YPATIA

Ypatia of Alexandria, the last “initiate” of ancient Greek thought in the Eastern Mediterranean, was the head of the Neoplatonic school of Egypt.

Her intellectual journey was interwoven with the research and science of philosophy. She was a charismatic and virtuous woman, the model of a thinking human. Through her philosophical inquiry, she resisted the spiritual obscurantism fomented by the controversial religious leadership of Cyril of Alexandria.

Ypatia lived in Alexandria in the 4th century. She was the daughter of the mathematician and astronomer Theon and attended lectures in Athens, primarily at the Neoplatonic school of Plutarch the Younger, while also studying under Proclus and Hierocles.

She returned to Alexandria, where she taught philosophy and mathematics at the Platonist school. In Alexandria, according to the existing legislation (each person followed the laws of the state of their nationality), Ypatia, who held both Greek and Egyptian nationality (Theon has been recognized as both Greek and Egyptian), had the right to own property and to be active both professionally and socio-educationally.

Ypatia, as a philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, taught publicly to the people of Alexandria about Plato and Aristotle, demonstrating her education in philosophy and rhetoric, and everyone treated her with respect.

She held the presidency of the Neoplatonic School of Alexandria and exerted influence on important officials.

Among her students were the sons of the most powerful families of Alexandria, who later assumed extremely high offices. Two of these were the Bishop of Cyrene, Synesius, and the Prefect of Alexandria, Orestes. She maintained a steady correspondence with Synesius, parts of which have survived and reveal the immense admiration the Bishop held for Ypatia. “… Even if there is absolute oblivion in Hades, even there I shall remember you, dear Ypatia,” he wrote in his letters….

Her scientific work includes:

She commented on the Arithmetica of Diophantus, a fact which contributed to the survival of Diophantus’s works to the present day. Diophantus’s algebraic works were far more advanced than previous ones. In any case, the mathematicians of Alexandria in the fourth and fifth centuries developed the mathematics that would be used to solve higher-order systems of equations.

She wrote the Astronomical Canon. Scholars believe the “Astronomical Canon” was simply a collection of astronomical tables, while others consider it a commentary on Ptolemy.

She perfected the Conics of Apollonius. The Conics of Apollonius are considered among the most difficult works of antiquity and laid the foundations for much of what later became known as projective geometry.

She also collaborated with her father on the commentary of the 3rd volume of Ptolemy’s book Almagest. Her father’s commentaries on Book Three note that the work is “…in the critical revision of the philosopher Ypatia, my daughter.” There is a hypothesis that Ypatia had written parts of these Commentaries.

Another source of information about Ypatia’s mathematical activities is the correspondence of Synesius, which reveals that he studied philosophy and astronomy under her guidance and mentions the creation of some scientific instruments such as the astrolabe and the hydrometer.

There is a theory of stereographic projection, that the path is open for the construction of a more practical two-dimensional device. This is given to us by the story of the Synesius Astrolabe, who, writing about the Paion, states that he had designed the astrolabe himself with Ypatia’s help and that it was created from the finest silver-smithing materials. The conclusion is that the theory of the astrolabe and the details of its construction had passed down from Ptolemy, through Theon, to reach Ypatia, who in turn taught Synesius.

Her fame attracted students from all over the Mediterranean. In fact, it is believed that at the time of her death, Hypatia was the best mathematician of the Greco-Roman world, thus overshadowing her father’s reputation as a teacher.

Ypatia was a symbol of learning and science, which at that time were widely identified by early Christians with paganism.

Thus, she became the focal point of tension between Christians and pagans (non-Christians), which plagued Alexandria considerably during that period.

Two historians wrote about the philosopher’s death: Socrates Scholasticus and John of Nikiû. Scholasticus’s text is considered more reliable, as Nikiû was clearly influenced by Christian propaganda.

According, then, to the more impartial Scholasticus, Ypatia’s death was the result of the conflict between the Prefect of Alexandria, Orestes, and the Bishop of Alexandria, Cyril.

In 415 AD, Orestes issued an edict regulating the public festivals of the Jews, as they usually gathered large crowds and caused riots.

The edict was posted, and a Christian named Hierax loudly supported the new regulations.

The Jews interpreted Hierax’s action as an insult and appealed to the Prefect, who ordered the Christian Hierax to be arrested and publicly tortured.

The harsh punishment of the Christian enraged Bishop Cyril, who launched an attack against the Jews.

After continuous counter-attacks, in which both sides suffered heavy losses, Cyril exiled all Jews from Alexandria and allowed the Christians to seize their properties. The Prefect was infuriated with Cyril, and the tension between them peaked. Then, 500 fanatical monks arrived to fight on Cyril’s side. One of them, Ammonius, threw a stone at Orestes, injuring him in the head. Ammonius was arrested on the spot, tortured, and executed….

It was then that Ypatia became involved in the story, as she was a close friend and advisor to the Prefect. According to Scholasticus, the philosopher was a victim of political rivalries, as she was groundlessly accused by the Christians of turning Orestes against them.

A mob led by the cleric Peter abducted her and took her to a church, where they stripped her and scraped her skin with oyster shells (flayed her) while alive. When she died, they dismembered her body and threw each piece into a fire.

The martyrdom of Ypatia in 415 AD was characterized by University of Michigan Philosophy Professor, Kathleen Wider, as the end of classical antiquity.

SOURCES

1. “YPATIA”, GALVEZ PEDRO, Politéia Publications

2. Wikipedia

3. www.mixanitouxronou

4. alfavita.gr

5. Michalopoulou Nikoletta, filologika.gr

DIOTIMA

Diotima is recorded as a priestess from ancient Mantineia in Arcadia, and she is said to have lived in the latter half of the 5th century BC.

She was a philosopher, a Pythagorean according to Proclus, and knowledgeable in Pythagorean number wisdom; according to Xenophon, she even understood the most difficult-to-grasp geometric theorems (“not unversed in intricate diagrams”).

In Plato’s “Symposium”, she is referred to as the wise woman who taught Socrates, by his own admission, the mysteries of Love.

Diotima (meaning “she who honors Zeus”) is the only woman mentioned in the male-dominated Symposium.

Some scholars believe that Diotima was not a real person with that name and role, given that her appearance in the Symposium is the sole reference to her found in all of ancient literature.

However, if we consider that Plato used historical figures in his dialogues and never felt the need to invent one, we can safely accept that Diotima was a real person.

The main reference and her philosophical persona are found in Socrates’ speech in Plato’s “Symposium” (or “On Love”).

In this work, Socrates refers to Diotima as his teacher, saying she was a priestess in Mantineia and that she performed the purification ritual for the Athenians after the plague of 429 BC; he declares that he owes his exact views on love—as a yearning and motive for the beautiful and true—to her.

A large part of his speech is the narration of the dialogue about Love that he had with her. Essentially, it is the speech and teaching of Diotima. Socrates relays this dialogue to his friends, teaching what he himself had previously learned about Love from her.

(The symposium in antiquity was a distinct form of male entertainment with aristocratic characteristics: after dinner, the men, wearing wreaths, drank together (following specific rules), recited poetry, conversed, and played games, while at the beginning and end of the symposium they made libations and sang hymns in honor of the gods.)

In Plato’s Symposium, set in the year 416 BC when the young poet Agathon won the prize at the Lenaea—attended by Aristodemus, Phaedrus, Agathon, the physician Eryximachus, Pausanias, Aristophanes, Alcibiades, and Socrates—the participants decided to spend the evening discussing a specific topic. The topic of the symposium was love. “What is love?”

The companions presented—each according to his own perception and in his own way—the topic. After the speeches of Phaedrus and Pausanias, which are known only from Plato’s dialogues, follow the physician Eryximachus, the well-known comic poet Aristophanes, Agathon, and finally Socrates, whose speech constitutes the culmination of the discussion.

Socrates declares that he does not know at all what love is and will say what Diotima told him, a wise priestess and prophetess from Mantineia, with whom he once discussed love.

Excerpt from PLATO, “SYMPOSIUM” (202e-204c):

Diotima: “….for certainly the whole race of spirits [202e] is intermediate between gods and mortals.”

Socrates: “And what is their power?” I said.

Diotima: “To interpret and convey messages from humans to the gods and from the gods to humans, the prayers and sacrifices of the former, and the commands and rewards for sacrifices from the latter; and, being in the middle between gods and humans, they fill the gap between them, so that the universe attains its coherence.”

It is the channel through which all divination is conveyed, and the priestly art, which concerns sacrifices and initiations [203a] and incantations and every form of prophecy and sorcery. “and the charms, and all prophecy and sorcery.”

God does not mingle directly with man, but through the mediation of spirits all communication and dialogue between gods and humans takes place, both when they are awake and asleep; “for God mingles not with man; but through this is all the intercourse and converse of God with man, whether they be awake or asleep;” and the man who is wise in these dealings is “spiritual,” while he who is wise in other matters relating to crafts or manual labors is “worldly.” The spirits we speak of are many and of all kinds……. One of them is also Love.”

Socrates: “Who is his father and who his mother?”

Diotima: “That requires more time to narrate. But I will tell you. When Aphrodite was born, the gods held a feast, and among the guests was Poros (Plenty), the son of Metis. Metis, daughter, according to myth, of Oceanus and Tethys and first wife of Zeus, is the personification of practical wisdom. After they had eaten and drunk, Poros became drunk on nectar and, dizzy from the drink, entered the garden of Zeus and fell asleep. Then Penia (Poverty) arrived begging from the rich and abundant feast, who symbolized deprivation and lack and was ignorant. The latter seeks to cover her need, and Poros is the one who will fill the void. The meeting of these two worlds will create love. Because of his maternal origin, Love is poor and not at all tender or beautiful, but homeless, rough, and lean. He sleeps without bedding, before strangers’ doors, under the stars. Whatever he acquires always slips through his hands. From his father he inherited the quality of a hunter. He hunts the beautiful and the noble, always devising new tricks, passionate for knowledge, inventive and daring, forever philosophizing.

Love is neither a god nor a mortal, but something intermediate. This intermediate is the “Daimon” and expresses man’s yearning for the eternal possession of the beautiful. In ancient Greece, a daimon was that which interpreted and conveyed messages from humans to the gods and from the gods to humans, as there was no direct contact between them. Petitions and sacrifices from one side, commands and favors from the other, were transmitted through the daimons. The daimonic beings moved between the mortal and the immortal. Love, within the same day, one moment when all goes well for him, thrives and is full of vigor, and the next he bids farewell to life. Yet again he is revived thanks to his immortal paternal nature.

He is between wisdom and ignorance as the child of a wise and an ignorant parent,. None of the gods philosophizes nor desires to become wise, since he is wise. For who else philosophizes, being wise? However strange it may seem, the wise and the ignorant do not philosophize. The ignorant do not philosophize nor desire to become wise, for ignorance holds them captive and they believe it sufficient not to be good and virtuous and prudent. He who has no consciousness of his poverty does not desire what he thinks he does not need. Only those who are between these two categories philosophize, and one of them is Love. Wisdom is one of the most beautiful things, and Love is related to beauty. Love, therefore, is a philosopher, but he is somewhere in the middle between the wise and the ignorant, because he is descended from a wise and wealthy father and from a mother who is not wise and is poor.

This is the nature of the divinity. Love is something intermediate between mortal and immortal. Every divinity is between gods and mortals. And it has the power to interpret and translate human things to the gods and divine things to humans. God does not come into direct contact with man, but through his mediation contact and dialogue as a whole between god and humans is exercised, whether they are awake or asleep.

These divinities are many and one of them is Love.”

SOURCES

• “Anthology of Ancient Greek Literature”, CENTRE FOR THE GREEK LANGUAGE, ATHENS 2012
• “History of Ancient Times”, Alexis Totsikas et al., Gutenberg publications, Athens 2006
• “Philosophy in Europe”. Chrysanthos Tassis, Hellenic Open University 2014.
• Wikipedia
• Plato, Symposium, trans. I. Sykoutris, Athens, Academy of Athens and Estia 1970, 2002, 201d – 212c.

“Socrates and a student of his conversing with Diotima”. Work by Franz Caucing of the 19th century.

AGNODIKI

Agnodiki was a real historical figure from 3rd century BC Athens.

Most historical information about her comes from the later Roman writer Hyginus Gaius Julius, who served as Director of the Palatine Library in Alexandria.

Agnodiki essentially became the first feminist of her era, planting the first seeds of gender equality.

She is recorded as the first woman in global history to officially practice the profession of midwife-physician.

Until her time, state laws prohibited both slaves and especially women from practicing medicine, with violations punishable by death.

Due to these prohibitive laws, many women felt ashamed to call male physicians even during childbirth, resulting in high mortality rates among women.

Agnodiki, recognizing this problem, decided to study medicine specializing in gynecology.

Disguised as a man, she presented herself as a young student and studied medicine under the famous ancient physician-anatomist Herophilus of Chalkidon (355-280 BC), where she trained in medicine with specialization in gynecology, achieving remarkable success.

Herophilus of Chalkidon was a physician, surgeon, and anatomist – the first to officially perform dissections and describe human internal organs. He managed to describe the brain and its neurons, developing the theory that the brain was the center of mental functions and cognition.

Studying under Herophilus, Agnodiki excelled as an exceptional physician-gynecologist.

Upon returning to Athens, she immediately gained recognition for her medical knowledge and consistency, with everyone speaking of the young practitioner excelling in midwifery and gynecology.

What stood out, beyond her knowledge, were the “young physician’s” delicate fingers and strangely sweet facial features.

To reassure women, she would sometimes disclose her true gender to help them feel more comfortable and trusting.

Her secret remained undisclosed.

She became so busy that her popularity became noticeable.

Her male colleagues, unaware they were competing against a woman, sought ways to eliminate this young doctor. They began publicly accusing him of having inappropriate relationships with female patients.
The slander intensified until she was arrested and brought to trial at the Areopagus.

There, Agnodiki decided to reveal her true identity in self-defense.

Her accusers erupted and demanded her immediate death sentence.

Then all the women she had treated came to her defense, many being wives of city officials.

With no other serious charges against her, the judges were forced to acquit her due to public outrage over the predetermined unfair trial.

This followed by a second, more serious trial concerning the illegality of women practicing medicine.

With strong defenders – again mainly officials’ wives – Agnodiki not only secured her complete acquittal (which may historically explain the origin of her name meaning “unknown justice”), but also achieved legal reforms allowing women of ancient Athens to study and practice medicine thereafter.

Agnodiki of Athens was the first female obstetrician-gynecologist.

SOURCES
1. “Agnodiki” by Spyros K. Zervos, Traveller Publications, Athens 2008
2. http://www.mixanitouxronou.gr
3. WIKIPEDIA 

EKATI

A powerful deity of ancient Greek religion and mythology, child of the Titans Perses and Asteria.

HIsiodos in his Theogony states that Ekati  ruled over earth, sky, and sea during the Titan era before Zeus appeared. She participated in the Gigantomachy on the side of the Olympian gods, wielding torches as her weapon.

For this reason, as Hesiod notes, Zeus did not revoke the privileges granted to her by the Titans.

She is typically depicted holding two torches or a key, often in triple form (trimorph). The key symbolizes both “locking the doors” against dangers and “unlocking” positive influences.

Her sacred animal is the dog, and her sacred trees include the oak, hazel, black poplar (whose bicolor leaves symbolize her dual connection to the world of the living and the dead), and cypress.

Her worship is said to have been particularly popular in Thrace. There she was honored as the feminine counterpart of the god Hermes, protector of household doors, city gates, temple portals, and passageways.

Hekate was considered the goddess of magical arts in the underworld and has special connections with the Unspeakable, the Unuttered World of the Dead.

By the epithet Prothyraia (“Before the Gate”), she is worshipped as the goddess standing before mortal homes and at crossroads, much like Hermes. Simple pillars called Ekataia marked these sites, invoking her as the guardian of boundaries. For this reason, three-headed statues of her were placed at crossroads – prime locations for magical practices.

As a guardian deity, she was worshipped in Athenian households for ensuring family prosperity.

Ekati aids warriors in battle, kings in dispensing justice, brings honor to athletic competitions, supports hunters and fishermen, and together with Hermes protects livestock.

She appears in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter where she assisted the goddess in searching for her daughter Persephone. Her torches illuminated Persephone’s path when ascending to the upper world. After mother and daughter reunite, Ekati remains in the hymn as Persephone’s permanent companion and protector.

She also accompanied Orpheus to the underworld to retrieve his wife Eurydiki.

Aeschylus connects her with the Moon and presents her as Artemis- Ekati. Euripides considers her daughter of Leto, and first portrays her in Medea as the patron goddess of witches.

Later periods emphasized her chthonic nature and magical attributes. Her presence became associated with household purification rituals and wrath-offerings used to banish evil spirits from homes. Spaces before temple, city, or household gates were dedicated to Hekate.

In Athens, Ekati  had a sanctuary at the start of the Sacred Way and was honored in many household cults as the protector of household prosperity and good fortune, bearing the title “Kallisti” (“Most Beautiful”). An annual festival celebrated her honor.

A temple of Ekati existed at the entrance of Miletus (5th c. BCE) with special musical troupes and two altars. Her worship connected with that of Apollo at Didima via a procession starting from Miletus to the sanctuary and oracle of Didimon.

Records show Ekati was honored throughout Greece including Aegina, Eleusis, and elsewhere.

Notably, asteroid 100 Ekati (discovered 1868) bears her divine name.

SOURCES

• • Demetra Metta, “Forms and Themes of Ancient Greek Mythology”, https://www.greek-language.gr
  • Vlassis Rassias (2015), “THE GODDESS  EKATI”
  • Wikipedia
  • https://www.lus.gr/elliniki-mythologia 

ESTIA

Estia, the eldest daughter of the goddess Rhea and Cronus, sister of Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Demeter.

According to Greek mythology, Estia is the goddess of the hearth, domestic life, and family. Altars to her existed in every home, and she always received the first offering. At the center of the home stood the hearth, the altar where fire burned in honor of the goddess. This was the living flame that burned continually in every home, every temple, in the city center, and was always kindled from the eternal light of the undying sun!

This light symbolized the protection of the home and the protection of the family. Estia was considered the protector of the family and domestic life. She was just and benevolent, and her primary concern was safeguarding familial peace and unity. She protected marriage.

It is said that stia helped Zeus defeat the Giants to claim his rule over the heavens. Zeus, acknowledging her contribution, proclaimed her an Olympian goddess. He also granted her the right to be honored in all temples of the gods and to be active everywhere in the world.

Pindar mentions that her first place of worship was the island of Tenedos.

In Delphi, the altar of Estia with its sacred fire was considered the sacred altar, the common hearth of all Greece, and from there the fire of all temples was kindled.

Being present in all temples, she is associated with all rituals and mysteries.

Her archetype is characterized by the main common elements of these rituals. Introversion, self-exploration, introspection, meditation, and insight – all elements leading to the desired wholeness in spiritual rituals – are features defining Estia’s archetype.

The ancient mystics attributed to Estia the protection of their “inner” hearth. The symbolic fire of Estia illuminates the inner world of humans. The inner quest was protected by the goddess. The unquenchable light of the soul, heart, and mind was the power the goddess gave for safeguarding human coexistence in the family, society, humanity, and the cosmos! This stems from the rights Zeus granted her – to be present and powerful everywhere.

This inner light gives spiritual fullness, a sense of inner peace and stillness. It is the free will leading to an independent spirit with emotional balance.

It is the light that creates spiritually complete individuals.

This archetype of the primordial goddess Estia embodies characteristics that remain essential in modern Masonic spiritual cultivation.

We therefore honor goddess ESTIA as she demonstrates that Masonic Values have ancient origins and enduring power.

SOURCES

Mythology of Ancient Greece by Paul Decharme, PELEKANOS BOOKS

Ilias Oikonomopoulos, “Mythology of Ancient Greece”, “Fexis” publications, Athens, 1900

Vlasi G. Rassias, “About the Ancestral Gods”, “Anichti Poli” publications, Athens, 1992https://el.wikipedia.org/

Goddess Estia, Vlasi G. Rassias, 2008 https://www.rassias.gr/

The Archetype of Goddess Estia as a Symbol of Spirituality, Jessica Margariti, Ioannis Mardas https://art-therapy.center/