of the Assyrian Monarchy. 34] 
jointly with him, another term given to the same mascu- 
line character, by which she usurps the power of Ninus. 
(32) See in Diod, Sic. 11.25. the valour with which 
Sardanapallus defends himself. Wesseling observes, “ Mira 
profecto metamorphosis, qui omnem inter concubinas & 
effeminatorum catamitorum greges vitam exegerat, repente 
omnium fortissimus imperator est. Sepe quidem viciis re- 
dit in precordia virtus, raro femine, nedum qnavis mere- 
tricula corruptiori. Verius Hellanicus in Schol. ad Comici 
Aves 1022 & Callisthenes apud Suidam duo fuisse perhi- 
bent Sardanapallos quorum alter dparnpios & yeweesoe alter 
podexos fuerit; qui quidem a Ctesia & sequacibus confusi 
has turbas dedere.” It does not appear, however, that these 
writers had any other reason for maintaining that there 
were two, than the difficulty of reconciling the contrarities 
which have been mentioned, and if this be a good reason for 
supposing two Sardanapalli, all the other personages must 
be doubled ; for the martial character of Ninyas and Ninus 
are equally inconsistent with their other traits. To suppose 
two personages of the same name, is a very cheap expe- 
dient for clearing up difficulties ; yet even this will not suf- 
fice here; for the learned Freret has shown, that three are 
necessary to account for all that historians have recorded 
of Sardanapallus. “ Will the line stretch out to the crack 
of doom?” Instead of raising these shadowy sovereigns 
to extricate us from our difficulties, would it not be more 
reasonable to question the historical truth of accounts which 
are palpably inapplicable to any one individual, when all the 
rest of the series of Assyrian potentates have shown such 
strong marks of a mythological origin ? 
(33) One of the most remarkable circumstances res- 
pecting Sardanapallus, is the honour in which he appears 
to have been held at Tarsus, where we are told, especially 
by the historians of Alexander, that there was a tomb of 
him and an inscription which is variously represented, but 
