Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/87

This page has been validated.
ARE. ARG. ARI.
65

phila's advice, and imitated the craeltics and the tyranny of his brother.

Disappointed in her son-in-law, she sent secretly to Anabus, a prince of Lybia, to ask him to invade Cyrene, and free it of its oppressors. When Anabus had arrived near Cyrene, Aretaphila, in a secret conference with him, promised to place Lysander in his hands, if he would retain him prisoner as a tyrant and usurper For this service, she promised him magnificent gifts and a present in money. She then insinuated into the mind of Lysander, suspicions of the loyalty of his nobles and captains, and prevailed on him to seek an interview with Anabus, in order to make peace.

This he did, and was made prisoner, and eventually destroyed by drowning. It was then decreed that the administration of the government should be given to Aretaphila, assisted by a council of the nobles. But she declined the honour; preferring the privacy of domestic life, she retired to her own habitation amidst the prayers and blessings of the people.

ARETE,

Was the daughter of Aristippus of Cyrene, who flourished about B. C. 380, and was the founder of the Cyrcnaic system of philosophy. Arete was carefully instructed by her father; and after his death she taught his system with great success. She had a son, Aristippus, to whom she communicated the philosophy she received from her father.

ARGYLL, DUCHESS OF,

Formerly Lady Villiers, is one of the noblest of the princesses Of Scotland, and her claims to be considered so rest upon something more than hereditary descent. She is the worthy daughter of such a mother as the duchess of Sutherland, and is devoting her best energies to ameliorate suffering, and to reclaim the erring. She originated in Scotland a system of visitation of prisons, by members of societies formed for the purpose. The first visiting society was established at Inverary; and, although the Duchess had at first considerable difficulties to overcome, the happy results which followed encouraged her to persevere, until the efficacy of the system recommended itself to the public. Similar societies have been set in operation in most of the towns of the north.

ARIADNE,

Was the elder daughter of Leo the First, emperor of the East, who ascended the throne in 457. In 468, she was given in marriage to Trascalisseus, or, as some call him, Arlcmesius, a noble Isaurian, who, on this occasion, assumed the name of Zeno, and was created a Roman patrician; he was appointed to situations of great trust and power by his father-in-law, on whose death, in 474, he became regent of the empire, his son by Ariadne being yet an Infant, whose death In the following year threw the imperial power Into his hands; there docs not appear sufficient grounds for the opinion entertained by some, that Ariadne poisoned her son, although It appears that she encouraged her husband to assume the purple after his death. Neither is there good authority for the statement put forth, that she afterwards shut Zeno up in a sepulchre, when intoxicated, and left him there to perish. The