Opening the text

The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire

History

The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire

World history

The story of a fair and virtuous maiden exalted from a private condition
to the imperial throne might be deemed an incredible romance, if such
a romance had not been verified in the marriage of Theodosius. The
celebrated Athenais was educated by her father Leontius in the religion
and sciences of the Greeks; and so advantageous was the opinion which
the Athenian philosopher entertained of his contemporaries, that he
divided his patrimony between his two sons, bequeathing to his daughter
a small legacy of one hundred pieces of gold, in the lively confidence
that her beauty and merit would be a sufficient portion. The jealousy
and avarice of her brothers soon compelled Athenais to seek a refuge at
Constantinople; and, with some hopes either of justice or favour, to
throw herself at the feet of Pulcheria. That sagacious princess listened
to her eloquent complaint; and secretly destined the daughter of the
philosopher Leontius for the future wife of the emperor of the East, who
had now attained the twentieth year of his age.

Athenais, who was easily persuaded to renounce the errors of paganism,
received at her baptism the Christian name of Eudocia; but the cautious
Pulcheria withheld the title of Augusta till the wife of Theodosius had
approved her fruitfulness by the birth of a daughter, who espoused,
fifteen years afterwards, the emperor of the West. The brothers of
Eudocia obeyed, with some anxiety, her imperial summons; but as she could
easily forgive their fortunate unkindness, she indulged the tenderness,
or perhaps the vanity, of a sister, by promoting them to the rank of
consuls and prefects. In the luxury of the palace she still cultivated
those ingenuous arts which had contributed to her greatness; and wisely
dedicated her talents to the honour of religion and of her husband.
Eudocia composed a poetical paraphrase of the first eight books of the
Old Testament, and of the prophecies of Daniel and Zachariah; a cento
of the verses of Homer, applied to the life and miracles of Christ,
the legend of St. Cyprian, and a panegyric on the Persian victories of
Theodosius; and her writings, which were applauded by a servile and
superstitious age, have not been disdained by the candour of impartial
criticism.

[Sidenote: [420-460 A.D.]]

The fondness of the emperor was not abated by time and possession; and
Eudocia, after the marriage of her daughter, was permitted to discharge
her grateful vows by a solemn pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her ostentatious
progress through the East may seem inconsistent with the spirit of
Christian humility. But this pilgrimage was the fatal term of the glories
of Eudocia. Satiated with empty pomp, and unmindful perhaps of her
obligations to Pulcheria, she ambitiously aspired to the government of
the Eastern Empire; the palace was distracted by female discord, but the
victory was at last decided by the superior ascendant of the sister of
Theodosius.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire

World history

The story of a fair and virtuous maiden exalted from a private condition
to the imperial throne might be deemed an incredible romance, if such
a romance had not been verified in the marriage of Theodosius. The
celebrated Athenais was educated by her father Leontius in the religion
and sciences of the Greeks; and so advantageous was the opinion which
the Athenian philosopher entertained of his contemporaries, that he
divided his patrimony between his two sons, bequeathing to his daughter
a small legacy of one hundred pieces of gold, in the lively confidence
that her beauty and merit would be a sufficient portion. The jealousy
and avarice of her brothers soon compelled Athenais to seek a refuge at
Constantinople; and, with some hopes either of justice or favour, to
throw herself at the feet of Pulcheria. That sagacious princess listened
to her eloquent complaint; and secretly destined the daughter of the
philosopher Leontius for the future wife of the emperor of the East, who
had now attained the twentieth year of his age.

Athenais, who was easily persuaded to renounce the errors of paganism,
received at her baptism the Christian name of Eudocia; but the cautious
Pulcheria withheld the title of Augusta till the wife of Theodosius had
approved her fruitfulness by the birth of a daughter, who espoused,
fifteen years afterwards, the emperor of the West. The brothers of
Eudocia obeyed, with some anxiety, her imperial summons; but as she could
easily forgive their fortunate unkindness, she indulged the tenderness,
or perhaps the vanity, of a sister, by promoting them to the rank of
consuls and prefects. In the luxury of the palace she still cultivated
those ingenuous arts which had contributed to her greatness; and wisely
dedicated her talents to the honour of religion and of her husband.
Eudocia composed a poetical paraphrase of the first eight books of the
Old Testament, and of the prophecies of Daniel and Zachariah; a cento
of the verses of Homer, applied to the life and miracles of Christ,
the legend of St. Cyprian, and a panegyric on the Persian victories of
Theodosius; and her writings, which were applauded by a servile and
superstitious age, have not been disdained by the candour of impartial
criticism.

[Sidenote: [420-460 A.D.]]

The fondness of the emperor was not abated by time and possession; and
Eudocia, after the marriage of her daughter, was permitted to discharge
her grateful vows by a solemn pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her ostentatious
progress through the East may seem inconsistent with the spirit of
Christian humility. But this pilgrimage was the fatal term of the glories
of Eudocia. Satiated with empty pomp, and unmindful perhaps of her
obligations to Pulcheria, she ambitiously aspired to the government of
the Eastern Empire; the palace was distracted by female discord, but the
victory was at last decided by the superior ascendant of the sister of
Theodosius.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire

The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire

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