Hierocles of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
Hierocles of Alexandria was a Greek
Neoplatonist writer who was active around AD 430.
He studied under Plutarch
(the Neoplatonist) at Athens
in the early 5th century, and taught for some years in his native city. He seems to have been banished from Alexandria
and to have taken up his abode in Constantinople
, where he gave such offence that he was thrown into prison and cruelly flogged. The causes of this are not recorded - it is mere speculation that he was flogged for being a pagan.
The only complete work of his which has been preserved is the commentary on the Chrysa Epe (Golden Verses) of Pythagoras. It enjoyed a great reputation in the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance
, and there are numerous translations in various European languages. Several other writings, especially one on providence and fate, a consolatory treatise dedicated to his patron Olympiodorus of Thebes
, are quoted or referred to by Photius and Stobaeus
. Hierocles argued against astrological fatalism on the basis that it is supported by an irrational necessity rather than a divine, rational Providence of God. For the same reason, he opposed theurgic and magic practices as they were attempts to supersede the divine providential order http://www.iep.utm.edu/a/astr-hel.htm#SH7e.
Although he never mentions Christianity
in his surviving works, his writings have been taken as an attempt at reconciliation between Greek religion traditions and the Christian beliefs he may have encountered in Constantinople http://www.ccel.org/w/wace/biodict/htm/iii.viii.xxvi.htm.
The collection of some 260 witticisms attributed to Hierocles and Philagrius has no connection with Hierocles of Alexandria, but is probably a compilation of later date, founded on two older collections. It is now agreed that the fragments of the Elements of Ethics preserved in Stobaeus
are from a work by a Stoic
named Hierocles
, contemporary of Epictetus
, who has been identified with the "Hierocles Stoicus vir sanctus et gravis" in Aulus Gellius
(ix. 5. 8). This theory is confirmed by the discovery of a papyrus
(ed. H. von Arnim in Berliner Kiassikertexte, Iv. 1906.)
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Neoplatonist writer who was active around AD 430.
He studied under Plutarch
Plutarch of Athens
Plutarch of Athens was a Greek philosopher and Neoplatonist who taught at Athens at the beginning of the 5th century. He reestablished the Platonic Academy there and became its leader...
(the Neoplatonist) at Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in the early 5th century, and taught for some years in his native city. He seems to have been banished from Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and to have taken up his abode in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, where he gave such offence that he was thrown into prison and cruelly flogged. The causes of this are not recorded - it is mere speculation that he was flogged for being a pagan.
The only complete work of his which has been preserved is the commentary on the Chrysa Epe (Golden Verses) of Pythagoras. It enjoyed a great reputation in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, and there are numerous translations in various European languages. Several other writings, especially one on providence and fate, a consolatory treatise dedicated to his patron Olympiodorus of Thebes
Olympiodorus of Thebes
Olympiodorus was an historical writer of classical education, a "poet by profession" as he says of himself, who was born at Thebes in Egypt, and was sent on a mission to the Huns on the Black Sea by Emperor Honorius about 412, and later lived at the court of Theodosius II, to whom his History was...
, are quoted or referred to by Photius and Stobaeus
Stobaeus
Joannes Stobaeus , from Stobi in Macedonia, was the compiler of a valuable series of extracts from Greek authors. The work was originally divided into two volumes containing two books each...
. Hierocles argued against astrological fatalism on the basis that it is supported by an irrational necessity rather than a divine, rational Providence of God. For the same reason, he opposed theurgic and magic practices as they were attempts to supersede the divine providential order http://www.iep.utm.edu/a/astr-hel.htm#SH7e.
Although he never mentions Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in his surviving works, his writings have been taken as an attempt at reconciliation between Greek religion traditions and the Christian beliefs he may have encountered in Constantinople http://www.ccel.org/w/wace/biodict/htm/iii.viii.xxvi.htm.
The collection of some 260 witticisms attributed to Hierocles and Philagrius has no connection with Hierocles of Alexandria, but is probably a compilation of later date, founded on two older collections. It is now agreed that the fragments of the Elements of Ethics preserved in Stobaeus
Stobaeus
Joannes Stobaeus , from Stobi in Macedonia, was the compiler of a valuable series of extracts from Greek authors. The work was originally divided into two volumes containing two books each...
are from a work by a Stoic
STOIC
STOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
named Hierocles
Hierocles (Stoic)
Hierocles was a Stoic philosopher. Nothing is known about his life. Aulus Gellius mentions him as one of his contemporaries, and describes him as a "grave and holy man."...
, contemporary of Epictetus
Epictetus
Epictetus was a Greek sage and Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia , and lived in Rome until banishment when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece where he lived the rest of his life. His teachings were noted down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses...
, who has been identified with the "Hierocles Stoicus vir sanctus et gravis" in Aulus Gellius
Aulus Gellius
Aulus Gellius , was a Latin author and grammarian, who was probably born and certainly brought up in Rome. He was educated in Athens, after which he returned to Rome, where he held a judicial office...
(ix. 5. 8). This theory is confirmed by the discovery of a papyrus
Papyrus
Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
(ed. H. von Arnim in Berliner Kiassikertexte, Iv. 1906.)
Further reading
- Hermann S. Schibli, Hierocles of Alexandria. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-924921-0.