Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/686

 RUTH. , widow of Mahlon, an Israelite, and one of the ancestors of our Saviour, lived, probably, in the days of Gideon. Being left a widow, she accompanied her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Judca, where she married Boaz, a wealthy Hebrew and a near relative of her late husband—and became the ancestress of David and of our Saviour. Her name signifies "full, or satisfied."

Her story, told at length in the eighth book of the Old Testament, is one of the most interesting in the Bible. Poetry and painting have exhausted their arts to illustrate her beautiful character; yet to the truthful simplicity of the inspired historian, the name of Ruth still owes its sweetest associations. Her example shows what woman can do, if she is true to the best impulses of her nature, and faithfully works in her mission, and waits the appointed time.

RUTILIA, lady, sister of that Pub. Rutilius who suffered his unjust banishment with so much fortitude, was the wife of Marcus Aurelius Cotta; and had a son, who was a man of great merit, whom she tenderly loved, but whose death she bore with resignation.

Seneca, during his exile, wrote to his mother and exhorted her to imitate Rutilia, who, he says, followed her son Cotta into banishment; nor did she return to her country till her son came with her. Yet she bore his death, after his return, with equal courage, for she followed him to his burial without shedding a tear. She lived about B.C. 120.

RUTSCH, RACHEL, artist, was born at Amsterdam, in 1664. She excelled in painting flowers and fruits. She died in 1750.

RYVES, ELIZA, Irish lady, known for her literary abilities. Having lost her property by a lawsuit, she subsisted by the labours of her pen. She wrote the "Hermit of Snowden," a novel; besides some translations from the French, and frequent contributions to the annual registers. She died in London, in 1797,

SABINA, JULIA, and heiress of Trajan, and wife of Adrian, Emperor of Rome, is celebrated for her private as well as her public virtues Adrian had married Sabina chiefly through the favour of the Empress Plotina; he never loved her, and treated her with the greatest asperity; and the empress was so irritated by his unkindness, that she boasted in his presence that she had disdained to make him a father, lest his children should be more odious and tyrannical than he himself was. The behaviour of Sabina at last so exasperated Adrian, that he poisoned her, or, according to some, obliged her to destroy herself. Divine honours were paid to her memory. She died about 138, after she had been married to Adrian thirty-eight years. It is difficult to assign any motive less unworthy than