The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-04

sert q powerful influence over great men
and public affairs. So potent have they
been from age to age that they have
largely shaped the destinies of nations
for evil or for good. In Greece the
most conspicuous was Aspasia. She
was an Asiatic Greek, Milssian, whose
native city had been sacked and
destroyed by the forces Of
Darius few years before her
birth. The males were msssacred,
the women and children sold into slav-
cry. Her undying enmity helped to
bring about the ruin Of Persia. She is
said to have been a courtesan, like
many other homeless beauties who
hocked to Athens. This tale, however.
may have been SANDER by the enemies
of her lover and herself. We do know
that che wac beautiful, accomplished,
wise; that Anaxagoras, the prince of
the Ionic philosophers, was her master.
He was the first of the Greeks to teach
that a supreme mind or intelligence dis
tinct from the visible world impaired
form and order to the chaos of nature.
For this belief both he and ahe were
put to public trial Tor impiety by the
orthodox believers in anthropoid gods.
Pericles pleaded their cause before the
judges, and the strong, proud prince
broke down and wept-the only time
Athenians ever saw him weep-as he
poured forth his eloquence for the
woman he 30 tenderly loved. A copy of
her bust, carved from life by the hand
of Phidias, lies before us as We write.
A veil hangs over head and shoulders,
concealing the ears, but leaving the
front OF her hair displayed in about Is
rows of curls, running from the front to
the back of her head, and partly hiding
her calm, broad forehead. Her eyes are
large, with narrow, slightly curved eye
browa. A short upper lip and full IN
der lip makes up mouth somewhat
reHolute, above a small rounded chin.
The whole firmly set upon full neck
and ample bust. Such was "La refine
de la main gauche' at Athens, when
Athens was the queen of cities. Her
luminous intelligence enlightened all
who approached her. Grave matrons
with their husbands resorted to her
house for the pleasure and improvement
OF her conversation. Socrates sat at her
feet, ae Plato sat at his. In the Men,
exenus OF Plato, he makes Socrates call
her his teacher, his mistress in oratory
one, he said, "who has made many
other persons good speakers. and one
superior to all the Greeks, Pericles, the
son of Xsnthippus." As specimen OF
oratory, Socrates repeats to Menexenus
funeral Grafton which she uttered ex-
tempore in private as something that
might be said on those who had fallen
in battle. She brought about the war
with Samos on behalf OF her native city
Miletus. She was the soul of Athens
in the Peloponnesian war, a war waged
by Pericles for supremacy, democracy,
for native land, and for freedom. Be-
cause what he did in public, she had
previously counseled in private. And
when Aspasia and Pericles perished, the
glory Of Athens and all Greece began to
Jade.
The influence of women like Aspasia,
was derived more from their talents,
learning and amiability, than from their
beauty. Thus the higher courtessns
were eagerly sought after in pure friend
ship only by many distinguished men,
because the latter found in their society
those winning accomplishments and
graces in which their wives and female
relatives were deficient. We notice that
the conspicnously successful were those
Who most excelled in what men of taste
and refinement most admire. And
where closer connections were formed
from mutual affection. the elasticity of
unions seemed to have made them
stronger. Pericles would have married
Aspasia had the law allowed an Athen-
ian to marry foreigner, but had he
done SO, his welded life could not have
been happier than it was.
second Aepasia, go called by Cyrus
the younger in honor OF Pericles' concu-
bine, WAS Milto, Phocaean captive,
carried away from her country to the
Persian princes seraglio. At first his
concubine, she afterwards became his
chief wife and adviser, WHOSE counsel
he never regretted" Their affection
was undiminished until his death, and
had he not fallen at Cunaexa, Milto
would have been his queen consort. She
afterwards sat on the Persian throne,
however, as the queen of his brother
Artaxerxes.
Cleopatra is another whose influence
as concubine affected the great course
of human events. Who does not know
her romantic history? Born the prin-
cess royal of great Egypt, she, lovely
queen, became the concubine first OF
one Roman general and next Of another.
At Rome she lived at Julius
Caesars rooms in company with
her child husband, who was
also her brother. At Alexandria
she appeared before the ambassadors in
public as Isis, and Antony as Osiris. 1t
was said that no man could withstand
her Vaccinations, unless it might have
been the cold and crafty Augustus, who
described Antony as "bewitched by
that accursed Egyptian" Mistress of
seven languages, she partook of all the
learning Of her day. Her exquisitely
musical and flexible voice was compared
by Plutarch to a many-stringed instru-
ment. She had a ready and versatile
wit. and had eounded the various,depths
of human nature. Even in her most
luxurious periods her literary pleasures
we're not forgotten. And when disgrace
could not be averted she courted death
like oueenly heroine. A suicide at 3S,
what might she not have been, and the
world have been, had Octavius been de-
feated or had Antony never loved her
Horace, at the end of Ode 81. beauti-
fully describes the fearless bravery of
her last moments.
Sabaina Poppsea, one of the most
beautiful women OF Rome, and of noble
family, wrought her way by crooked
and dark courses to the imperial throne.
Her coins indicate her az eminently
graceful and intellectual. Beauty, for
tune. sprightliness and vivacity in con-
versation, and modesty OF department
were united in her. But che subordin-
. Il