Quetzal

Okay, not being one to accept anyone's statements as "truth" - even (or more especially) when I really like the idea - I've run across a question I'd like some help finding accurate sources on. I'm looking for information on the events of 415 CE.

There are a couple of undisputed facts:

1. Cyril was Patriarch (Archbishop) of Alexandria during the time in question.

2. Hypatia of Alexandria was the last of the Librarians.

3. Orestes, Magistrate of Alexandria, was allied to Hypatia opposing the attempts by Cyril to eliminate all "pagan" influences in Alexandria and consolidate Christian control.

4. During Lent of 415, Hypatia was taken by a Christian mob, and murdered.

5. Very shortly thereafter, the Great Library of Alexandria was burned, and almost all works stored there were destroyed.

6. Cyril was sainted by the Church for his success in "christianizing" Alexandrian Egypt.

The dispute appears to relate to the actual facts around #4 and #5, and the correlation of these two with #6.

Dispute #4: Cyril allegedly incited the mob during an anti-Hypatia/Orestes sermon. The mob was led by one of Cyril's senior aids (variously Peter or Robert the Reader).

Dispute #5: To complete the work begun by the murder of Hypatia, Cyril once again turned to the mob - his Christian parishoners - which he incited to burn the heathen Library.

Any actual reliable sources that anyone can aim me at to resolve the disputed points is greatly appreciated.

Bede

Hi Morpho,

You/ve been reading Carl Sagan! He invented this version of the myth, I believe. Let's look at the facts:

1. Cyril was Patriarch (Archbishop) of Alexandria during the time in question.

TRUE.

2. Hypatia of Alexandria was the last of the Librarians.

FALSE. There is no evidence for this whatsoever.

3. Orestes, Magistrate of Alexandria, was allied to Hypatia opposing the attempts by Cyril to eliminate all "pagan" influences in Alexandria and consolidate Christian control.

FALSE. Hypatia was allied to Orestes (a Christian too) and had Christian students like Synellus who idolised her. The nature of the dispute with Cyril is far from clear.

4. During Lent of 415, Hypatia was taken by a Christian mob, and murdered.

TRUE.

5. Very shortly thereafter, the Great Library of Alexandria was burned, and almost all works stored there were destroyed.

FALSE. The Great Library had ceased to exist before the birth of Christ. There are no historical references to it existing after Caesar is reputed to have burnt it. It may even have been destroyed before that. Another library is reputed destroyed by Theophilus (Cyril's predecessor) in 391AD at the Serapeum but no sources actually state this and the evidence is that library disappeared before the temple was destroyed.

6. Cyril was sainted by the Church for his success in "christianizing" Alexandrian Egypt.

TRUE enough.

There is not much dispute about this once you have studied the sources.

Dispute #4: Cyril allegedly incited the mob during an anti-Hypatia/Orestes sermon. The mob was led by one of Cyril's senior aids (variously Peter or Robert the Reader).

May well have done.

Dispute #5: To complete the work begun by the murder of Hypatia, Cyril once again turned to the mob - his Christian parishoners - which he incited to burn the heathen Library.

As the Library didn't exist this is impossible.

Any actual reliable sources that anyone can aim me at to resolve the disputed points is greatly appreciated.

You will find most of the sources on my webpage here: <a href="http://www.bede.org.uk/library.htm" target="_blank">The Mysterious Fate of the Great Library</a>.

I have a much more detailed and heavily footnoted paper I will send you if you email me (address on my site).

Yours

Bede

<a href="http://www.bede.org.uk" target="_blank">Bede's Library - faith and reason</a>

[ October 14, 2002: Message edited by: Bede ]</p>

Amen-Moses

Hypatia was the last recorded teacher of the classics in Alexandria. Exactly how much of the library existed in her time is in question but she sure had some source with which to teach, a source moreover that christian witnesses later record as having been taken from it's repository.

Make of that what you will, Bede suggests that the source didn't exist and I use exactly the same sources to suggest that not only did it exist but that it was destroyed by those very same christians!

Amen-Moses

Quetzal

Thanks for the responses. BTW, Bede, it wasn't Sagan - it was part of an anti-Xian argument on another board. I'll look at the resources.