The murder of ancient Alexandria's greatest scholar - Soraya Field Fiorio

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Bruce Sung

In the city of Alexandria in 415 CE,

西元 415 年， 在亞歷山卓這個城市裡，

the bishop and the governor were in a fight.

主教和總督之間有所不和。

It started with a disagreement over the behavior of a militia of monks,

一開始是對於僧侶 民兵的行為有歧見，

and ended with an accusation of witchcraft

最後是指控該城市中

leveled against one of the most powerful figures in the city.

最有權勢的人物之一施行巫術。

Hypatia of Alexandria was a prominent mathematician, philosopher,

亞歷山卓的希帕提亞是位 知名的數學家、哲學家，

and advisor to the city’s leaders.

也是城市領導人的顧問。

In the centuries since she lived,

從她那時之後的數個世紀，

the details of her life have been the subject of much dispute

她人生的細節一直 都是許多爭議的主題，

and have taken on an almost mythical status.

可說幾乎就要有神話的地位了。

But while none of Hypatia’s own writings survive,

但，雖然希帕提亞的 著作都沒有留下來，

her contemporaries’ and students’ accounts of her work and life

與她同時期的人及她的學生 有些對她的作品及生活的描述，

paint a picture of the qualities that made her renowned as a scholar,

說明了是什麼特質 讓她成為知名的學者，

beloved as a teacher, and ultimately led to her downfall.

被當作老師來愛戴， 最終卻也導致她的沒落。

Hypatia was born around 355 in Alexandria,

希帕提亞大約在 355 年 生於亞歷山卓，

then part of the Egyptian province of the Eastern Roman Empire,

當時亞歷山卓是東羅馬帝國 埃及省的一部分，

and an intellectual center.

也是個知識中心。

Her father Theon was an accomplished Greek mathematician and astronomer;

她的父親席恩是有成就的 希臘數學家及天文學家；

her mother is unknown.

她的母親不詳。

Hypatia was likely an only child, and Theon educated her himself.

希帕提亞很有可能是獨生女，

席恩親自教育她。

By adulthood, she had surpassed her father in both mathematics and philosophy,

成年後，她在數學和哲學方面 都超越了她的父親，

becoming the city’s foremost scholar and taking over his position

成為該城市中最重要的學者，

取代了他在柏拉圖學校 （類似現代大學）的首長位置。

at the head of the Platonic school, similar to a modern university.

She refined scientific instruments, wrote math textbooks,

她改良科學儀器、 撰寫數學教科書，

and developed a more efficient method of long division.

還開發出更有效率的長除法方法。

But perhaps her most significant contributions to intellectual life

但她對於在亞歷山卓的 知識生活最重要貢獻

in Alexandria came through her teaching.

可能是透過教學來傳遞的。

The philosophy Hypatia taught drew from the legacy of Plato and Aristotle,

希帕提亞所教導的哲學 來自柏拉圖和亞里斯多德，

as well as the mystical philosopher Plotinus and the mathematician Pythagoras.

以及神秘哲學家普羅提諾 和數學家畢達哥拉斯留下的知識。

The convergence of these influences merged to form a school called Neoplatonism.

這些影響整加在一起，促成了 一個學派，叫做新柏拉圖主義。

For the Neoplatonists, mathematics had a spiritual aspect,

對新柏拉圖主義者而言， 數學有一個靈性的面向，

divided among the four branches of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.

分開為四個分支： 算術、幾何、天文、音樂。

These subjects were not studied merely for the sake of curiosity

學習這四個科目，不只是出於好奇

or practical utility, but because they authenticated the belief

或者實用，而是因為 它們能夠證明一個信念：

that numbers were the sacred language of the universe.

數字是宇宙中的神聖語言。

In the repeated patterns of algebraic formulas and geometric shapes,

在代數方程式 和幾何形狀中的重覆模式、

the orbits of the planets, and the harmonious intervals of musical tones,

星球的軌道，

以及音樂音調的和諧音程當中，

the Neoplatonists saw a rational cosmic force at work.

新柏拉圖主義者看到 一股理性運作的宇宙力量。

Students delved into this ordered mathematical world

學生鑽研這個有秩序的數學世界，

to achieve higher unity with this force, known as “the One.”

以和這股力量形成更高階的合一， 也就是所謂的「一體」。

While Hypatia was considered pagan—

雖然希帕提亞被視為異教徒——

a term for traditional Roman belief before Christianity—

這個詞指的是選擇傳統 羅馬宗教而非基督教——

she worshipped no particular deity or deities,

但她並沒有崇拜特定的神明，

and her ideas could be applied alongside multiple religious viewpoints.

且她的想法可以配合數種宗教觀點。

Jewish and Christian as well as pagan students

猶太教、基督教，以及異教的學生

travelled from the farthest reaches of the empire to study with her.

都會從帝國最遙遠的地方 專程來找她學習。

The nonpartisan environment Hypatia fostered,

希帕提亞營造了 一個無派系的環境，

where all students could feel comfortable,

在那裡，所有的學生都很自在，

was especially remarkable given the religious and political turmoil

這點非常了不起，特別是因為當時

宗教和政治的騷動 在破壞亞歷山卓。

that was fracturing the city of Alexandria at the time.

Christianity had recently become the Empire’s state religion.

基督教不久前才成為帝國的國教。

The local archbishop Cyril had steadily gained political power,

當地的大主教西里爾 穩當地取得了政權，

commanding zealous militias of Christian monks to destroy pagan temples

命令熱心的基督教僧侶 組成的民兵去摧毀異教寺廟

and harass the Jewish population.

並騷擾猶太人民。

In doing so, he encroached on the secular authority of the Roman governor Orestes,

這麼做，他便可以侵犯羅馬總督 俄瑞斯忒斯的非宗教權威，

himself a moderate Christian, leading to a bitter public feud between the two men.

總督本身是溫和的基督徒，

因此兩人間形成了 公開的長期激烈爭鬥。

Because she was seen as a wise and impartial figure,

因為希帕提亞被視為 睿智且公正的人物，

governor Orestes consulted Hypatia,

俄瑞斯忒斯總督去向她尋求意見，

who advised him to act with fairness and restraint.

她建議總督要採取 公平且約束的措施。

But when a group of Cyril’s monks incited a riot,

但，當一群西里爾的僧侶 煽動了一場暴亂，

badly injuring Orestes in the process, he had their leader tortured to death.

俄瑞斯忒斯在過程中受了重傷，

因此下令將他們的 領導人刑求至死。

Cyril and his followers blamed Hypatia,

西里爾和他的追隨者 怪罪希帕提亞，

accusing her of witchcraft to turn Orestes against Christianity.

控訴她施行巫術 讓俄瑞斯忒斯對抗基督教。

In March 415, as Hypatia was traveling through the city,

415 年三月，希帕提亞 在城市中乘車行進時，

the bishop’s militia of monks dragged her from her carriage

主教的僧侶民兵將她 從馬車中拉出來，

and brutally murdered and dismembered her.

殘忍地殺害她，並將她肢解。

Hypatia’s death was a turning point in the politics of Alexandria.

希帕提亞的死， 是亞歷山卓的政治轉捩點。

In the wake of her murder,

在她被殺害之後，

other philosophers in the Greek and Roman tradition fled,

希臘和羅馬傳統的 其他哲學家開始逃離，

and the city’s role as a center of learning declined.

該城市原本扮演的 學習中心角色漸衰落。

In a very real way,

很現實的，

the spirit of inquisition, openness, and fairness she fostered

她所促成的探究、開放、公平精神

died with her.

都和她一同逝去。