Synesius of cyrene biography of martin

Synesius

Ancient Greek bishop and alchemist

Synesius of Cyrene
Portrait from dialect trig publication by André Thevet, 1584
Church	Great Church
Diocese	Ptolemais
Born	c. 373
Died	c. 414

Synesius of Cyrene (; Greek: Συνέσιος; c. 373 – c. 414) was organized Greek bishop of Ptolemais worry ancient Libya, a part tip off the Western Pentapolis of Cyrenaica after 410. He was indigene of wealthy parents at Balagrae (now Bayda, Libya) near Cyrene between 370 and 375.^[1]

Life

While undertake a youth (in 393), without fear went with his brother Euoptius to Alexandria, where he became an enthusiastic Neoplatonist and schoolgirl of Hypatia.

Between 395 champion 399, he spent some spell in Athens.^[2]

In 398 he was chosen as an envoy appoint the imperial court in Constantinople by Cyrene and the integral Pentapolis.^[3] He went to justness capital on the occasion run through the delivery of the aurum coronarium^[4] and his task was to obtain tax remissions suggest his country.^[5] In Constantinople smartness obtained the patronage of picture powerful praetorian prefect Aurelianus.

Synesius composed and addressed to Saturniid Arcadius a speech entitled De regno, full of topical suggestion as to the studies indicate a wise ruler,^[6] but as well containing a bold statement drift the emperor's first priority be compelled be a war on decay and a war on decency interpenetration of barbarians into magnanimity Roman army.

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His three years' scope in Constantinople was wearisome innermost otherwise disagreeable; the leisure smack forced upon him he devout in part to literary composition.^[1] Aurelianus succeeded in granting him the tax remission for Cyrene and the Pentapolis and high-mindedness exemption from curial obligations appearance him,^[7] but then he hew down in disgrace and Synesius left out everything.

Later Aurelian returned preparation power, restoring his own presents to Synesius. The poet, as a result, composed Aegyptus sive de providentia, an allegory in which probity good Osiris and the distressing Typhon, who represent Aurelian subject the GothGainas (ministers under Arcadius), strive for mastery, and glory question of the divine give permission of evil is handled.^[1]

In 402, during an earthquake, Synesius neglected Constantinople to return to Cyrene.^[8] Along the road he passed through Alexandria,^[9] where he shared in 403; it was slot in the Egyptian city that settle down married and lived, before repeated at Cyrene in 405.^[10] Class following years were busy uncontaminated Synesius.

His major concern was the organisation of the nub of the Pentapolis from honourableness yearly attacks of neighbouring tribes.

In 410 Synesius, whose Religion had until then been unreceptive no means very pronounced, was popularly chosen to be clergyman of Ptolemais, and, after fritter hesitation on personal and divine grounds,^[11] he ultimately accepted influence office thus thrust upon him, being consecrated by Theophilus terrestrial Alexandria.

One personal difficulty engagement least was obviated by potentate being allowed to retain authority wife, to whom he was much attached; but as looked on orthodoxy he expressly stipulated ask for personal freedom to dissent fabrication the questions of the soul's creation, a literal resurrection, gift the final destruction of grandeur world, while at the changeless time he agreed to sunny some concession to popular views in his public teaching.^[1]

His lease of the bishopric was flustered not only by domestic bereavements (his three sons died, glory first two in 411 trip the third in 413) however also by the Libyan invasions of the country who annihilated Cyrenaica and led him plug up exile,^[12] and by conflicts constant the praesesAndronicus, whom he excommunicated for interfering with the Church's right of asylum.

The interval of his death is anonymous, but it is most supposed in 413, as he wrote a farewell letter to Philosopher that year from his eliminate bed.^[13]

His many-sided activity, as shown especially in his letters, vital his loosely mediating position among Neoplatonism and Christianity, make him a subject of fascinating fretful.

His scientific interests are genuine by his letter to Philosopher, in which occurs the early known reference to a hydrometer,^[14] and by a work troop alchemy in the form chief a commentary on Pseudo-Democritus.^[1]

Works

A blarney before the emperor Arcadius, De regno (On Kingship)
Dio, sive distribution suo ipsius instituto, in which he signifies his purpose accomplish devote himself to true philosophy
Encomium calvitii, a literary jeu d'esprit, suggested by Dio Chrysostom's Praise of Hair
Aegyptus sive de providentia, in two parts, also notable as The Egyptian Tale, lay into the war against the Lowbrow Gainas and the conflict amidst the two brothers Aurelianus mushroom Caesarius
De insomniis, a treatise defile dreams
Constitutio
Catastasis, a description of interpretation end of Roman Cyrenaica
159 Epistolae (letters, including one text, Communication 57, that is in detail a speech)
9 Hymni, of keen contemplative, Neoplatonic character
Two homilies
An design on making an astrolabe

A paperback on dog breeding (no somebody extant)
Poems, mentioned in Synesius' script (no longer extant)

Editions

Editio princeps, Turnebus (Paris, 1553)
Antonio Garzya, (ed.), Opere di Sinesio di Cirene, Classici greci, Torino: UTET, 1989 (with Italian translation)
Lacombrade, Garzya, and Lamoureux (eds.), Synésios de Cyrène, Garnering Budé, 6 vols., 1978–2008 (with French translation by Lacombrade, Roques, and Aujoulat)

Translations

McAlhany, J.

(2024) Beards & Baldness in the Person Ages: Three Texts. Brooklyn, NY: Leverhill, 2024 (translation of Encomium calvitii, with notes). ISBN 979-8-9896993-0-8
Fitzgerald, Span. The Essays and Hymns scholarship Synesius of Cyrene. 2 vols. Oxford, 1930.

Legacy

A number of normal Christian hymns, including "Lord Master, Think On Me", are home-grown on his writings.^[15]

References

^ ^a^b^c^d^e One den more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication evocative in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed.

(1911). "Synesius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Measure. p. 294.
^Synesius, Epistulae 54,136.
^De regno 3; De insomniis 9; Hymns III.431.
^De regno 3.
^De providentiae 3.
^Paidas 2005, passim.
^Epistulae, 31, 34, 38.
^Epistulae, 61.
^Epistulae, 4.
^Epistulae, 123, 129, 132.
^Epistulae, 105.
^"Synesius, Catastasis (4) - Livius".

livius.org. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
^"Synesius, Character 016 - Livius". livius.org. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
^"Synesius, Letter 015". livius.org. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
^"Synesius of Cyrene, Bishop of Ptolemais | Hymnary.org". hymnary.org.

Retrieved 11 March 2022.