Excerpt:
The following works have been taken from the two-volume set of Letters; Essays and Hymns of Synesius translated by A. Fitzgerald. They were published by Oxford University Press in 1926 and 1930.
Synesius was a close friend to Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria. Theophilus was the uncle and predecessor of St. Cyril of Alexandria. He was also a student under the Platonist, Hypatia of Alexandria, whom we know was recognized to have a great intellect and ability at philosophy.