On the Life of Hypatia (c. 530 AD)

On the Life of Hypatia (c. 530 AD)

Hypatia was born, reared, and educated in Alexandria. Since she had greater genius than her father, she was not satisfied with his instruction in mathematical subjects; she also devoted herself diligently to all of philosophy.

The woman used to put on her philosopher's cloak and walk through the middle of town and publicly interpret Plato, Aristotle, or the works of any other philosopher to those who wished to hear her. In addition to her expertise in teaching she rose to the pinnacle of civic virtue. She was both just and chaste and remained always a virgin. She was so beautiful and shapely that one of her students fell in love with her and was unable to control himself and openly showed her a sign of his infatuation. Uninformed reports had Hypatia curing him of his affliction with the help of music. The truth is that the story about music is corrupt. Actually, she gathered rags that had been stained during her period and showed them to him as a sign of her unclean descent and said, "This is what you love, young man, and it isn't beautiful!" He was so affected by shame and amazement at the ugly sight that he experienced a change of heart and went away a better man.

Such was Hypatia, as articulate and eloquent in speaking as she was prudent and civil in her deeds. The whole city rightly loved her and worshipped her in a remarkable way, but the rulers of the city from the first envied her, something that often happened at Athens too. For even if philosophy itself had perished, nevertheless, its name still seems magnificent and venerable to the men who exercise leadership in the state. Thus it happened one day that Cyril, bishop of the opposition sect [i.e. Christianity] was passing by Hypatia's house, and he saw a great crowd of people and horses in front of her door. Some were arriving, some departing, and others standing around. When he asked why there was a crowd there and what all the fuss was about, he was told by her followers that it was the house of Hypatia the philosopher and she was about to greet them. When Cyril learned this he was so struck with envy that he immediately began plotting her murder and the most heinous form of murder at that. For when Hypatia emerged from her house, in her accustomed manner, a throng of merciless and ferocious men who feared neither divine punishment nor human revenge attacked and cut her down, thus committing an outrageous and disgraceful deed against their fatherland. The Emperor was angry, and he would have avenged her had not Aedesius been bribed. Thus the Emperor remitted the punishment onto his own head and family for his descendant paid the price. The memory of these events is still vivid among the Alexandrians.

This narrative account, by Damascius, who is famously known by historians as “the last of the Neoplatonists,” and was in fact the last scholar of the School of Athens, tells the life of the philosopher Hypatia. Some of the details in this primary source have been adapted for the film Agora (2009). The scene when Orestes publically professes his love for Hypatia, who offers him a bloody menstrual towel to show him that love is not always beautiful, is a reflection of the account in the text: “Actually, she gathered rags that had been stained during her period and showed them to him as a sign of her unclean descent and said, ‘This is what you love, young man, and it isn't beautiful!’ He was so affected by shame and amazement at the ugly sight that he experienced a change of heart and went away a better man.” 

This source also portrays Cyril’s envy of Hypatia and the manner in which he persuaded a Christian mob to take her violently to be killed. As a whole, the text also provides context for Hypatia’s status within the city of Alexandria. While the film demonstrates her civic influence to a certain extent, the text allows the reader to fully grasp her status as not only a learned scholar but as a virtuous woman who was considered remarkable in a society plagued by religious and political turmoil.

Damascius (458 AD – 550 AD)

“The Life of Hypatia” (accessed March 19, 2018), citing Jeremiah Reedy, trans., Damascius's Life of Isidore (Phanes Press, 1993).

Phanes Press

c. 530 AD

Alejandro Rodriguez

Phanes Press

Greek

Primary Source Text