Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2(pesnta.1.2) 9/5/84; site scc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!amd!pesnta!scc!steiny From: steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Xtianity: What happened to the library at Alexandria? Message-ID: <538@scc.UUCP> Date: Sun, 4-Aug-85 14:19:06 EDT Article-I.D.: scc.538 Posted: Sun Aug 4 14:19:06 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 21:12:53 EDT References:<10@unc.UUCP> <41@unc.UUCP> <530@scc.UUCP> <179@tekig5.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Don Steiny Software Lines: 54 > ------- *** The leader of the Christan party in Alexandria in 389 A.C was Bishop Theophilus, who at the head of a mob of Christian monks destroyed what was left of the great Library of Alexander. [It had been destroyed by the Romans, but had been rebuilt] On the death of Theophilus, he was succeeded in the bishopric of Alexandria by is nephew, St. Cyril, who was even worse than his uncle. In the first part of the fifth century of the Christan era, Hypatia, the daughter of Theron, the mathematician, conducted an academy at Alexandria. This talented lady gave lectures on the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, and instructed her students on the works of Appolonius and other geometers. Bishop Cyril decided that such knowledge must be suppressed, and he decided to take the necessary actions to achieve that objective. Introduction to African Civilization John G. Jackson p. 298. Each day before her [Hypatia's] acadamy stood a long train of chariots; her lecture rooms were crowded with the wealth and fashion of Alexandria. They came to listen to her discourses on those questions which man in all ages has asked, but which never yet have been answered: "What am I? Where am I? What can I know?" Hypatia and Cyril! Philosophy and bigotry. They cannot exist together. So Cyril felt, and on that feeling he acted. As Hypatia reparied to her academy, she was assulted by Cyril's mob--a mob of many monks. Stripped naked on the street, she was dragged into a church, and there killed by the club of Peter the Reader. The corpse was cut to pieces, the flesh was scraped from the bones with shells, and the remnants cast into a fire. For this frightful crime Cyril was never called into account [apparently, he was made a Saint for it!]. History of the Conflict between Religion and Science John William Draper pp. 55-56 According to Draper, the reason that Cyril hated Hypatia and philosopy was because philosophy can question anything, including Christian faith. -- scc!steiny Don Steiny @ Don Steiny Software 109 Torrey Pine Terrace Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060