Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/852

to divorce a wife by whom he was beloved; and that she could not flatter herself with better treatment; in fine, that it would be an unprecedented and dishonourable thing for a woman of her rank to engage in a second marriage." This firm and generous answer being taken to Maximin, roused his fury. He proscribed Valeria, made himself master of her possessions, took away from her her officers, or put them to death by torments, and banished her and her mother. To add insult to persecution, he caused to be condemned to death, under a false accusation of adultery, several ladies of the court, who were the friends of Prisca or Valeria. Meanwhile Valeria, exiled to the deserts of Syria, found means to inform Dioclesian of her misery: he immediately sent an express to Maximin, intreating the surrender of his daughter; but he was not attended to. He redoubled his solicitations, and implored of gratitude what was due to justice; but in vain, till the unhappy father sunk, over whelmed with grief. At length these unfortunate princesses found means to escape, disguised to Nicomedia, where Licinius was, and they mingled unknown amongst the domestics of Candidien. Licinius soon becoming jealous of him, who was sixteen years of age, caused him to be assassinated. Valeria again fled, and for fifteen months wandered in different provinces, under disguises most proper to conceal her rank. At length she was discovered and arrested, with her mother, in Thessalonica, in the year 315; and at last these two unfortunate princesses, for no other crime than their rank and chastity, were condemmed to death by the pitiless Licinius, amidst the useless tears of the people. They were beheaded, and their bodies afterwards thrown into the sea. Some authors assert they were Christians.

Bas Empire.

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