Studious Babes

[Ray Katz]

>The guy leading the Christian mob who
>murdered her was.  (S. Cyrus?  I think it's something with a "C".  I
>can't find my lives of the saints either.)

His name was Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, and he is one of my 
all-time favorite early Christian bigots.

Hypatia was one of the last of the many great scholars that worked at 
the library at Alexandria.  she was born A.D. 370 or thereabouts, and 
was the daughter of the great mathematician Theon of Alexandria.  She 
appears to have lectured on the philosophy of Plato, Aristotle, and 
Pythagoras, among others, and was therefore regarded by the 
Christians of the day as a major protagonist of pagan Neoplatonism.  
She was also a close friend of Orestes, who was the pagan prefect of 
Alexandria.

Her teachings and her friendship with Orestes provoked the enmity of 
Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria.  This guy was a notorious Christian 
bigot, dedicated to the supression of paganism in all its forms.

In 415, the citizens of Alexandria were endulging in one of their 
bi-monthly religious riots, when a Christian mob, led by monks who 
were likely under orders from Cyril himself, dragged Hypatia from her 
chariot, and according to my source, flayed her alive with clam 
shells.    Pretty, huh?

                                                     Jeremy Scurlock