ANNA Comnena, daughter of the Emperor Alexius Com-
nemus I., was not more distinguished by her elevated rank than by her mental qualifications. Her superiority of mind began early to display itself. Despising the effeminacy and voluptuousness of the court in which she was educated, she directed her attention to literary pursuits. Indulging her favourite studies, she solicited the acquaintance of the more eminent philosophers of that period.
But the pursuits of literature did not induce her entirely to abandon society; she gave her hand to Nicephorus Briennius, a young nobleman of a respectable family. This accomplished woman was, however, actuated by unjustifiable ambition; and during the last illness of her father, she united with the Empress Irene in attempting to prevail upon that monarch to disinherit his own son, and give the crown to her husband. The affection and virtue of the father prevailed over female address and intrigue. But the ambition of Comnena was not subdued. She entered into a conspiracy to depose her brother; and when her husband displayed timidity and hesitation in this unjust enterprise, she exclaimed that "nature had mistaken their sexes, for he ought to have been the woman."
Either through the vigilance of her brother or the timidity of her husband, the treasonable plot was discovered, and Anna punished with the confiscation of all her property. It was afterwards, however, restored to her by the generosity of her brother. Ashamed of her base conduct, she retired from court, and never more possessed any influence there. Disappointed ambition took shelter among the walks of literature, and she employed her solitude in writing the history of her father's reign. This production is still extant, and forms a part of the celebrated collection of the Byzantine Historians. The stories of rhetoric are ransacked to embellish this work, and every effort made to enrich it with science; but its general character is rather that of an apology than of an impartial narrative. It must, however, be acknowledged that she is not more partial than many other Latin historians, and that her history contains many valuable facts and observations. The best edition is by Schoepen, 2 vols. 8vo.