SYNESIUS. - Born ca. 370 in the Pentapolis of Cyrenaica, died in 413, he came from an old family of Greek large landowners, who boasted of Lacedaemonian origin.
Educated in Greek traditions and a passionate hunter, he came in 395 to Alexandria where he heard the scientific lectures of the Neoplatonic professor Hypatia. In this environment he made the acquaintance of Isidore of Pelusium. In the esoteric initiation of his teacher he came into contact with the works of Porphyry and the Chaldean oracles. He was sent from Cyrene to Constantinople in 399-402 to obtain protection against the attacks of the Berber tribes. In 410 he was elected bishop of Ptolemais, but he hesitated half a year before accepting that see (Epist., 105); because of doubts about Christian doctrine, finally, as in St. Augustine, a Christian interpretation of the doctrines of Porphyry prevailed in him and this facilitated for him the solution of the problem of the resurrection of bodies (v. C. Lacombrade, op. cit. in bibl., p. 169). That he was never profoundly imbued with a true Christianity, as B. Altaner says (Patrologie, 2nd ed., Freiburg im Br. 1950, p. 241) is a statement of very doubtful value. His hymns place him among the greatest Christian Neoplatonic poets. The beauty of these hymns is comparable only to those of Boethius of the De consolatione. Of his other works mention should be made of: Egyptian Tales on Providence; Dion; Praise of Baldness. Important is his treatise on dreams, courageous his Discourse on Kingship. Attractive and indispensable for the history of his era are his 56 Epistles.
Bibliography5 works
Erik Peterson