Enciclopedia Cattolica

SINESIO

Synesius

Volume XI · p. 426 · 1953

English translation · Testo originale italiano

SINESIO. - N. ca. il 370 nella Pentapoli della Cirenaica, m. nel 413, veniva da una vecchia famiglia di latifondisti greci, che si vantava di origine la leggenda.
SINESIO. - N. ca. il 370 nella Pentapoli della Cirenaica, m. nel 413, veniva da una vecchia famiglia di latifondisti greci, che si vantava di origine la leggenda.

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

Educated in Greek traditions and an avid hunter, in 395 he went to Alexandria where he attended the scientific lectures of the Neoplatonic professor Hypatia. In this environment he became acquainted with Isidore of Pelusium. Through the esoteric initiation of his teacher, he came into contact with the works of Porphyry and the Chaldean Oracles. 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 for half a year before accepting that see (Epist. 105); because of doubts about Christian doctrine, finally, as in St. Augustine, a Christian interpretation of Porphyry’s doctrines prevailed in him, and this facilitated his solution to the problem of the resurrection of the body (v. C. Lacombrède, op. cit. in bibl., p. 169). That he was never deeply imbued with true Christianity, as B. Altaner claims (Patrologie, 2nd ed., Freiburg in Br. 1950, p. 241), is an assertion 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 in the De consolatione. Among his other works are to be mentioned: Egyptian Tales on Providence; Dion; Praise of Baldness. Important is his treatise on dreams, bold his Discourse on Kingship. His 56 Letters are attractive and indispensable for the history of his age.

BIBL.: ed. P.G 66, 1021-1578. Critical ed. of the hymns by N. Terzaghi, Synesii Cyrenensis Hymni. I. Rome 1939; II. ibid. 1944 with rich commentary; see also M. M. Hawlitus, Der erste Hymnis des S. Text und Kommentar, Munich 1939. The chronological order of the hymns is debated; see, e.g., C. Bizzocchi, in Gregorianum, 23 (1942), pp. 91 sq., 203 sq. On the treatise on dreams: W. Lang, Das Traumbuch des S., Tulln 1926. For the letters see I. Hermelin, Zu den Briefen des Bischofs S., Uppsala 1934. On his life and works see G. Grützmacher, S. von Kyrene, Leipzig 1913; G. Bettini, L’attività pubblica di S., Udine 1938; W. Theiler, Die chaldäischen Orakel und die Hymnen des S., Halle 1942. The best monograph is: C. Lacombrède, Synésios de Cyrene, hellène et chrétien, Paris 1951. See also Filche-Martin-Frutaz, IV, p. 150.