, and acknowledge Rome to be thy superior. Of thy
vassalls, and subiectes of Palmyres, we demaund none other
obedience, but to be confederates and frendes, so that thou
breake vp thy Campe, wherewyth thou makest warre in Asia, and
disobeyest the city of Rome, wee will suffer thee to haue a
certayne number of men of warre, so wel for the tuicion of thy
person, as for the defence of thy kingdome, and thy two Children
which thou haddest by thy husbande Odenatus. And he whom thou
louest best shal remayne with thee in Asia, and the other I will
carry with me to Rome, not as prisoner, but as hostage and
pleadge from thee. The prisoners which thou hast of ours, shalbe
rendred in exchange for those which we haue of thine, without
raunsome of eyther parts{.} And by these meanes thou shalt
remayne honored in Asia, and I contented, will retourne to Rome.
The Gods be thy defence, and preserue our mother the city of
Rome from all vnhappy fortune.

The Queene Zenobia hauinge reade the letter of the Emperour
Aurelianus, without feare of the contents, incontinently made
sutch aunswere as followeth.

Zenobia Queene of Palmyres, and Lady of all Asia, and the
kingdomes thereof, to thee Aurelianus the Emperour, health, and
consolation, &c. That thou do intitle thy selfe with the
Emperour of the Romanes I doe agree, but to presume to name thy
selfe lord of the East kingdomes, I say therein thou doest
offend. For thou knowest wel, that I alone am Lady Regent of all
the Orient, and the only dame and maystresse of the same. Th'one
part whereof descended vnto me by lawful Inheritaunce from my
predecessors, and the other part, I haue won by my prowesse and
deedes of armes. Thou sayest that if I rendre obedience vnto
thee, thou wilt do me great honor: To that I aunswere, that it
were a dishonest part of me, and a deede most vniust, that the
Gods hauing created Zenobia to commaund all Asia, she should now
begyn to bee slaue and thral vnto the city of Rome. Semblably,
thou saiest that thou wylt gyue and leaue me al the golde,
siluer, and other ryches whych I haue: Whereunto I aunswer, that
it is a wycked, and fond request, to dispose the goodes of
another as they were thine owne. But thine eyes shall neuer see
it, ne yet thy handes shal touche it, but rather I hope in the
Gods aboue to bestow and crye a larges of that which thou haste
at Rome, before thou finger that whych I haue and possesse in
Asia. Truely Aurelianus, the warres which thou m