An Encomium on _Synesius_, one of _Hypatia_’s Scholars; who, tho’ a
Heathen, was consecrated a Christian Bishop.
One of these, who has preserved to us the Names of several others, is
the celebrated _Synesius_. He was a Native of _Cyrene_ in _Africa_, on
the Borders of _Egypt_, a very ancient _Greek_ Colony, the Birth-place
of _Aristippus_ and _Carneades_, which _Synesius_ forgets not to mention
in his Writings. He travelled for Improvement to his neighbouring
Country of _Egypt_, the undoubted Mother of the Sciences, where he
happily succeeded in his Studies at _Alexandria_ under _Hypatia_. This
Personage alone may suffice for a Specimen, of the extraordinary Spirits
that she formed. If we may rely on the Judgement of no less a Man than
_Nicephorus Gregoras_, Patriarch of _Constantinople_ (who wrote
elaborate _Annotations_ on his Treatise of _Dreams_, a Piece fraught
with uncommon Learning) he says, _There was nothing he did not know, no
Science wherein he did not excel, no Mistery in which he was not
initiated or skilled_, with a great deal more to this Purpose. And it
must be owned, that to all the Vivacity natural to his Country, there
was joined the most profound Knowledge and solid Judgement. His Works
are every one highly commended, but _his Epistles are admirable_, as
_Suidas_ very truly remarks, and in the Opinion of _Protius_, as well as
of _Evagrius, they are elegant, agreeable, sententious, and learned_. He
was a Man of noble Birth, which added no less Weight to his Learning
then this relieved Lustre on his Quality; as both together procured him
Credit with his Superiors, Authority over his Inferiors, and Admiration
from his Equals. He went upon an Embassy, which lasted three Years, to
the Emperor _Arcadius_ at _Constantinople_, on the Behalf of his
Country; which was miserably harrassed by the auxiliary _Goths_ and
other _Barbarians_, but which received considerable Relief from his
Solicitations. It was then that _with greater Boldness than any of the
Grecians_ (as he tells us himself) he pronounced before the Emperor,
that extremely fine Oration concerning _Government_; which, in a Country
so justly fond of Liberty as ours, I wonder has never been translated.
This defect I have supplied, and will impart it to the Public on a
proper Occasion. As for _Synesius_’s being consecrated Bishop of
_Ptolemais_, notwithstanding his Protestation, that he disbelieved some
of the most essential Articles of the _Christian Religion_, we spoke
enough to that Point at the latter end of _Clidophorus_; only we shall
observe in this Place, how _Petavius_, the Editor of his Works, affirms,
that, in some of the Books written after his Profession of
_Christianity_, he appears as very a _Heathen_ as ever. But this being
no Prejudice to his Parts, however it may affect his Salvation, is none
of our present Business to examine; much less to adopt the pitiful
Excuses, or rather Prevarications, invented by some learned Men to
defend him from this Imputation. The principal is _Baromius_.