and that this was her house. When he learned this, he was so outraged that he swiftly plotted her death, the most unholy of all deaths. When she came forward as usual, a large mob of brutal men, so truly wicked, “aware neither of the retribution of the gods nor the revenge of men,” laid hold of the philosopher and slew her, bringing on their land this most extreme shame and disgrace. The emperor would have been angered about this if [Anthemius] had not been bribed. And he took the price for her injuries and assumed them upon himself and his house and his children, and his descendant paid the penalty. The memory of this event still preserved among the Alexandrians focussed the honor and esteem of the Alexandrians for Isidorus; with such fear hanging over them yet everyone was eager to be often in his company and listen to the words of moderation from his lips. And since so many of the rhetoricians were in charge of discussions or poetic studies they welcomed the large circle of the philosopher. For even if he was not expert in such things, he had something to add to the other (woman) philosopher in preciseness, and to them something more thorough in their own techniques. In other areas he was intensively questioned and on the speeches and poems offered would give a decision which differed from the others. Hence in the lecture rooms at a lecture in logic he had little praise for those giving a demonstration and his praise was quite restrained; yet it was appropriate and in accordance with the rules. Thus practically the whole lecture room had the help of his criticism as a means of assessing those speaking as better or worse. Of those in my time I know three men of discernment able to judge things spoken without meter. For the same person it is agreed may be a critic of poetry and prose. I consider that the same person would be a craftsman in both; only if practice in each were equal and with equal keenness. I do not say that Isidorus was one of these; he did not nearly come up to the three. And the critics were Agapius, Severianus, and Nomus. Nomus was our contemporary. 2. Hesychius’s Onomatologus HYPATIA The daughter of Theon the geometer, a philosopher of Alexandria, and herself a philosopher and well known to many people. Wife of the philosopher Isidorus. Flourished in the time of the emperor Arcadius. She wrote a commentary on Diophantus, the Canon of Astronomy, and a commentary on the Conics of Apollonius. [She was torn to pieces by the Alexandrians, and her body was mutilated, and scattered through all the city. This she suffered because of spite for her outstanding wisdom especially in matters of astronomy; according to some at the hands of Cyril, to others because of the innate unruliness and rebelliousness of the Alexandrians. For they also did this to many of the bishops among them; look at Georgius and Proterion.] 3. Damascius’s Life of Isidorus (first excerpt) Epiphanius and Euprepius both came from Alexandria and were adepts in the cultic rituals of the Alexandrians. The so-called Persian mysteries were conducted by Euprepius, those of Osiris by Epiphanius; and not these alone but also those of the god worshipped as Aion. (What sort of a god this was I could in fact now say, but I do not at present wish to reveal.) So Epiphanius also celebrated the worship of this god. These men, moreover, no longer lived under the old dispensation, but clearly already belonged to the generation following immediately upon it, although they still retained contact with the former. Urged by these therefore, they showed their contemporaries the path to great blessings, by proclaiming with great fanfare, inter alia, the stories people tell of the past. People told a story, characteristic of life in Alexandria, both religious and secular. . . . [The heroine of this story was Hypatia.] This woman was born, raised and educated in Alexandria. Moreover, since she was by nature of a more noble disposition than her father, she was not content with the mathematical education she was able to receive from her father’s hand. She was further led by her noble enthusiasm into the other branches of philosophy. Though a woman, she assumed the scholar’s mantle and made excursions through the center of the city. She explained, by public demand and to those willing to listen, Plato or Aristotle or any other philosopher. Furthermore and apart from her teaching skill she attained to eminence in the practice of virtue. She was honest and chaste and throughout her life remained a virgin. And yet she was very beautiful and well-proportioned. As a result, even one of her pupils fell in love with her. Nor was he able to control his feelings, but on the contrary allowed even her to notice his passion. Although nowadays, uninformed reports relate that it was by means of music that Hypatia cured his illness, the real truth is otherwise. For musical knowledge (of this kind) had by then already long since been lost. But rather, producing a bloodstained menstrual napkin, she pointed to this evidence of the unclean nature of procreation and said, “In truth, this is the focus of your yearning, young man, but it is nothing beautiful!” The Alexandrians referred to the napkins used in female hygiene as phylakeia (shieldcloths). . . . [These shield-cloths had earlier also played a role in the preservation of virginity. They had besides a related use in the marriage ceremony: ] For the wedding was not valid unless the priests of the goddess had personally signed the marriage certificate. . . . So he (the young man), seized with shame and horror at the unseemly display, was brought to a change of heart and a return to chastity. . . . Hypatia’s style was like this: she was not only well-versed in rhetoric and in dialectic, but she was as well wise in practical affairs and motivated by civic-mindedness. Thus she came to be widely and deeply trusted throughout the city, accorded welcome and addressed with honor. Furthermore, when an archon was elected to office, his first call was to her, just as was also the practice in Athens. So although nowadays those charged with the governance of the city have abandoned the practical application of philosophy, back then its name still had a great and wonderful cachet. Now the following event took place. Cyril, the bishop of the [. . . ] opposite sect, was passing Hypatia’s house and noticed a hubbub at the door, “a confusion of horses and of men,” some coming, others going, and yet others standing and waiting. He asked what was the meaning of the gathering and why there was a commotion at the house. Then he heard from his attendants that they were there to greet the philosopher Hypatia and that this house was hers. This information gave his heart such a prick that he at once plotted her murder, the most unholy of all murders. So next time when, following her usual custom, she appeared on the street, a mob of brutal men at once rushed at her—truly wicked men “fearing neither the revenge of the gods nor the judgment of men”—and killed the philosopher. . . . As a result they laid upon the city the heaviest blood-guilt and the greatest disgrace and the emperor would have been angry about it [. . . and would surely have punished the perpetrators severely. . . ] had not Aidesius been bribed. He thus to be sure allowed the murder to go unpunished, but in doing so assumed the guilt upon himself and on his descendants to come and his descendant had to pay the price. . . . 4. Damascius’s Life of Isidorus (second excerpt) [Isidorus followed in Hypatia’s footsteps even though she met such a dreadful fate.] The memory of this event was still preserved among the Alexandrians; however it only marginally affected their esteem for Isidorus and their regard for him. Despite the very real fear hanging over them, they nonetheless continued, everyone in frequent contact with him and, whenever they had the chance, listening to the words of wisdom that issued from his mouth. . . . [Thus Isidorus ended up winning for himself a popular respect as great as, nay even greater than, that for Hypatia.] There was a very great difference between Isidorus and Hypatia, not simply insofar as she was merely a woman while he was a man, but also insofar as she was expert mainly in geometry while he was a true philosopher.”2 1. “Atheism, Secularity, and Well-Being: How the Findings of Social Science Counter Negative Stereotypes and Assumptions” Phil Zuckerman, Pitzer College, Claremont, California: Sociology Compass 3/6 (2009): 949–971, 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2009.00247.x 2. Deakin, Michael A. B. (2007-07-17). Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr. Prometheus Books – A. Kindle Edition. This article is free and open source. 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Writings About Hypatia