Dossier on the Events of 414-415

From the Historia Ecclesiastica of Socrates Scholasticus
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. II, trans. A. C. Zenos

(see also Socrate de Constantinople, Histoire ecclésiastique, livres VII, Texte grec de G.C. Hansen (GCS) – Traduction par Pierre Périchon, et Pierre Maraval,  "Sources chrétiennes", n° 506, Éditions du Cerf, Paris, 2007.

Book 7.13

            About this same 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 any 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 toward 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 theatre for the regulation of the shows, some of bishop 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 excite 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 one 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 so they 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 Adamantius, 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.

Book 7.14

            Some of the monks inhabiting the mountains of Nitria, of a very fiery disposition, whom Theophilus some time before had unjustly armed against Dioscorus and his brethren, being again transported with an ardent zeal, resolved to fight in behalf of Cyril. About five hundred of them therefore quitting their monasteries, came into the city; and meeting the prefect in his chariot, they called him a pagan idolater, and applied to him many other abusive epithets. He supposing this to be a snare laid for him by Cyril, exclaimed that he was a Christian, and had been baptized by Atticus the bishop at Constantinople. As they gave but little heed to his protestations, and a certain one of them named Ammonius threw a stone at Orestes which struck him on the head and covered him with the blood that flowed from the wound, all the guards with a few exceptions fled, plunging into the crowd, some in one direction and some in another, fearing to be stoned to death. Meanwhile the populace of Alexandria ran to the rescue of the governor, and put the rest of the monks to flight; but having secured Ammonius they delivered him up to the prefect. He immediately put him publicly to the torture, which was inflicted with such severity that he died under the effects of it: and not long: after he gave an account to the emperors of what had taken place. Cyril also on the other hand forwarded his statement of the matter to the emperor: and causing the body of Ammonius to be deposited in a certain church, he gave him the new appellation of Thaumasius, ordering him to be enrolled among the martyrs, and eulogizing his magnanimity in church as that of one who had fallen in a conflict in defense of piety. But the more sober-minded, although Christians, did not accept Cyril's prejudiced estimate of him; for they well knew that he had suffered the punishment due to his rashness, and that he had not lost his life under the torture because he would not deny Christ.  And Cyril himself being conscious of this, suffered the recollection of the circumstance to be gradually obliterated by silence. But the animosity between Cyril and Orestes did not by any means subside at this point, but was kindled afresh by an occurrence similar to the preceding.

Book 7.15

            There was a woman at Alexandria named Hypatia, daughter of the philosopher Theon, who made such attainments in literature and science, as to far surpass all the philosophers of her own time. Having succeeded to the school of Plato and Plotinus, she explained the principles of philosophy to her auditors, many of whom came from a distance to receive her instructions. On account of the self-possession and ease of manner, which she had acquired in consequence of the cultivation of her mind, she not infrequently appeared in public in presence of the magistrates. Neither did she feel abashed in coming to an assembly of men. For all men on account of her extraordinary dignity and virtue admired her all the more. Yet even she fell a victim to the political jealousy which at that time prevailed. For as she had frequent interviews with Orestes, it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace, that it was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to the bishop. Some of them therefore, hurried away by a fierce and bigoted zeal, whose ringleader was a reader named Peter, waylaid her returning home, and dragging her from her carriage, they took her to the church called Caesareum, where they completely stripped her, and then murdered her with tiles.  After tearing her body in pieces, they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and there burnt them. This affair brought not the least opprobrium, not only upon Cyril, but also upon the whole Alexandrian church. And surely nothing can be farther from the spirit of Christianity than the allowance of massacres, fights, and transactions of that sort. This happened in the month of March during Lent, in the fourth year of Cyril's episcopate, under the tenth consulate of Honorius, and the sixth of Theodosius.

From the Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiû

(trans. by R. H. Charles from a Ge’ez text, London 1916)

(John’s Chronicle, written c. 700, is probably based upon earlier Greek and/or Coptic sources – CJH)

Chapter 84

            81. In the days of this emperor (Theodosius II) also the barbarians who had survived the defeat of John the usurper reunited and proceeded to invade the Roman territories. 82. And when the God-loving emperor was informed of this event, he meditated, as was his wont, and turned his thoughts to our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ—praise be unto Him—and he fasted and prayed.

            83. And he was merciful to the poor and compassionate to the destitute and he devoted himself to the works which are pleasing to God with integrity and that which is beyond (all) these works. 84. He commanded Proclus and all the priests and monks to pray to God on his behalf that victory should be given to him over his adversaries and that his efforts should not be exerted in vain. 85. And God heard his prayer and the barbaric chief named Roilas died. Indeed God struck him with a thunderbolt (and) he was speedily destroyed, and many of them died by this death which was sent from God. And fire likewise came down from heaven and destroyed those that remained. 86. And all the peoples of the earth recognized by this event that the God of the Christians is great, and the righteousness and faith of the God-loving emperor Theodosius were made known.

            87. 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. 88. 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. 89. And on a certain day when they were making merry over a theatrical exhibition connected with dancers, the governor of the city 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). 90. Now Cyril, who had been appointed patriarch after Theophilus, was eager to gain exact intelligence regarding this edict. 91. 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. 92. (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.' 93. 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.

            94. 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 named Ammonius, and other monks (also). And when the chief magistrate of the city heard this, he sent word to the Jews as follows: 'Cease your hostilities against the Christians.' 95. 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. 96. 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.”  97. 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. 98. 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 St. George. 99. 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.

            100. 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. 101. And when they learnt 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 Caesareum. Now this was in the days of the fast. 102. And they tore 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. 103. 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.

Damaskios:

The Philosophical History

           41

Epiphanius and Euprepius were both of Alexandrian descent and were experts in the mystical rites established among the Alexandrians,  Euprepius  presiding  over  the  so-called  Persian mysteries and Epiphanius over those related to Osiris -and  not merely those, but also the mysteries of the god celebrated as Aion. (Though I can disclose the identity of the god, I will not write it down on this occasion) Anyway Epiphanius presided over these mysteries.

These men were not born into the traditional way of life, but they overlapped with and met those who had and, having benefited from their company, they became for their contemporaries the source of many blessings and, among other things, the powerfully voiced messengers of ancient tales.

42

A         Olympos, brother of Generosa, who came to Alexandria from Cilicia in order worship Serapis.

B         Nobody’s soul was so hard and barbarous that it was not persuaded and charmed by the words which flowed from that divine mouth; for the persuasiveness which dwelt on the lips of the man was not human but altogether godlike.

C         He was admirable in all respects: he was tall and impressive with a face which conveyed beauty and goodness. Having reached that age when the mind is at its most mature, he was sociable and very charming to the people he met, and proved exceptionally useful to those who followed his advice.

D         He had chosen a moderate and frugal diet which neither harmed him through deprivation nor enervated him through its richness. It was balanced and harmonious, truly regulated according to the Dorian mode of the soul.

E          He was the only man of whom we have heard who contradicted in his actions the old saying: for, though young.  He took no pleasure in the company of his young contemporaries, since Nature, following a different rule, attached him to those who resembled him not in bodily years but in spiritual ways.

F          Thus he became a teacher in religious matters to the Alexandrians at the time when their society was already being swept away by the torrent.  He used to gather together those around him and teach them the rules of divine worship, the ancient traditions and the happiness which attends on them -that great and wonderful happiness sent by the gods to those who faithfully observe them.

G         Thus, taking heart, he bade [them] to perform throughout the day the ordained ritual to the god according to ancient custom.

H         Olympos was so possessed by the god that he prophesied to his disciples that Serapis would abandon the temple; and this came to pass.

43

A         Hypatia: she was born, brought up and educated in Alexandria and, being endowed with a nobler nature than her father (Theon), she was not content with mathematical education that her father gave her, but occupied herself with some distinction in other branches of philosophy.  And wrapping herself in a philosopher’s cloak, she progressed through the town, publicly interpreting the works of Plato, Aristotle or any other philosopher to those who wished to listen.  As well as being a gifted teacher, she had reached the peak of moral virtue and was just and prudent; she remained a virgin, but as she was remarkably beautiful and attractive one of her students fell in love with her and, not being able to control his passion, he betrayed it to her as well.  Ignorant legend has it that Hypatia cured him of this disease through music.  But the truth is that when music failed to have effect, she produced a rag of the type used by women, stained with blood and, showing him the symbol of the impurity of birth

B         - the towels of menstrual pollution were called “preservatives” by the Alexandrians –

C   she said, “This is what you are in love with, young man, and not a thing of beauty.”  His soul was overcome by shame and astonishment at the unseemly display and he adopted a more rational attitude.

D         (And the Alexandrians called  'heraldesses'  the  women who went round the courtyards and neighborhoods in order to pick up and take to the sea the refuse called "preservatives").

E          Hypatia  being  of  such  a  nature -skilled  and  dialectical  in speech, wise and politic in  behavior- the entire city naturally loved her and held her in exceptional esteem, while the powers­ that-be paid their respects first to her, as indeed was the custom in Athens. Even if philosophy itself was dead, its name at least still seemed most honorable and worthy of admiration to those who ran the affairs of the city.

            It happened one day that Cyril, the man in charge of the opposing sect, was passing Hypatia's house and seeing a great crowd at the door "a mix of men and horses", (Iliad 21.16) some going, some coming and some standing around, he asked what the crowd was and why there was this commotion in front of the house. His attendants told him that honors were being paid to the philosopher Hypatia and that this was her house. When he heard this, envy so gnawed at his soul that he soon begun to plot her murder -the most ungodly murder of all. When she left her house as usual, a crowd of bestial men -truly  abominable- those who take account neither of divine vengeance nor of human retribution- fell upon and killed the philosopher; and while she still gasped for air they cut out her eyes; thus inflicting the greatest pollution and disgrace on the city. And the emperor was vexed at that (...) had not Aedesius been bribed. He removed the punishment from the murderers and brought it upon himself and his offspring; it was his grandson who paid the penalty.

one interpretation of Alexandrian social relations