Hypatia
of Alexandria (370 - 415)
was the daughter of
Theon, himself a mathematician and philosopher of
note. Hypatia was a remarkable woman with great
intelligence, physical stamina and beauty. Her father
gave her a first rate education, not limiting it to
just mathematical subjects, but also religion. Theon
believed in learning about all religions allowing
each person to make their own choices and not have
one view thrust upon them. To be forced to hold to
another's view is in essence being robbed of your own
life.
Hypatia herself
says, "Fables should be taught as fables,
myths as myths, and miracles as poetic fancies. To
teach superstitions as truths is a most terrible
thing. The child-mind accepts and believes them, and
only through great pain and perhaps tragedy can he be
in after-years relieved of them. In fact, men will
fight for a superstition quite as quickly as for a
living truth - often more so, since a superstition is
so intangible you can not get at it to refute it, but
truth is a point of view, and so is changeable."
In about 400 AD
Hypatia became head of the Plotinus school of
Alexandria, where she taught mathematics and
philosophy. She wrote three books on science and
mathematics and numerous other papers. All of her
writings have been lost and it is only through the
letters of Synesius of Cyrene, one of her pupils that
we know anything of her thoughts.
Hypatia was a pagan
in a Christian society. This led to her having many
enemies as well as admirers. That she was a woman,
intelligent, beautiful and not afraid to speak her
mind did not make her popular with the Church. So
admired was she that Cyril the Bishop of Alexandria
was becoming increasingly concerned at her influence
on paganism upon the people of Alexandria. When he
passed by her house he could see the many admirers
waiting and his hatred of her popularity grew.
The Prefect of
Alexandria was Orestes and a great admirer of
Hypatia. He went to nearly all of her lectures. A
power struggle between church and state not
surprisingly, saw Cyril and Orestes become bitter
rivals. Riots between the religions were increasing
and one day Hypatia was brutally murdered by a
fanatical group of monks. She was hacked to death
with shells and her body dragged through the streets.
It is believed to have been at the instigation of
Cyril.
Ironically Cyril
ended up being given a Sainthood by the Church!
Alexandria was once
the leading centre of learning. After Hypatia's
murder many scholars left Alexandria leading to the
decline of this once great city.
Quotes
"Life is an
unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth
we can comprehend. To understand the things that are
at our door is the best preparation for understanding
those that lie beyond."
"All formal dogmatic religions are fallacious
and must never be accepted by self-respecting persons
as final."
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think
wrongly is better than not to think at all."
