Chapter 21

Five for Breakfast

As we walked through those dark, quiet streets, I realized that what Punky had told me would happen was already happening. But I didn’t know what it was all about; and I didn’t know how long I’d be here. Many thoughts slid through my mind as I walked beside Yarrl.

From my study of ancient maps I could tell we were in the Rhakotis district. Built in third century BC, the streets were empty except for a couple of dogs who followed their own inclinations. I stopped thinking and let the cool evening air clear my mind as we walked.

Since there were no photos of the Serapeum Temple-Library complex, nor much description in the histories I’d read, I was surprised when I saw how big it was. It covered a whole, long block; with wide streets and walkways on all four sides. There was a large fountain at each front corner, maybe popular gathering places.

We came to the temple first. Granite stairways and Greek Doric columns contrasted with an ornate entrance, where a monumental figure of Serapis stood above the door, its gold-plated surface revealed by the moonlight. A Graeco-Egyptian god, Serapis was created in third century BC, by the self-declared Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter, a Greek who had served as a general under Alexander the Great. He’d invented this god to help the Egyptians and Greeks get along and feel connected. He had also built the original Great Library of Alexandria and turned Egypt into a showplace for the Hellenistic way of life. All that lasted until the Romans took over.

In the same building, beside the temple, was the current Library which was sometimes called the Daughter Library. Before the entrance a just-over-life-size bronze of Plato rested on a pedestal. He sat on a stool, his face thoughtful as he held out a scroll to be studied. Behind him a wide staircase led to an ornate front entrance with four Corinthian columns on each side.

“We’ll go around to the door for residents.” Yarrl said. “There’s so much to take care of in the temple and library that some of the staff have to live in. We can look around in the morning.”

On the side street, a stairway against the building went about a fourth of the way up the wall, maybe to the second floor. Once inside we went up one more flight of stairs and Yarrl showed me to a sleeping room, small and plain. Opposite the door, a window looked out over the street; along the left wall was a cot with woven rope that supported a thin mattress. On the other side was an alcove with a small table and chair. Tired and well-fed, I had no trouble falling asleep.

Only a few hours later, I was awakened by sounds from the street as women and children came to the public fountain to begin their day. A bowl of water had been left on the table while I slept; so I washed up, dressed and soon heard a knock on the door.

“Are you ready for breakfast?” Yarrl sounded wide awake.

“I am.” I opened the door and joined him.

“I thought you’d be up early.” Yarrl smiled. “Would you like to explore a bit before breakfast?”

“I’d like nothing better.” As we walked about, we saw so many different areas and activities the complex almost felt like a tiny city.

Living quarters for many of the temple and library workers, as well as servants and custodial personnel, were on the level of my room and above. The second floor had offices of all sorts and we also walked through large open multi-use areas for use by both Library and Temple. Along the back side of the building were service areas for kitchens and food storage plus compartments for elaborate robes and religious artifacts.

The main place of worship for the cult of Serapis was at the other end of the building from my room. The library was below my room. The temple and library each took up half of the front of this huge building. Inside, the spacious complex was decorated with intricate friezes and floors with geometric mosaic patterns in marble. We took elegant stairways up and down, peeked into a few assembly halls; saw a beautiful granite colonnade with carved and painted entablature; and took a few minutes to check out the Library. Although not as large or as famous as the original Great Library, it was magical to see and walk in this hallowed space.

There were also classrooms for Alexandria University; subjects taught included medicine, rhetoric and natural philosophy, plus mathematics and sciences. It was a great center of learning where the best minds of the Empire taught Alexandria’s elite plus gifted students who came from all over the known world. It was a gathering place for people of different cultures, religions, races and ideologies; where philosophers and librarians shared their knowledge and views with each other and the students.

When we arrived at the dining hall, two of my favorite people in all of history were already seated: Hypatia, a mathematician, astronomer, philosopher and head of the Library; and her father, Theon, also a mathematician and the prime administrator of Alexandria University. They looked up as we came in.

“Here is Artemus, I met him last night.” Yarrl spoke first. “On my way to Horse Head, he showed up to help me deal with a couple of Cyril’s monks.” As they didn’t appear to be alarmed by that news, I decided they must know he can well take care of himself.

“Welcome, Artemus.” They spoke together.

“Sit down over here,” Hypatia waved me toward the bench, as food was brought to the table. There was a good-sized platter of small whole wheat pancakes with dates and oranges, plus small bowls of honey, a bottle of wine and five small shallow plates and drinking cups.

As Yarrl and I sat down, Christian Bishop Synesius of Cyrene arrived. I’d read that he was one of Hypatia’s students and they had remained good friends. It was also known that his thinking leaned toward Gnosticism and Neoplatonism.

Everyone joked and laughed, like a family catching up with each other. I wondered if they often began the day this way.

“Orestes got back from Rome yesterday.” Synesius now sounded serious. “He told me there’s been a new kind of threat to the Emperor’s control of the Empire.

“Not long ago, a Jewish temple in Milan was destroyed by a group of fundamentalist Christians at the direction of Milan’s Bishop Ambrose. When the Emperor announced that state funds would be used to rebuild the temple, Ambrose gave the Emperor an ultimatum: ‘If you choose to rebuild that temple, you and your family will be excommunicated from the Church.’ ’’

I could tell it was hard for Synesius to deliver that information; he knew what it meant and so did the others. Theon and Hypatia seemed to be in shock as they realized the same kind of threat could be made in Alexandria. Roman government administrators or library and university officials would have no recourse. Church officials in this city would relish any opportunity to deliver such a threat as that or worse.

“We have lately been threatened,” Theon replied. “Last week, black-robed monks came into the library’s main front hall and burned the circulation copy of the complete works of Eratosthenes in front of several terrified people; and all the while they chanted that those scrolls were heretical because he proved the world was round using calculations from the sacred mathematics of geometry and trigonometry.

“It just doesn’t make any sense for the Church to deny that scientists know things, know truths.” Theon’s voice had risen in anguish and I could tell he was beyond upset. He took a moment to calm himself before he continued.

“Our scribes will have a new copy of his brilliant conclusions finished soon for circulation. The monks will be punished. They might receive death sentences because they destroyed property that belongs to the Empire.” His voice was low, dispirited. “I can’t comprehend why some people refuse to understand that spiritual knowledge and scientific knowledge are both legitimate, true and valuable.”

“These violent acts are so terrible, I’m heartbroken.” Hypatia spoke quietly to Theon and went on to remind him they must continue to move forward. “You know we can’t stop them; just as we can’t prevent the loss of our Roman guards as they’re reassigned to fight on the Empire’s northern border.

“We can wait no longer.” Her voice grew stronger. “We must put our plan for the future in motion because there will never be enough guards; and it will soon be impossible to prevent any acts of destruction instigated by Cyril and the Church.

“Our plans for the future are good, and they’re already under way.” She turned to her father with a brief smile of encouragement.

“I know you’re right.” Theon’s words were slow, without energy. “But we must never underestimate Bishop Cyril’s plans and plots. He’s intelligent, resourceful, determined; and now he’ll be emboldened after Bishop Ambrose got his way.

“Isn’t it ironic that Cyril attended university here, but doesn’t seem to retain any of the balanced, thoughtful education he received?”

“Yes, Father, so many things have been turned on their heads that it’s hard for me to give you more bad news,” Hypatia answered, a tremble in her voice as she continued. “Orestes told me yesterday he may no longer be able to provide protection for the Library when Cyril’s monks attack; so we are on our own. He’s also received word from an official in Constantinople that several more Empire libraries have been burned by the Church.”

We were a somber group as we left the breakfast table. Yarrl went to check in with someone at the university to help finish up a project he’d taken part in. I spent some time exploring the library which was well-appointed and filled with irreplaceable treasures. I also thought the recent threats and troubles were a very bad sign.

Sunshine and shadows fell across my face as I walked down a beautiful staircase and wondered if any others from my own time had come to this ancient place when fear and mayhem seemed to be the rule.

 NEXT.....Chapter 22
My Visit with Hypatia