soon reached Eponina's ears. Frantic with grief, she resolved to put an end to her life also. For three days she refused every kind of nourishment, when Martial, hearing of her violent sorrow, contrived to disclose to her the truth, but advised her to continue the semblance of grief, lest suspicions should arise; but at night he conducted her to the cavern, which she left before daybreak.
Frequent were the excuses which Eponina made to her friends for her absences from Rome; and after a time, she not only visited her husband in the evening, but passed whole days with him in the cavern. At length her apprehensions were excited by her situation; but by rubbing a poisonous ointment upon herself, she produced a swelling in her legs and arms, so that her complaint was thought to be a dropsy; she then retired to the cave, and without any medical assistance, she gave birth to a boy. For nearly nine years she continued to visit her husband in his solitude, and during that period twice became a mother. At length her frequent absences were noticed, she was watched, and her secret discovered.
Loaded with chains, Sabinus was brought before Vespasian, and condemned to die, Eponina threw herself at the feet of the emperor, and implored him to spare her husband; and, at the same time, she presented her two children to him, who joined in the solicitation, with tears and entreaties. Vespasian, however, remained inflexible, and Eponina, rising with an air of dignity, said, "Be assured that I know how to contemn life; with Sabinus I have existed nine years in the bowels of the earth, and with him I am resolved to die." She perished with her husband about seventy-eight years after the Christian era,
ERAUSO, CATALINA DE,
The Monja Alferez, or Nun-Lieutenant. More famous women have lived than this, but a more extraordinary one has never been recorded. Her career was one of singular adventure, of wild passions, of unsparing cruelty, of heroic bravery; the few virtues which palliate her vices and savage conduct are such as are found to vindicate the dormant element in the breasts of brigands and pirates. And it is not the least singular circumstance connected with such a history, that it has been written down, detailed, and powerfully described by the heroine herself, in a style wonderfully vigorous, clear, and in pure and classic Spanish.
She was born in the city of Sebastian, in 1585, daughter of Don Miguel de Erauso. At that period, when families were numerous, it was the custom to dispose of the girls by putting them into the church. Such was the destiny of Donna Catalina. At the age of four years she was sent to her aunt, prioress of a convent of Dominicans. She remained there till the age of fifteen. Rebellious fancies had frequently arisen in her mind: she had entered her noviciate, and as the fatal day for her profession approached, her desire for liberty increased. Being sent one day by her aunt into the parlour of that lady for a book, she saw the keys of the convent hanging on a nail. In one moment her resolution was taken; the nuns were all assembled in the choir for the matin service; she begged permission to go to bed, complaining of indisposition; this was granted her. We give the sequel in her own words:—
"I went out of the choir, took a light, went to the cell of my aunt, took scissors, needle and thread, and a little money. I went
