Synesius of Cyrene

Mosaic depicting an angel. Museum of Ptolemais

Synesius of Cyrene (c.370-c.413) was a Neo-Platonic philosopher who became bishop of Ptolemais in the Cyrenaica. He left behind a small corpus of texts that offer much information about daily life in Late Antiquity, and about the christianization of the Roman world.

Letter 82, 83, 84, 85, and 86, all serve to recoomend "the charming Gerontius". It is remarkable that four of these five letters are directed to Synesius' brother Euoptius. One is left with the impression that Synesius was unsure about what to write and prepared several letters; not all of them were actually sent. The letters are here in the translation by A. Fitzgerald.

Letter 82: A Recommendation

To his Brother

Who, who should be admired by your peers? He that is prudent, orderly, well educated, and religious. In a word, such a man as Gerontius. Now you have the man together with the letter. When you have made his acquaintance, you will say that my praise was not unmerited.

Online 2007
Revision: 17 August 2007