Hermias (philosopher)
Hermeias ( Hermia ), of Alexandria was a late ancient Greek philosopher ( Neoplatonist ). He lived in the 5th century.
Life
About the origin of the Hermeias is only known that he came from Alexandria. He studied in Athens at the Neo-Platonic school of philosophy, a successor organization of the Platonic Academy. Among his fellow students of the later famous philosopher Proclus belonged. The school was then headed by Syrianos, who died around 437. Hermias married Aidesia, a relative of the Syrianos, which was praised for her philanthropic generosity. With her he had two sons, Ammonius and Heliodorus. He returned to Alexandria, where he spent most of the rest of his life as a teacher of philosophy. After his death his widow went with his sons to Athens; Ammonius and Heliodorus studied with Proclus. Ammonius was later an influential teacher of philosophy and Aristotle commentator in Alexandria, Heliodorus worked as an astronomer.
The philosopher Damascius reported Hermeias have distinguished themselves through unparalleled diligence, but was not particularly sharp and have orally presented objections can not refute convincingly. Moreover told Damascius, Hermias was so conscientious that he is more than the asking price paid for a book if he thought the seller had offered it to cheap out of ignorance.
Comment on Plato's Phaedrus
Only a work of Hermias, his commentary on Plato's dialogue Phaedrus, has remained famous and preserved. Partly because of Damascius ' assessment of the capabilities of the Hermeias research is mainly from the fact that he is telling hardly own views; rather it were a record from the lessons of his teacher Syrianos, which thus only reflects the Phaedrus comments feature. However, in some cases also the view is taken that the dependence of Syrianos was lower than is traditionally assumed. The comment is greatly influenced by the method of interpretation of Iamblichus of Chalcis, particularly with regard to the desire to show metaphysical backgrounds. The decision between allegorical and literal interpretation of a passage is made dependent on the balancing of the circumstances. Hermeias stresses - a demand of Plato in the Phaedrus ( 264c2ff. ) Following what each font as a living being must be designed consistent - that the dialogue on a single goal ( Skopós ) was designed, which, therefore, for the interpretation of all relevant must be consideration. This dominant theme was "the Beautiful in every sense ." Here, Hermeias refers to Iamblichus. Socrates is represented as an ambassador from a divine world, who wanted to redeem the souls of men hang down; Homer and Orpheus appear as divinely inspired poets and thus also as a theological authority (despite the sharp criticism Homer Plato ); they are counted among the " theologians ".
Reception
The oldest manuscript dates from the 13th century; of her seems to depend on the entire subsequent tradition. In the late 15th century, the humanist Marsilio Ficino translated the Phaedrus commentary into Latin. He kept his influence in terms of the doctrine of inspiration species, but otherwise shows little close to Hermeias.
Editions and translations
- Carlo M. Lucarini, Claudio Moreschini (ed.): Hermias of Alexandria: In Platonis Phaedrum scholia ( = Bibliotheca Teubneriana 2010). De Gruyter, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-11-020115-4 ( critical edition )
- Hildegund Bernard ( ed.): Hermias of Alexandria: Comment on Plato's " Phaedrus ". Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 1997, ISBN 3-16-146803-1 ( translation )