Challenging Gender Roles: The Asexual Scholar Hypatia, Suda Y.166

The Suda’s Account of Hypatia

Name:    The Suda Date:      10th century CE      Region:    Unknown   Citation:     Y.166

About Hypatia the Philosopher [proof that Alexandrians are rebellious]: She was born, raised, and educated at Alexandria.  When she grew to be more talented than her father, she wasn’t satisfied with just teaching mathematics, she also devoted herself to the study of philosophy as well. Despite being a woman, she wore the ascetic philosopher’s cloak and went forth to the middle of the city,  and taught all who wished to learn the works of Plato, Aristotle, or other philosophers.  Not only was she a scholar, but she also achieved the pinnacle of virtue: she was upright and modest, and she remained a virgin throughout her life... 

This is the way Hypatia was, eloquent in speech and classy in her actions, and the whole city adored her—even worshipped her. The city’s political leaders often visited her in class—something that also happened in Athens. For even if it weren’t true anymore, the name “philosophy” [“love of wisdom”] still seems important and revered among those who serve the state.

It happened that her rival Cyril, the Bishop of the Christian religion, once was passing by Hypatia’s home, saw a crowd of people excitedly gathering outside of her front door, some coming, some going, some just standing around.   He asked whose house it was and what the crowd was doing there, and one of his lackeys told him that it was Hypatia’s house, and she was giving a lecture.  Insane with jealousy, Cyril plotted to kill her as soon as possible  and in the most unholy way possible. When she went out in public again (as she was accustomed to), a bunch of savage people, who feared neither gods nor men, savagely attacked the philosopher, perpetrating the greatest crime against their country. The Emperor would have been furious, if his friend Aedesius hadn’t been offered a bribe. He pardoned the perpetrators, but the fault fell on his own head and his offspring. His offspring paid the ultimate penalty for it.

αὕτη ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ καὶ ἐγεννήθη καὶ ἀνετράφη καὶ ἐπαιδεύθη. τὴν δὲ φύσιν γενναιοτέρα τοῦ πατρὸς οὖσα οὐκ ἠρκέσθη τοῖς διὰ τῶν μαθημάτων παιδεύμασιν ὑπὸ τῷ πατρί, ἀλλὰ καὶ φιλοσοφίας ἥψατο τῆς ἄλλης οὐκ ἀγεννῶς, περιβαλλομένη δὲ τρίβωνα ἡ γυνὴ καὶ διὰ μέσου τοῦ ἄστεος ποιουμένη τὰς προόδους ἐξηγεῖτο δημοσίᾳ τοῖς ἀκροᾶσθαι βουλομένοις ἢ τὸν Πλάτωνα ἢ τὸν Ἀριστοτέλην ἢ ἄλλου ὅτου δὴ τῶν φιλοσόφων. πρὸς δὲ τῷ διδασκαλικῷ καὶ ἐπ' ἄκρον ἀναβᾶσα τῆς πρακτικῆς ἀρετῆς, δικαία τε καὶ σώφρων γεγονυῖα, διετέλει παρθένος, οὕτω σφόδρα καλή τε οὖσα καὶ εὐειδής, [1]  ... οὕτω δὲ ἔχουσαν τὴν Ὑπατίαν, ἔν τε τοῖς λόγοις οὖσαν ἐντρεχῆ καὶ διαλεκτικὴν ἔν τε τοῖς ἔργοις σώφρονά τε καὶ πολιτικήν, ἥ τε ἄλλη πόλις εἰκότως ἠσπάζετό τε καὶ προσεκύνει διαφερόντως, οἵ τε ἄρχοντες ἀεὶ προχειριζόμενοι τῆς πόλεως ἐφοίτων πρῶτοι πρὸς αὐτήν, ὡς καὶ Ἀθήνησι διετέλει γινόμενον. εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀπόλωλεν, ἀλλὰ τό γε ὄνομα φιλοσοφίας ἔτι μεγαλοπρεπές τε καὶ ἀξιάγαστον εἶναι ἐδόκει τοῖς μεταχειριζομένοις τὰ πρῶτα τῆς πολιτείας. ἤδη γοῦν ποτε συνέβη τὸν ἐπισκοποῦντα τὴν ἀντικειμένην αἵρεσιν Κύριλλον, παριόντα διὰ τοῦ οἴκου τῆς Ὑπατίας, ἰδεῖν πολὺν ὠθισμὸν ὄντα πρὸς ταῖς θύραις, ἐπιμὶξ ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ ἵππων, τῶν μὲν προσιόντων, τῶν δὲ ἀπιόντων, τῶν δὲ καὶ προσισταμένων. ἐρωτήσαντα δὲ ὅ τι εἴη τὸ πλῆθος καὶ περὶ οὗ κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν ὁ θόρυβος, ἀκοῦσαι παρὰ τῶν ἑπομένων, ὅτι προσαγορεύοιτο νῦν ἡ φιλόσοφος Ὑπατία καὶ ἐκείνης εἶναι τὴν οἰκίαν. μαθόντα δὴ οὕτω δηχθῆναι τὴν ψυχήν, ὥστε φόνον αὐτῇ ταχέως ἐπιβουλεῦσαι, πάντων φόνων ἀνοσιώτατον. προελθούσῃ γὰρ κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ἐπιθέμενοι πολλοὶ ἀθρόοι θηριώδεις ἄνθρωποι, ὡς ἀληθῶς σχέτλιοι, οὔτε θεῶν ὄπιν εἰδότες οὔτ' ἀνθρώπων νέμεσιν ἀναιροῦσι τὴν φιλόσοφον, ἄγος τοῦτο μέγιστον καὶ ὄνειδος προστρεψάμενοι τῇ πατρίδι. καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἠγανάκτησεν ἐπὶ τούτῳ, εἰ μὴ Αἰδέσιος ἐδωροδοκήθη. καὶ τῶν μὲν σφαγέων ἀφείλετο τὴν ποινήν, ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν δὲ καὶ γένος τὸ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ταύτην ἐπεσπάσατο, καὶ ἐξέπλησε δίκην ὁ τούτου ἔκγονος.

Haec Alexandriae & nata & educata & erudita fuit. Cum autem esset ingenio generosiore, quam pater, non contenta fuit paterna in mathematicis disciplinis institutione, sed & relique philosophiae strenuam operam navavit. Mulier enim sumpto pallio, per mediam urbem progrediens, publice audire se volentibus vel Platonem vel Aristotelem vel cuiusvis alius Philosophi scripta enarrabat. Ceterum praeter peritiam docendi, ad summum etiam virtutis practicae fastigium pervenerat: eratque iusta & casta, & virgo semper permansit, ... Talis igitur cum esset Hypatia, tam prompta expeditaque dicendi facultate valeret, quam factis modestam & urbanam se praeberet, tum reliqua civitas eam merito amabat & insigniter colebat, tum rectores quoque urbis (Alexandriae) primum eam semper invisebant; quod Athenis etiam fieri consuevit. Nam etsi res ipsa perierit, nomen tamen philosophiae adhuc magnificum & venerabile videtur viris, principum locum in Repub. administranda obtinentibus. Quodam igitur tempore contigit, ut Cyrillus, Christianae religionis Episcopus, ante aedes Hypatiae transiens, maximam turbam pro foribus conspiceret hominum simul & equorum, quorum alii adveniebant; alii abibant; alii vero manebant. Cumque sciscitatus fuisset, quenam esset ea multitudo, & quorum tantus fieret tumultus, responsum est a sequentibus, Hypatiam philosopham tunc salutari, eiusque illa aedes esse. Quod cum didicisset Cyrullus, tantopere stimulatus est invidia, ut caedem ei protinus machinatus sit, eamque omnium sceleratissimam. Cum enim Hypatia more solito prodiret ex aedibus, multi ferini homines, nec Deorum vindictam, nec hominum ultionem reveriti, impetu facto eam trucidant; gravissimo piaculo & probro patriam suam obligantes. Et Imperator quidem eam rem gravissime tulit, ultusque essent nisi Aedesius amico Imperatoris corrupisset. Et intersectoribus quidem Imperator poenam remisit: sed in suum ipsius caput & stirpem suam ultionem attraxit. Eius enim nepos poenas exsolvit. Translated into Latin by Christianus Wolff

The Suda is a literary encyclopedia created in the 10th century CE by an anonymous Byzantine scholar.

---

[1] The next anecdote, in which Hypatia weaponizes her menstruation in order to defend herself from a man’s unwanted affection, does not fit the scope of this blog and will not be published here.

Daughter of Simon (or Eumenus or Eerigytius or Ecyrtus or Semus): Sappho, Suda S.107

The Suda’s Account of Sappho

Name:    The Suda Date:      10th century CE      Region:    Unknown   Citation:     S.107

Sappho: The daughter of Simon [1] (or, as others assert: the daughter of Eunominus, or Eertius, or Semus, or Camon, or Etarchus, or Scamandronymus). Her mother’s name was Cleis. She was from the island of Lesbos, born in Eressus, and was a lyric poet. She lived during the 42nd Olympiad, and was a contemporary of Alcaeus, Stesichorus, and Pittacus. She had three brothers: Larychus, Charaxus, and Eurygius. She married a man named Cercylas, a very wealthy man from the island of Andros; together they had a daughter named Cleis. She had three “companions”: Atthis, Telesippa, and Megara. It is said that she had an affair with them. Anagora of Miletis, Gongyla of Colophon, and Eunica of Salamis were her students. She wrote nine books of lyric poetry, and invented the plectrum [2] . She also wrote epigrams, elegies, iambic poetry, and monodies. 

---

[1]  It is important to note how the author of the Suda defines Sappho by the men she is connected to (her father, her brothers, her husband, and her peers); her achievements are added as an afterthought. 

[2] The plectrum is similar to a modern guitar pick.

Σαπφώ, Σίμωνος, οἱ δὲ Εὐμήνου, οἱ δὲ Ἠεριγύου, οἱ δὲ Ἐκρύτου, οἱ δὲ Σήμου, οἱ δὲ Κάμωνος, οἱ δὲ Ἐτάρχου, οἱ δὲ Σκαμανδρωνύμου: μητρὸς δὲ Κλειδός: Λεσβία ἐξ Ἐρεσσοῦ, λυρική, γεγονυῖα κατὰ τὴν μβ# Ὀλυμπιάδα, ὅτε καὶ Ἀλκαῖος ἦν καὶ Στησίχορος καὶ Πιττακός. ἦσαν δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ ἀδελφοὶ τρεῖς, Λάριχος, Χάραξος, Εὐρύγιος. ἐγαμήθη δὲ ἀνδρὶ Κερκύλᾳ πλουσιωτάτῳ, ὁρμωμένῳ ἀπὸ Ἄνδρου, καὶ θυγατέρα ἐποιήσατο ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἣ Κλεὶς ὠνομάσθη. ntipἑταῖραι δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ φίλαι γεγόνασι τρεῖς, Ἀτθίς, Τελεσίππα, Μεγάρα: πρὸς ἃς καὶ διαβολὴν ἔσχεν αἰσχρᾶς φιλίας. μαθήτριαι δὲ αὐτῆς Ἀναγόρα Μιλησία, Γογγύλα Κολοφωνία, Εὐνείκα Σαλαμινία. ἔγραψε δὲ μελῶν λυρικῶν βιβλία θ#. καὶ πρώτη πλῆκτρον εὗρεν. ἔγραψε δὲ καὶ ἐπιγράμματα καὶ ἐλεγεῖα καὶ ἰάμβους καὶ μονῳδίας.

Sappho: Simonis filia: vel ut alii, Eunomini: ut alii Eerigyi: ut alii Ecryti: ut alii Semi: ut alii Camonis: ut alii Etarchi: ut alii Scamandronymi. Matrem habuit Clidem: fuitque Lesbia, Eresso oriunda & Lyrica. Vixit Olympiade XLII quo tempore & Alcaeus & Stesichorus & Pittacus floruerunt. Fratres eius tres fuerunt, Larychus, Charaxus, Eurygius. Nupsit cuidam Cercolae, viro ditissimo, Andrio; ex quo suscepit filiam, quae Clis vocabatur. Sodales eius & amicae fuerunt tres, Atthis, Telesippa, Megara: cum quibus etiam turpem consuetudinem habuisse dicebatur. Discipulae eius fuerunt Anagora Milesia, Gongyla Colophonia, Eunica Salaminia. Scripsit carminum Lyricorum libros IX & prima plectrum invenit. Scripsit etiam Epigrammata & Elegias & Iambos & Monodias. Translated into Latin by Christian Wolff

The Suda is a literary encyclopedia created in the 10th century CE by an anonymous Byzantine scholar.

Challenging Gender Roles: Corinna, Greek Poet: Suda K.2087

Corinna the Poet Defeats Pindar Five Times!

Name:    The Suda Date:      10th century CE      Region:    Unknown   Citation:    Suda K.2087

   Corinna: The daughter of Achelodorus and Procratia. She was either Theban or Tanagrean. She was a student of Myrtis. Her nickname was Myia (“The Fly”). She was a lyric poet. It is said that she beat the poet Pindar five times in a competition. She wrote five books of poetry, both of epigrams and pastoral poems.

Κορίννα, Ἀχελωοδώρου καὶ Προκρατίας, Θηβαία ἢ Ταναγραία, μαθήτρια Μύρτιδος: ἐπωνόμαστο δὲ Μυῖα: λυρική. ἐνίκησε δὲ πεντάκις, ὡς λόγος, Πίνδαρον. ἔγραψε βιβλία ε#, καὶ ἐπιγράμματα καὶ νόμους λυρικούς.

Corinna, Achelodori & Procratiae filia, Thebana vel Tanagrea, discipula Myrtidis, Myia cognominata: Lyrica. Quinquies, ut ferunt, Pindarum vicit. Scripsit (carminum) libros V. itemque epigrammata & cantica lyrica. Translated into Latin by Christianus Wolff

The Suda is a literary encyclopedia created in the 10th century CE by an anonymous Byzantine scholar.

Challenging Gender Roles: Telesilla, Suidas in Telesilla T.260

The Suda’s Account of Telesilla

Name:    The Suda Date:      10th century CE      Region:    Unknown   Citation:     T.260

Telesilla the Poet: She is depicted with a helmet on her head and with books scattered at her feet. For when the Lacedaemonians had killed those who had fled to the temple in Argos, and had marched against the city to capture it,  Telesilla armed the women capable of battle and went out to meet the enemy. When the Lacedaemonians saw them, they retreated, thinking it would be inappropriate to fight against women, since they would earn no glory if they won, but great shame if they lost.

Τελέσιλλα ποιήτρια ἐπὶ στήλης τὰ μὲν βιβλία ἀπέρριπται κράνος δὲ τῇ κεφαλῇ περιέθηκε. καὶ γὰρ ὅτε Λακεδαιμόνιοι τοὺς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Ἀργους καταφυγόντας διέφθειρον, καὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ᾔεσαν ὡς αἱρήσοντες τότε Τελέσιλλα τὰς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ γυναῖκας ὁπλίσασα ὑπήντησεν οἱ προςῄεσαν. ὅπερ ἰδόντες οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι εἰς τουπίσω ὑπέστρεψαν, αἰσχρὸν νομίσαντες γυναιξὶ πολεμεῖν, ἃς καὶ τὸ νικᾶν ἄδοξον καὶ ἡττᾶσθαι μέγα ὄνειδος.

Telesilla poetria. Huic statua posita est, ad cuius pedes libri iacent: galea vero capiti eius imposita est. Etenim cum Lacedaemonii, interfectis iis, qui in templum Argorum confugerant, ad urbem capiendum irent, Telesilla mulieres, quae per aetatem arma ferre poterant, armavit, et sic hostibus obviam processit. Quod conspicati Lacedaemonii retro cesserunt, turpe ducentes cum mulieribus pugnare, quas et vincere nulla sit gloria, et a quibus vinci, magnum sit dedecus. Translated into Latin by Christian Wolff

The Suda is a literary encyclopedia created in the 10th century CE by an anonymous Byzantine scholar.