Letter 10
To the Philosopher [Hypatia, the famous mathematician, astronomer, and Neoplatonist philosopher in Alexandria, later murdered by a Christian mob in 415].
I salute you, and I beg you to salute your fortunate circle of companions for me, august Mistress. I have reproached you for a long time now for not thinking me worthy of a letter, but I realize that you all look down on me — not for any wrongdoing of mine, but simply because I am unlucky. And I have been unlucky in every way a man can be.
If I could only have had letters from you and learned that you were all well and flourishing — I am sure you are — I would have been relieved of half my troubles just by sharing in your happiness. But your silence has only added to my sorrows.
I have lost my children, my friends, and everyone's goodwill. But the greatest loss is the absence of your divine intellect. I had hoped that would always remain to me — enough to overcome both the whims of fortune and the cruelty of fate.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
Related Letters
1. When our son Leporius, whom for his obstinacy in error you had justly and fitly rebuked, came to us after he had been expelled by you, we received him as one afflicted for his good, whom we should, if possible, deliver from error and restore to spiritual health. For, as you obeyed in regard to him the apostolic precept, Warn the unruly, so it...
1. The holy presbyter Innocentius, who is the bearer of this letter, did not last year take with him a letter from me to your Eminences, as he had no expectation of returning to Africa. We thank God, however, that it so happened, as it afforded you an opportunity of overcoming [evil with good in requiting] our silence by your letter.
Record, Prepared by St. Augustine, of the Proceedings on the Occasion of His Designating Eraclius to Succeed Him in the Episcopal Chair, and to Relieve Him Meanwhile in His Old Age of a Part of His Responsibilities. In the Church of Peace in the district of Hippo Regius, on the 26th day of September in the year of the twelfth consulship of the m...