Note 75 — SECTION II.

It is necessary to inform the genuine Platonic reader, that Synesius was not a bishop, and had not embraced Christianity, when he composed the present excellent book. This is not only evident from the recondite wisdom of antiquity, which it every where displays, but from his expressly using in one place, p. 151, the epithet, the mundane god (θεὸς ἐγκόσμιος) in the same manner as it is always employed by heathen Platonists. There are three Latin versions of this admirable work: the first and best by Ficinus, the next both in the order of time and excellence, by Cornarius, and the last and worst by Petavius. This industrious Jesuit, indeed, though sufficiently learned on other subjects, appears by his version to be very ignorant of the Greek philosophy. This will be evident by comparing his translation with the Greek, and, I hope, I may add, with the above version, which contains the greatest, and most important part of this inestimable work. With respect to Synesius, he was a native of Cyrene, in Africa; travelled into Egypt for improvement; and perfected his studies under the celebrated Hypatia: a woman no less eminent for her uncommon abilities, than remarkable for her tragical death, effected by the infernal revenge of the Alexandrian church, and the orthodox, patriarchal, Christian malice of St. Cyril. Though Synesius was reluctantly consecrated bishop of Ptolemais about the year 410, yet we may collect from his tenets, that he was not a perfect convert to Christianity; and from his epistles, that he lamented his episcopal station. For with respect to the former, he denied the immediate creation of the world, its final destruction, and the resurrection of the dead: and with regard to the latter, he frequently and earnestly begs to be discharged from his office; and declares that as he was by education a heathen, and by profession a philosopher, he had met with no success since he presumed to serve at the altar. Particularly in a letter to his friend Olympius (Epist. 95.) he declares that if his duty as a bishop should be any hinderance to his philosophy, he would relinquish his diocese, abjure his orders, and remove into Greece. For farther conviction in this particular consult Epist. 11, 13, 57, 67, 80, 105: and the Clidophorus, and Hypatia of Toland, who largely and curiously descants on the life and writings of Synesius. I shall only add, that even Petavius, the editor of his works, affirms, that in some of the books composed after his profession of Christianity, Synesius appears as great a heathen as before: and this conduct may be reconciled, by what Synesius himself asserts in one of his letters: (Epist. 105.) “that it may be sometimes expedient to lye, in order to do good; since philosophical truth is not necessary for the vulgar, who may receive hurt from their knowledge. Wherefore (says he) if this method, (that is of concealing the truth), be consistent with the rights of episcopal dignity, I may be consecrated. I shall freely philosophize at home, and tell fables abroad; neither teaching, nor unteaching, but suffering people to live in the prejudices they have imbibed.” This must be allowed to be sound philosophy, excellent policy, and true orthodoxy!