Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-07-09
ROMANCE OF ANCIENT HISTORY
A STORY OF ATHENA1s'
(CoNCLUDED.)

rbo Eastern Empire was, at that Time, TT :
lor tho dominion Of Pulcheria, daugh- nloJ
~ Arcadius,a and grand daughter OF l II
80 tho Great. She was invested with
sovereign power, uulino Tbaodoo;rs des'
her brother, the youn90 nna,,d sn;rit. she
Though possessing a high. PROUD sPilo, :
= was renowned for the justice and DC Grill
violence of her character, ana Atnehalo onl
II as She reflected upon what she was i'm.
lo,t 70 undertake, thatehg Empress
,0 o,vsIoned to womahlY scAderness~aRf
~ for one SO desolate and unhappy. ~
AZ soon as her design was formed, she fo
roceeded to put it in execution. ohe lol S,
escaped without arouslng sus- :
Dicion, and, with no companion but 4er az al
Lendant, proceeded on her journey lhuud d
and without obstacle sne reacncg Ii
The nalace. Then. and not till then, u,u n
she pause and hesitate, and think fearIuly I
mon the ordeal she was about to ENDURE; /
She had been reared in the simplest anu :
nla;nest manner. She was totally unsc-
puainted with the forms and rules ol
court, and dreade@t to pass those iol:y Po
tails that seemed 1owningly to 1orOlu III
et aQpSSast OF ~
hertothetask. Without ific Guilty She gained
admittancc, and ere long was ushered into
the presence of the Empress. Nothing
could afford a better illustration of the in
dustry and simplicity of the females of that
day, than the sight which met the eye of
Athenais, as she entered the stately apart
ment. A group of maidens were seated
round the room, all engaged on works of
embroidery, and in their midst, portioning
out their respective tasks, and occupying
herself, from time to time, with the same
feminine employment, was the Empress Of
the East, the proud, ambitious woman, who,
at the age Of sixteen, received the ~loftyti-
tie of Augusta, and welded the sceptre
with some of the wisdom, and much Of the
spirit that characterized her illustrious pro-
genitor, Theodosius the Great.
As soon as Athenais beheld the beneyo-
lent features of the Empress, her fears
were dispelled, and advancing with grace
full ease, she knelt at her feet. In the
kindest manner Pulcheria raised the mai
den, and babe her make known her wishes.
That she might attract less observation,
Athenais had arrayed her form in a plain
and humble garb-her eyes were dimmed
with tears-her features wore the languor
of WEAKNESS and the gloom of anxiety, vet
despite these disadvantages, her beauty
shone conspicuous and charmed the eyes
ofall beholders. With a low but firm voice,
she said:
"1llustrious Sovereign, you see before
you, one in the character Of suppliant, a
desolate orphan. lfone who has no inner.
itance but Sorrow-no friend but Hope.
and no shelter but Heaven, can claim your
pity, then, most gracious lady, award that
pity to me. Driven by unnatural kindred
from an unhappy home, and flying from
the prosecutions ofsone who would force
me into a union whose ties are more fear
ful than death, I come to plead, with voic,
and heart, for the boon of your favor AM
protection. Lam an humble maiden-born
reared, and educated ii retirement. l know
not the language of court, and if my free
dom of expression offend your ear, [ pra,
your Majesty's pardon listen, oh deigr
to listen kindly to my appeal. I know nc
what words to use, but l feel that the vote
of Pity in your bosom will plead eloquent
ly in my behalf. [ am poor and mi;
> cradle, but beneath my humble garb beat
a heart filed with loyal and generous enc
, tons. Grant me the boon | ask, oh Soy
? ereign, and the service, the devotion, l ha
8 almost said worship of that heart, shall
yours. Shield me with youl gracious pov
CT, from the loneliness and sorrow that o.
press my spirit, and life will be too short
: pay the debt Of gratitude [ shall thus il
y cur"
The voice, the words, the manner of /
:, thenais, all had a powerful effect over tt
q Empress. She Immediately soothed tt
. suppliant with words Of kindness, and ga,
d her many assurances of favor and prote
ton. She ministercd to her wants, al
sought by every gentle means to make h
forget the ills which she endured. Eve
passing moment added to the interest S
had awakened in the breast Of Pulcheri
and the latter at length began to indul
secret thoughts Of making her the wife
her brother.
Theodosius was at that period abe
ar twenty years of age. Although possessi
few of the illustrious qualities of his graz
father, the older Theodosius, be was a you
of v%irtuous heart and fine endowments
mind. His education had been careful
superintended by his older and more inn
rial-minded sister, Pulcheria, and she /
IS. also sc~rupulously instructed him in all t
rit graces and dignities of royalty. He v
es deeply imbued with the sublime spirit
9s- Christianity, then fast dispelling the err
he of Paganism from the world, and all
IN acts were guided and governed by its div
IL precepts. His mildness, his benevolen
70 and his piety, oaused him to be respect
ul and beloved by all who surrounded him.
of A short time after the fair suppliar
ut arrival at the palace, Pulcheria sought
1T interview with Thcodosius. In tones
ne pleasure she addressed him
be My brother, I have this day seen /;
ms conversed with a young Grecian maid
~ who is, in every respect, worthy to be
80 wife fthe future Emperor of Rome. List
zen while | describe a being such as fancy 4
ce, er pictured to your mind. Imagine a f
in of lofty stature and graceful proportiC
lch invested with all the charms of youth,
merging into the richer beauty Of won
IN hood a brow white and pure as the I'm
nis lied snowflake, around which cluster le
our of the softest texture and richest lux
ance; an eye that eloquently expresses
cry tender emotion of the soul, yet d
around such fires as flash from the noon
sun; q cheek where the first rose of spl