Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 5.djvu/58

 28 WORKMEN AND HEROES her taste for the Greek and Latin literature. She is said to have drawn up an epitome of history for her own use ; the Greek historians, poets, and philoso- phers were familiar to her ; she invited Longinus, one of the most elegant writers of antiquity, to her splendid court, and appointed him her secretary and minister. For her he composed his famous " Treatise on the Sublime," a work which is not only admirable for its intrinsic excellence, but most valuable as having preserved to our times many beautiful fragments of ancient poets whose works are now lost, particularly those of Sappho. The classical studies of Zenobia seem to have inspired her with some con- tempt for her Arab ancestry. She was fond of deriving her origin from the Macedonian kings of Egypt, and of reckoning Cleopatra among her progenitors. In imitation of the famous Egyptian queen, she affected great splendor in her style of living and in her attire ; and drank her wine out of cups of gold richly carved and adorned with gems. It is, however, admitted that in female dignity and discretion, as well as in beauty, she far surpassed Cleopatra. She adminis- tered the government of her empire with such admirable prudence and policy, and in particular with such strict justice toward all classes of her subjects, that she was beloved by her own people, and respected and feared by the neighboring nations. She paid great attention to the education of her three sons, habited them in the Roman purple, and brought them up in the Roman fashion. But this predilection for the Greek and Roman manners appears to have displeased and alienated the Arab tribes ; for it is remarked that after this time their fleet cavalry, inured to the deserts and unequalled as horsemen, no longer formed the strength of her army. While Gallienus and Claudius governed the Roman empire, Zenobia was al- lowed to pursue her conquests, rule her dominions, and enjoy her triumphs al- most without opposition ; but at length the fierce and active Aurelian was raised to the purple, and he was indignant that a woman should thus brave with impu= nity the offended majesty of Rome. Having subdued all his competitors in the West, he turned his arms against the Queen of the East. Zenobia, undismayed by the terrors of the Roman name, levied troops, placed herself at their head, and gave the second command to Zabdas, a brave, and hitherto successful, gen- eral. The first great battle took place near Antioch ; Zenobia was totally de- feated after an obstinate conflict ; but, not disheartened by this reverse, she re- tired upon Emessa, rallied her armies, and once more defied the Roman emperor. Being again defeated with great loss, and her army nearly dispersed, the high- spirited queen withdrew to Palmyra, collected her friends around her, strength- ened her fortifications, and declared her resolution to defend her capital and' her freedom to the last moment of her existence. Zenobia was conscious of the great difficulties which would attend the siege of a great city, well stored with provisions and naturally defended by surround- ing deserts ; these deserts were infested by clouds of Arabs, who, appearing and disappearing with the swiftness and suddenness of a whirlwind, continually har- assed her enemies. Thus defended without, and supported by a strong garrison