Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-12-24
The ADDle,
HISTORICAL ANECDOTES.

The apple, with its various hues-Tuddy, |
golden and russet-form a handsome group,
accompanied by its oblong relatives the
mottled pear and the tawny ounce. The
apple is unfortunate in having acquired the
reputation of mischief making fruit ever
since the degradation Of "aple" has been
applied to the fruit of i'll omen eaten by Eve. |
The reader will remember the trite exam
Piles in the classic mythology of the apple of
discord, the golden apples which caused the
swift footed Atolanta TO lose her lategul race
and the apple of Acontius which brought so
much sickness and suffering to Cydippe, and
is immortalzed in Ovid's Heroic Epislles In
latter times, an apple was, indeed a fruit of
discord to the imperial family of Byzantium.
TheOdosidus the younger Emperor of the
East, in the fifth century, had married the
beautiful, accomplished, and celebrated Eu-
doxia, (called Athenas before her conversa-
ton to Christianity and for many years he
entertained the very strongest affection for
her. There came to the court of Constan-
tinople, Paulinus, a philosopher who was
highly esteemed for his learning by Eudoxia
One day she unregardingly bestowed on him,
as a mark of friendship, remarkable fine
apple with which she had been presented by
Theodosidus. Pauinus ignorant of these
circumstances, carried the apple respectable
offering to the Emperor. The latter recog
nizing the fruit, and conceiving jealous sus-
picion, went to the Empress, and, in stern
tone, demanded what she had done with his
gift. Eudoxia disconcerned by his manner,
was unhappy tempted to an untrulh. and
replied she had eaten It. The Emperor con-
frmed in his suspicious, produced the apple
convicted her of fasehood, taxed her with
infdelity, and banished her from Constan in
ople forever. She retired to Palestine, where
she died, after enduring eleven years of hu-
initiation and exile. The unfoltunal Paulin-
us was put to death by the orders of Theo-
dosius Thus was an apple fatal TO the peace
of the powerful, the b, autiful and the wise
The reader will be interested by comPair;; ir;rgg <
this historical anecdote with the strikingy
similar story of the Three Apples in the
Arabian Nights. The Byzantine historians
furnish us with trait resembling the classic
Judgment Of Paris, in which the prize in a
competition for superior beauty, was a golden
apple.-Theophil Emperor of the East in
the ninth century, desirous of choosing the
most beautiful woman in his dominions for
his wife published a manifesto requiring all
the unmarried females who were remarkable
for their cha ms 10 repair to Constantinope,
and assemble In his presence on an appointed
day, when he would distinguish the object OF
his choice by giving her an apple OF gold
, Great numbers appeared and presented such
a galaxy OF beauties, that Theophilus was
; perplexed and walked to and fro, undecided,
, among the anxious competitors for throne
&, | At inntTtb ha cIonnn1 kaE,ra IcaSin
girl of high rank and exceeding loneliness,
and his eyes seemed to say they would seek
; no further "Truly," said be- as gnzed ad-
mrlngly, "women are dangerous beings; they
often do a great deal of mischief Icasia
thought it incumbent on her to reply; Yes
sir, but in recompense they sometimes do a
great deal OF good. The Emperor was dis
pleased be thought modest silence at such
a moment would have b en- more becoming
han an attempt AT repartee He turned fiom
lcasia, aud the golden prize he had been ON
the point of presenting 10 her, he gave to
, Theodore. Icasia buried her modification in
a cloister, where she amused her leisure by
writing several works of merit; and was in
the end, more happy than her successful rival.
Theodore and Theophilus differed in religion
, the Empress was Roman Catholic, the
Emperor an Inconolast, or image breaker; he
was man Of ferocious temper. and there
was no union of soul between them After
, a troubled reign of twelve years, Theophilus
: died leaving the widow to contend with the
wickedness OF her son. the young Emperor
5 Michael, a monster Of depravity, who soon
; deposed Theodore from hcr rank, and inn
prsoned her and her daughters for life in a
convent, where probably, the sailing Empress
remembered Icasa with envy. and mourned
) that she herself had ever received the un-
fortunate prize of the golden apple. I'm re.
+ Vanche for its mschie's, the apple has some
times led to good, as in the instance of VIM.
I Tell, when it was the remote cause Of the
5 liberation Of Swi zerland; and in the instance
of Sir Isaac Newton, who was led to discover
F! the laws of grayitalon by an apple falling Oh
his head.
q In the scandinavian mythology, the Goodies.
ldna, kept in box a kind If apple O
j. which the gods ate when growing old and
renewed their Immortality. LOk, the evi