LYCINUS 
So be it, Polystratus. She deserves it, because it
is not in body alone, like Helen, that she is fair, but
the soul that she harbours therein is still more fair
and lovely. It was in keeping, too, that our
Emperor, kindly and gentle as he is, along with
all the other blessings that he enjoys, should be so

 

tavoured by Fortune as to have such a woman born
in his time and consort with him and love him. For
that is no trivial favour of Fortune—a woman about
whom one can quote with propriety the saying of
Homer, that she vies with golden Aphrodite in
beauty and equals Athena herself in accomplishments. Iliad9, 389-90. Among mortal women there is none to
compare with her, “neither in stature nor mould”
(as Homer says), “nor in mind nor in aught that
she doeth.” Iliad 1, 115.