New Orleans Republican., 1873-04-06
SEMIRAMIs.
8Y THE AUTHOR or ALBERT HASTINGS" :"

s}Y THE AUTHOR or ALBERT HASTINGS.
No historian has yet established the pre-
else age in which this wonderful and re-
uowned woman really lived. That she Is
no myth, but was queen, who wore AS
svria's crown in its most palmy days, testl-
mony ON all hands fully confirms. Outdo
iur Cleopatra in splendor and power, equal
ing if not SURPRISING the black-DroWed ser
pent of old Nile in personal attractions,
and infinitely her superior in policy and
courage, the great Assyrian woman-poten-
tate bounded Babylon with its FURNISHED
gates of brass, its magnificent temples and
terraced gardens. ornamented with flowers
Of every hue and hesperian fruits. She
built mausoleum for her husband, embel-
Iished with golden statues She traversed
her wide empire, and constructed
auueducts, built roads and csusewsys, all
distractions disappearing before her resist
less will. Claiming descent from Jupiter,
this worldly-wise but inflated sovereign
caused her name and lineage 20 be every
where inscribed on her works. But pos
terity has prying eyes, and when unVehed,
her history reveals only the triumph OF art
(that most dangerous and beguiling quality
in woman), aided by circumstance.
The inherent qualities OF her nature
were courage, unscrupulOus ambition and
: certain wise forecast. which meets com
ing difficulty. and by presence of mind and
eelfreiiaHce averts its cOnsummstion.
She subdued the Medes and Persians, the
I.ybians and Ethiopians. Three millions of
foot soldiers, and five hundred thousand
cavalry are said to have composed her army
when she advanced beyond the Indus, but
Stabrobates, the Indian King, led her on
with true Indian art, till, as she, supposed
mistress of the situation, and full OF false
confidence, was assailed by her seemingly
yanquished foe, and owed her life, after the
discontinue of a splendid army, to the fleet
ness of an Arabian cOurser.
But Minus, her son, conspired against
her. An oracle long before foretold this
denoument, and accepting its fulfllment,
she at once threw away the crown and re-
tired to obscurity. Her subjects paid divine
honors to their illustrious sovereign, and
WOrshiped her under the form of pigeon.
Semiramis was of humble origin. but en-
dowcd with wonderful beauty and per
ceptive power near akin to prescience.
Born at AskaiOn, in Syria, she lived con
:entedly with her husband, Menones. an
officer OF Minus, King of Assyrla.
At the siege of Bactria, accompanied by
her husband. she is said to have indicated
measures By which tina: city was finally
taken. \ weak point in the wall was de.
tec;ed by her. and pointed out. But its
surrender proved "A crca: misfortune 20 her
husband. since j. drew on her tho eye Of
;he old King. Minus. who prchered his
daughter. SOsanna. TO his commander IN
exchange for Semiramis. But the husband
declined, and hung himself. since no alter.
native WAS left him but that Of iavip, his
eyes pu: Cut Or yesignins lis wife. As
might be supposed. in heathen age. the
wife was easily consolei. and became one
OF the mos! noted sovereigps of the dark
sges. till suppiante! by her son. Blu. we
nave followed ;his ieatheH Queen far
enough, and can only record her end. The
son. born Of this unholv union. stripped
the crown from her brow. and IS reported
BY some historians, 20 have put his mother
T. death. Others affirm that she VOlunta-
rily abandoned the sceptre. Al all events
her history .s replete with suggestive
morality. surviving, as il does. the lapse of
ages: her memory awakens only pity and
disgust in the vIrtuOUs student o! history.
All her great works tai! 10 make her even
respectable as = woman: as sovereign.
they still fail 10 impress us with any reyer.
ence for her unserupulous ambition. and
we only esteem her as the gifted wife of
Menoues. abhorrins her as the wife Of his
murderer. She is reported. by SONS his.
torians, as contemporary with Gideon.
Judge OF Israel. and Theseus. King OF
Athens: others assign a more remote an
,;ouitv 20 the period of ne. reisn-sha: IS.
400 wears after the flood.
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