Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-08-06
TON SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADYERTIsFR-
her temples, court and camp all teemed
with q luxury unparalled.

her temples, court and camp all teemed
with luxury unparalleled.
As the centre of commerce with In
dia and China on the East, the Medi-
iterranean on the West, Africa on the
South, and the wild regions of the Cas-
plans and Black Seas on the North,
Babylon prospered Unfortunately, and
Semiramis was queen of a realm that
seemed to unite all the elements of
glory, and with that glory came also
the RIGHTEOUSNESS which for generations
made the very name of Babylon sy-
nonymous with social immortality.
And not only Babylon prospered, but
cities sprung up throughout her do
mains that became great and rich, many
of whose very names and sites have
passed from all recognition. These she
connected with highways constructed
with consummate engineering skill, and
paved to the smoothness of floors, and
thus fOstered the commerce and inter
course among her various dependencies
that made all Assyria busy, Intelligent
and aggressive. The remains of these
thoroughfares over regions now desolate
indeed, and thinly populated, are sig
nificant attestation Of the genius of the
wonderful woman who almost literally
created Qef country anew.
Her love of excitement, her thirst for
conquest and her eagerness for glory led
her at length to turn eastward, with a
vast army, reckoned at three millions of
cavalry and camels, with which to pen
citrate beyond the mighty river Indus
for the subjugation Of India. 1t was in
deed master project, that only dar-
ing will and resolute nature would have
conceived, and if Eemiramis failed it
was but another illustration that no ge.
MUS is equal to unbounded conquest
She crossed theriver, and, fighting, en-
tered the Indias, the fame of whose
riches and old civilization had penetra-
ted every quarter of the then known
world. Ali seemed to melt before hel
countless hosts on she pressed, until,
lured far into the country beyond reach
of succor from the rear, she was con-
fronted by the Indian Emperor Stalro-
bates, with an army almost az vast as
her own with elephants for war. horses
and after series of awful battles Semi.
, ramis was beaten and nearly two-thirds
of her force destroyed. She herself was
wounded, and escaped capture only by
the Aeetness of her horse. Of all thai
host led over the indus less than one
third ever returned to Assyria.
This defeat seems to have ended hel
career, for, returning to Babylon, she
found that her son Minias had assumed
a sovereign's power, and 60 undermine
ed her own authority that she was I'M
, equal to struggle for it. Making {
virtue of necessity she formally abdica-
ted in his favor, after wonderful reigr
of forty-two years-she then being six
ty.two years of age.
: Another version closes her career in
tragic and repulsive manner-she bein!
+ put to death by her son, and his e4cqs!
r for the act being that his old mother hal
r conceived for him o nnnstrous passion
, literally manstrpHs invention, hu
i one which dramatists and artists seen
to delight in preserving. With then
a she is the embodiment Of sensuality ant
q debauchery, the husband killer" tn
''incestuous beldame." and the sum 0
9 moral iniquity. That her own life wa
more profiigate than the civilization sh
represented and governed is wholly i'm
n probable; and in view of the ungqes
tionable genius of the woman, as evi
! denced in the marvellous success of he
+ reign, we are Justified in discarding tn
q worst that is said of her to adopt til
;. more natural conclusion that in Semira
q mis- the world had one of its greatest
o wisest, most successful sovereigns.