Synesius of Cyrene Quotes
Synesius of Cyrene was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher and Christian bishop of Ptolemais in Roman Libya. A pupil of Hypatia at Alexandria, to whom he addressed several of his finest letters, he combined deep philosophical Hellenism with Christian conviction and was consecrated bishop only on the express condition that he be allowed to retain certain philosophical opinions about which he could not honestly preach with conventional certainty. The quotes below are attributed to Synesius of Cyrene, organized by topic.
Synesius of Cyrene on God
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Attributed to Synesius of Cyrene:
“Philosophy and Christianity, rightly understood, are not at odds.”
Synesius of Cyrene on Knowledge
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Attributed to Synesius of Cyrene:
“Hypatia, my teacher, taught me to love wisdom above all things.”
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Attributed to Synesius of Cyrene:
“In times of barbarism, the lamp of philosophy must be kept burning.”
Synesius of Cyrene on Mind
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Attributed to Synesius of Cyrene:
“The mind is a fragment of the divine, lent to us for a time.”
Synesius of Cyrene on Truth
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Attributed to Synesius of Cyrene:
“I will not preach what I do not believe, nor abandon what I have come to know.”