The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1911-08-03
HYPATIA-HER WORK.

Gated there during the latter half of
the fourth century, and her tragic
death is one of the blacklist crimes
for which the early Christians, with
all their terrible record of murder
and hatred and fanaticism, are re-
sponsible.
Her father educated her very care
fully in all the qualifications of her
sex, and she was also well advanced
in all the sciences. She surpassed
her father in astronomy, and she
was one of the best historians of
her time. She succeeded her father
as head of the school at Alexandria,
teaching philosophy and lecturing to
large student body, and she had in
her classes the flower of the youth
of the civilized world of that day.
Hypatia felt a genuine attachment
for her pupils and often followed
them with her care and advice and
sympathy for many years after their
school days. She was a most graci-
GUS and lovable woman, and history
records few rOmances, some of her
pupils having loved her devotedly,
but her love for them seems to have
been confined to the class room and
wholesome interest in them as her
pupils. She was never married.
Her pupils were numerous and
they were as celebrated as they were
numerous. Some of them were
great teachers, some were noted
scientists, some were renowned ora
tors, and some were the authors of
splendid books. TITS said that her
pupils invariably attributed their
success to her and to her wonderful
gift Of teaching, and they spoke of
her IN terms of respect, affection and
generation.
Besides being a great teacher and
lecturer, Hypatia was a public ora
Gle, and the judges and magistrates
consulted her in all important cases.
This drew her into the councils and
conclaves of public men, sometimes
into their secret courts, but Hypatia
was never >censured for her manner.
her character was pure, and her
personality was most charming. She
went into the presence of the judges
unabashed and with perfect compos-
ure, but always with becoming mod
esty and womanly discretion.
The only fault that the Christians
found with Hypatia was that she
was heather and, without making
any effort to convert her to the Chris
tian religion, they began to look
about for some excuse to put her to
death. This excuse they pretended
to find in the fact that she was the
friend and adviser of Orestes, the
governor of Alexandria. This friend
ship between Orestes and Hypatia
greatly incensed Cyril, the bishop or
patriarch, who hated Orestes and
who disapproved of Hypatia because
she was heather. Cyril melted the
Christians to destroy Orestes, and
he (Orestes) barely escaped being
sacrificed to the fury of Christian
mob.
Later it became expedient for
Cyril to make up with Orestes, and
the report was spread far and wide
that Hypatia stood in the way of a
reconciliation between the two. Then
the frenzied Christians, under the
leadership of a lecturer, who was
envious Of Hypatia's powers, entered
into conspiracy against her. Great
pret9ase was made among the hypo-
critical Christians that Hypatia was
heather and a harmful example,
and, in a most fendish manner they
Waylaid the innocent, unsuspecting
woman and dragged her to one of
their churches, where, removing her
robes, they exposed her body to the
tortures of death by applying red