sex. She was of a dark complexion, (for in speaking of a lady these
trifles become important.) Her teeth were of a pearly whiteness, and
her large black eyes sparkled with uncommon fire, tempered by the most
attractive sweetness. Her voice was strong and harmonious. Her manly
understanding was strengthened and adorned by study. She was not
ignorant of the Latin tongue, but possessed in equal perfection the
Greek, the Syriac, and the Egyptian languages. She had drawn up for
her own use an epitome of oriental history, and familiarly compared the
beauties of Homer and Plato under the tuition of the sublime Longinus.

[Footnote 54: Almost everything that is said of the manners of Odenathus
and Zenobia is taken from their lives in the Augustan History, by
Trebeljus Pollio; see p. 192, 198.]

[Footnote 541: According to some Christian writers, Zenobia was a Jewess.
(Jost Geschichte der Israel. iv. 16. Hist. of Jews, iii. 175.)--M.]

[Footnote 55: She never admitted her husband's embraces but for the
sake of posterity. If her hopes were baffled, in the ensuing month she
reiterated the experiment.]

This accomplished woman gave her hand to Odenathus, [551] who, from a
private station, raised himself to the dominion of the East. She soon
became the friend and companion of a hero. In the intervals of war,
Odenathus passionately delighted in the exercise of hunting; he pursued
with ardor the wild beasts of the desert, lions, panthers, and bears;
and the ardor of Zenobia in that dangerous amusement was not inferior to
his own. She had inured her constitution to fatigue, disdained the use
of a covered carriage, generally appeared on horseback in a military
habit, and sometimes marched several miles on foot at the head of the
troops. The success of Odenathus was in a great measure ascribed to her
incomparable prudence and fortitude. Their splendid victories over the
Great King, whom they twice pursued as far as the gates of Ctesiphon,
laid the foundations of their united fame and power. The armies which
they commanded, and the provinces which they had saved, acknowledged not
any other sovereigns than their invincible chiefs. The senate and people
of Rome revered a stranger who had avenged their captive emperor,
and even the insensible son of Valerian accepted Odenathus for his
legitimate colleague.

[Footnote 551: According to Zosimus, Odenathus was of a noble family in
Palmyra and according to Procopius, he was prince of the S