Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/469

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OF CELEBRATED WOMEN.
455

of the principal commanders, acting as general. In leading the van, she was beaten to the ground by a Greek; when Wafeira, one of her female friends, striking off his head at a blow, brought the heroine off. Animated by the noble behaviour of the women, the Arabs soon became irresistible, and routed the Grecian army, with the loss, it is said, of 150,000 killed, and about 50,000 prisoners. Khauli was afterwards espoused by the khaliff Ali.

"Nothing is so disgusting as unnecessary bravadoes, or uselessly running into dangers in women. They have seldom any opportunity or rather need of being heroines, except by suffering with patience and fortitude whatever pains and misfortunes may fall to their lot in this life. But sometimes there are occasions which awaken active courage; and when duty or compassion call for more than customary exertions, they must want even feminine excellence to be deaf to it; and bereft of generosity, sense and feeling, to be helpless at such a juncture."

Richardson's Dissertation on Eastern Nations.



KETAVANE, (or MARIANNE) Wife of Alexander, King of Georgia, in the Beginning of the 17th Century,

On the death of her husband, took upon her the administration of affairs, and preserved the throne for her eldest son.

In 1613, Abbas, king of Persia, having declared war against the Georgians, her son, who had received the reins of government, perceiving that many of the nobility inclined to submission, sent his mother to Ispa-

han,