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angel brilliancy; and in monkish theology he recognized a striving akin in mystic contemplation to philosophy. The influence of his wife may have been felt, as well as the influence coming from the interest of such theologians as Theophilus in himself, and he was in a Christian environment. To this ten hymns testify, written before he became bishop, which, though in Neoplatonic wise, speak of God as the highest unity, the monad of monads, father and mother, center of nature. Yet in the ninth hymn, the divine Son appears as the Savior, son of the Virgin, opener of the gates of Tartarus and leader of the souls to the highest heaven. He became even more Christian in tone, developing his material without changing essentially the nucleus of his religious-philosophic view of things, until in the last hymn is the pious prayer to Christ, the physician of soul and body.

In 409 (406 or earlier?) the bishop's seat at Ptolemais became vacant, and clergy and laity called Synesius, from whose influential connections much was hoped. He consented to have the affair referred to the Patriarch Theophilus, but sent with the messenger a letter to his brother Evoptius (MPG, lxvi. 1481 sqq.) which was meant for publicity. This letter, remarkable for its contents, contained the expression of his scruples and doubts in view of the duty of the priest or bishop and the high obligations which rest upon him. Moreover, the conclusions his philosophy had forced upon him might not accord with the teachings religion might demand of himthe idea of the relation of the soul to the body, the form of the doctrine of the resurrection, as he held them, were not in the shape of the beliefs held by the multitude, for philosophy is opposed to the feelings of the vulgar. There was, too, the matter of his marriage; his wife was the gift of the law, of God, and of Theophilus, and he would not separate from her openly nor yet visit her secretly. He would regret also to give up his beloved occupations and amusements, but would do so if the call seemed imperative, and would do his best in his office. After a delay of seven months Synesius received baptism and episcopal consecration, though his letters show that his heart remained heavy and his feelings divided. His letters express humility and distrust of his powers and fitness for his duties. The year 407 brought him into conflict with Andronicus, the tyrannical prefect and direst plague of the Pentapolis, whom at first in vain he tried to turn from his cruelty. Through the withdrawal of the right of asylum by Andronicus Synesius found himself in a difficult position and as a philosopher unable to handle the affair. In the very noteworthy address (MPG, lxvi. 1384-1400) in which he told of his determination to excommunicate Andronicus, he recalled the happier earlier time when such duties did not engage him. He expressed his wish that he could be relieved of his consecration, he feared to minister unworthily in the mysteries of God; he desired, if he could not be relieved of his duties, at least to have an assistant. Before the ban was pronounced, Andronicus appeared to have repented; the publication was delayed, when the prefect fell back into his old courses and the excommunication was pronounced at the close of the year 407. The

difficulties of Synesius were increased when the tribes from the interior again fell upon the unfortunate province. At first the young and capable Anysius, whom Anthemius sent as commanding officer, was able to afford protection. But a little later a change in affairs gave the barbarians free play, and Synesius even thought of leaving his fatherland; even when, a year later, the situation improved, the dominant sadness did not leave him. Of the rest of his life nothing is known, though he does not appear to have outlived Hypatia or the episcopate of Cyril of Alexandria. (G, gRt1GER.)

BInwOGBAPHY: The " Works " of Synesius were edited by A. Turnebus, Paris, 1553 (incomplete), and by D. Petavius, ib. 1612; substantially the latter text was taken into MPL, Ixvi. 1021-1756; the " Letters " have been published by R. Hercher in Episto: ogrophi Grceci, pp. 638739, Paris, 1873, and a critical edition is expected from W. Fritz, who has made preliminary studies on the subject (see below); of the " Hymns " the first edition was by Canterus, Basel, 1567, while others are by J. F. Boissonade, in Sylloge poetarum Grocarum, Vol. xv., Paris, 1825; W. Christ and M.. Paranikas, in Anthologia Graeca carminum Christiauorum, Leipsic, 1871, and J. Flach, Tiibingen, 1875.

On the life consult: DCB, iv. 756-780 (elaborate, with many illuminative extracts from the works); Clausen, De Synesio philosopho, Copenhagen, 1831; B. Kolbe, Der Bischof Synesius von Cyrene als Physiker and Astronom, Berlin, 1850; H. V. M. Druon, Etudes sur to vie et les auvres de Synksius, hceque de Ptolemais, Paris, 1859; F. X. Kraus, in TQS, xlvii (1865), 391-448, xlviii (1866), 85-129; R. Volkmann, Synesius von Cyrene, eine biographische Charakteristik, Berlin, 1869; G. A. Sievers, Studien our Geschichte der rdmischen Kaiser, pp. 371-418; ib. 1870; E. R. Schneider, De vita Synesii, Grimma, 1876, E. Gaiser, Des Synesius von Cyrene agyptische Erzahlungen, Wolffenbiittel, 1886; A. Gardner, Synesius ofCyrene, London, 1886; G. Barner, Comparantur inter se de regentium hominum virtulibus auctorm, pp. 47-62, Marburg, 1889; 0. Seeck, in Philologus, Iii (1893), 442-483; 0· Bardenhewer, Patrologie, pp. 314-316, Freiburg, 1901, Eng. transl., St. Louis, 1908; W. S. Crawford, Synesius the Hellene, London, 1901; H. Koch, in Historisches Jahrbuch der Gorresgemllschoft, xxviii (1902), 751-774; A. J. Kleffner, Synesius von Cyrene, der Philosoph and Dichter, Paderborn, 1901.

On the works consult: J. C. Thilo, Commentarii in Synesii hymnos, Halle, 1842-43; F. Reess, Der g'r'iechische Hymnendichter Synesius von Cyrene mit einipen Ueberadzungeversuchen, Constance, 1848; J. N. Huber, Philosophie der Kirchenvdter, pp. 315-321, Munich, 1859; W. Fritz, Die Briefe des Bisehofs Synesius von Kyrene, Leipsic, 1898; idem, in AMA, 1905, 329-398; idem, in Byzontinische Zeitschrift, xiv (1905), 75-86; C. Velley, Ettudes sur too hymnes de Synesius de Cyrene, Paris, 1904; A. Baumgartner, Die lateinische and griechische Litteratur der christlichen VNker, pp. 52-63, 4th ed., Freiburg, 1905; W. von Christ, Geschichte der christlichen Litteratur, pp. 947-948, 4th ed., Munich, 1905.

SYNGRAMMA SUEVICUM. See BRENz, JOHANN, 2.

SYNOD. See COUNCILS AND SYNODS; and PRESBYTERIANS, X., § 2 (6).

SYNOD OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA. See PRESBYTERIANS, VIII., 4.

SYNODAL COURTS.

Under the name of Send (from Gk. synodos, Lat. synodus), or Sendgericht, an institution grew up in Germany in the ninth century which was practically an episcopal court for the trial and punishment of misdemeanors. It developed out of the episcopal