Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/62

 that showed any repugnancy, and the whole World contributed to the accomplishment of a thing, which Heaven had long since decreed. I am of opinion, Fortune had a minde to make experiment of her power, and convince man­kinde of it, by governing the affairs of the Earth in that manner, that they might observe there is no necessity of any cooperation of Man to the effecting of any thing, or that humane affairs are to be conducted by humane prudence, when her unjust power should advance to the top of all earthly honors, a person which was involved in insuperable difficulties; and (to speak in a word) to show that nothing was able to withstand her power. She pleases herself sometimes to create obstacles, which afterwards she surmounts in a moment, and passes where she pleases; and at the same time, whilest she places some upon the top of her Wheel, others are at the bottom, and thrown down by her partiality and violence.

Theodora had an excellent face, and though her person was small, yet she was exceedingly well shaped; her complexion was neither too white, nor too red; her eyes were extream quick, and she cast them a thousand ways at once.

To give a particular Narrative of all that hapned when she was upon the Stage, we should want time; but I conceive, what I have said in few words of some of her actions, is sufficient to give any one a notion of her manners and inclinations; I shall now represent what she did with