The life and times of princess Anna Komnene of Constantinople

Time in its irresistible and ceaseless flow carries along on its flood all created things, and drowns them in the depths of obscurity, no matter if they be quite unworthy of mention, or most noteworthy and important, and thus, as the tragedian says, Òhe brings from the darkness all things to the birth, and all things born envelops in the night. But the tale of history forms a very strong bulwark against the stream of time, and to some extent checks its irresistible flow, and, of all things done in it, as many as history has taken over, it secures and binds together, and does not allow them to slip away into the abyss of oblivion. Now, I recognized this fact. I, Anna, the daughter of two royal personages, Alexios and Eirene, born and bred in the purple.