jah, as a wife; which request caused him to be
put to death by the command of Solomon, who
looked upon it as an indication that Adonijah
wished in other respects also to take David, their
father's place. A learned commentator thus tells
the story:—"The king, (David,) though he had
been so robust in his youth, seemed to decay daily.
His afflictions, labours, fatigues, and perpetual
wars, had exhausted him so much, that entering
on his seventieth year, his natural heat seemed
on the point of being extinguished; while his
mind was as vigorous as ever, and he still governed
with so much wisdom and authority, as made his
life precious. His physicians, in order to prolong
it, hit upon an expedient which succeeded, at
least, for some time. All Israel was sought through
to find out a proper person, and the choice fell on
Abishag, the Shunamitc, a young, beautiful, and
virtuous woman. He made her his wife, and she
was ' with him both night and day ; but though
he married her, they always lived together in a
state of continence.' " That Abishag was considered the honourable wife of king David, and was
so, according to the customs of that dark age,
there is no doubt; she was innocent, yet the wickedness of polygamy is apparent in this gross trans
action. The sons of David were, in consequence
of this sin of their father, involved in a quarrel
which cost the life of the eldest, and stained Solomon's hands with his brother's blood.
ACCA-LAURENTIA or ARCA-LAURENTIA,
Was wife of the shepherd Faustulus, and nurse to Remus and Romulus. She was deified by the Romans, to whom the tinmen of Jupiter once a year offered a sacrifice, on a holiday instituted to her honour. She lived about B. C. 700.
ACME,
Was a Jewish lady, retained in the service of Livia, the wife of Augustus Caesar. She was bribed by Antipater, the son of Herod the Great, to engage in his interest ; but one of her attempts to serve him proved fatal to herself; for having forged a letter in the name of Salome, that king's sister, to her mistress Livia, in order to expose the former to Herod's resentment, the imposture was detected, and she was punished with death. Antipater was suffered to escape, though the greater criminal.
ADA,
A sister of Artemisia, queen of Caria, mar ried Hidricus. After her husband's death she succeeded to the throne of Caria, but was expelled by her younger brother, Texodores, who, in order to maintain himself in his usurpation, gave his daughter in marriage to a Persian lord called Orondates ; and he, afterwards, became king of Caria, and defended Halicarnassus against Alexander the Great. The revolutions which happened at that time, proved favourable to Ada; she implored the protection of the conqueror Alexander against Orondates, the usurper of her kingdom. Alexander gave her a very kind reception, and restored her to the authority she had formerly enjoyed over all Caria, after he had taken the city of Halicarnassus. Ada, woman-like, thought to give some testimony of her gratitude by sending him all sorts of refreshments, sweetmeats, pastry, delicate viands, and the best cooks she could hear of ; but Alexander answered that he had no occasion for such things; for Leonidas, his tutor, had formerly furnished him with much more excellent cooks, by teaching him, that he who would have an appetite to hie dinner, must rite early and take a walk; and if he it desirous of making a delicious supper, he must eat moderately at dinner.
Why will not mothers be more careful to teach these wise lessons to their sons?
AGESISTRATA,
Wife of Eudamidas II., and mother of Agis IV., king of Sparta, was a woman of great wealth and influence among her people. She had brought up her son very voluptuously; but when he be came king, he resolved to restore the ancient severe discipline and mode of living of the Spar tans, and began by Betting the example himself. Agesistrata at first opposed the reformation, by which she would lose much of her wealth; after wards she not only approved of her son's design, but endeavoured to gain the other women to join her, as they had great influence in the community, and the greatest difficulty was expected to arise from their opposition; but instead of uniting with her, they applied to Leonidas III., the other king of Lacedremon, to frustrate the designs of his colleague. In consequence of the disturbances that ensued, Agis was obliged to take refuge in one of the temples ; but one day, on his returning to his sanctuary from a bath, he was seized and thrown into prison. Agesistrata, and Archidamia, grandmother of Agis, used all their influence, but in vain, to induce the ephori to allow Agis to plead his cause before his own people. They were, however, allowed to share his prison, when one of the ephori, who was in debt to Agesistrata, by his intrigues succeeded in having them all strangled at once. Agesistrata met her unexpected death with calmness and composure, about B. C. 300.
AGNODICE,
An Athenian virgin, who disguised her sex, to learn medicine. She was taught midwifery by Herophilus, an eminent physician, born in B. C. 506, and when employed always discovered her sex to her patients. This procured her so much practice, that the male physicians accused her of corruption before the Areopagus. She confessed her sex to the judge, and a law was immediately made allowing all free-born women to learn midwifery.
AGRIPPINA,
The daughter of M. Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia, the only child of Augustus, married Germanicus, the son of Drusus, and nephew to Tiberius, to whom she bore nine children. Three of them died in infancy, and among the remaining six were Caligula, afterwards emperor, and
