Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 1.djvu/382

 358 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, servile indolence imposed on her sex by the climate ' and manners of Asia ^. She claimed her descent from the Macedonian kings of Egypt, equalled in beauty her ancestor Cleopatra, and far surpassed that princess in chastity* and valour. Zenobia was esteemed the her beauty most lovely as well as the most heroic of her sex. She jngj *'^"" was of a dark complexion, (for in speaking of a lady, these trifles become important.) Her teeth were of a pearly whiteness; and her large black eyes sparkled with uncommon fire, tempered by the most attractive sweetness. Her voice was strong and harmonious. Her manly understanding was strengthened and adorned by study. She was not ignorant of the Latin tongue, but possessed in equal perfection the Greek, the Syriac, and the Egyptian languages. She had drawn up for her own use an epitome of oriental history, and famili- arly compared the beauties of Homer and Plato under the tuition of the sublime Longinus. her valour. This accomplished woman gave her hand to Odena- thus, who from a private station raised himself to the dominion of the east. She soon became the friend and companion of a hero. In the intervals of war, Odena- thus passionately delighted in the exercise of hunting ; he pursued with ardour the wild beasts of the desert, lions, panthers, and bears ; and the ardour of Zenobia in that dangerous amusement was not inferior to his own. She had enured her constitution to fatigue, dis- dained the use of a covered carriage, generally ap- peared on horseback in a military habit, and sometimes marched several miles on foot at the head of the troops. The success of Odenathus was in a great measure as- cribed to her incomparable prudence and fortitude. Their splendid victories over the great king, whom they twice pursued as far as the gates of Ctesiphon, h Almost every thing that is said of the manners of Odenathus and Ze- nobia is taken from their lives in the Augustan History, by Trebellius Pollio : see p. 192. 198. • She never admitted her husband's embraces but for the sake of posterity. If her hopes were baffled, in the ensuing month she reiterated the experi- ment.