DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14564#0222
ALEXANDRIA.
205
persecute the Church, but he set up the old religion of
Sarapis under the protection of philosophy. All was
overturned by his early death, except the mischief he
had done. The Church had learnt nothing but to
despise the philosophers, and at last began to persecute
the harmless quietists, who still lingered about the pre-
cincts of the Museum. The defeated party wins our full
sympathy when we witness the cruel death of Hypatia,
beautiful, gentle, and learned, who may almost be called
the last light of the Greek school of Alexandria. The
mob had become the agent of the fanatical churchmen.
The toleration of paganism had lately ceased with the
sack of the temple of Sarapis ; and now the teaching of
philosophy was about to be proscribed.
The Church could not, however, destroy the philo-
sophic tendency, which grew stronger and stronger within
it. The theologians wrangled over insoluble points of
doctrine, while learning was neglected and the state was
in danger. When they had achieved the final separation
of the Greek from the native Church, the Arabs came
and the hostility of the Egyptians to their rulers made
the conquest of Egypt easy. Alexandria alone offered a
stout defence. When the city was taken and the Library
205
persecute the Church, but he set up the old religion of
Sarapis under the protection of philosophy. All was
overturned by his early death, except the mischief he
had done. The Church had learnt nothing but to
despise the philosophers, and at last began to persecute
the harmless quietists, who still lingered about the pre-
cincts of the Museum. The defeated party wins our full
sympathy when we witness the cruel death of Hypatia,
beautiful, gentle, and learned, who may almost be called
the last light of the Greek school of Alexandria. The
mob had become the agent of the fanatical churchmen.
The toleration of paganism had lately ceased with the
sack of the temple of Sarapis ; and now the teaching of
philosophy was about to be proscribed.
The Church could not, however, destroy the philo-
sophic tendency, which grew stronger and stronger within
it. The theologians wrangled over insoluble points of
doctrine, while learning was neglected and the state was
in danger. When they had achieved the final separation
of the Greek from the native Church, the Arabs came
and the hostility of the Egyptians to their rulers made
the conquest of Egypt easy. Alexandria alone offered a
stout defence. When the city was taken and the Library