THE THIRD BOOK OF THE COURTIER own, but of barbarian nations; as that of Alexandra,"*' wife of Alexander king of the Jews, who, — after her husband's death, when she saw the people kindled with fury and already up in arms to slay the two children that he had left her, in revenge for the cruel and grievous bondage in which the father had always kept them, — so acted that she soon appeased their just wrath, and by her prudence straightway won over for her children those minds which the father, by countless injuries during many years, had made very hostile to his offspring." " At least tell us," replied my lady Emilia, " how she did it." " Seeing her children in such peril," said the Magnifico, " she at once caused Alexander's body to be cast into the middle of the market-place. Then, having called the citizens to her, she said that she knew their minds to be kindled with very just wrath against her husband, because the cruel injuries that he had iniquitously done them deserved it; and that, as she had always wished, while he was alive, that she could make him abstain from such a wicked life, so now she was ready to give proof of it, and as far as possible to help them punish him after death; and therefore let them take his body, and give it as food for dogs, and outrage it in the most cruel ways they could devise: but she prayed them to have mercy upon her innocent children, who could not have either guilt or even knowledge of the father's evil deeds. Of such efficacy were these words, that the fierce wrath before conceived in the minds of all that people was quickly softened and turned to a feeling of such pity, that they not only with one accord chose the children for their rulers, but also gave most honourable burial to the body of the dead." Here the Magnifico made a little pause; then he added: " Do you not know that the wife and daughters of Mithridates showed much less fear of death than Mithridates?" And Has- drubal's wife than Hasdrubal?*" Do you not know that Har- monia, daughter of Hiero the Syracusan, chose to perish in the burning of her native city?"^' Then Frisio said: " Where obstinacy is concerned, it is certain that some women are occasionally to be found who never change their purpose; 191
