_The hardinesse and conquests of diuers stout, and aduenturous
women, called Amazones, the beginninge, and continuance of their
Reigne, and of the great iourney of one of their Queenes called
Thalestris to visit Alexander the great: with the cause of her
trauaile._
Where the firste booke beegan with a Combate fought, and tried
betweene two mighty Citties, for Principality, and Gouernement,
the one hight Rome after called the head of the World (as some
thinke by reason of a man's head found in the place where the
Capitole did stand) the other Alba. To which Combat sixe
Gentlemen of eyther city were appoyncted, and the victory
chaunced to the Romayne side: In this second parte, in the
Forefront, and first Nouell of the same, is described the
beginninge, continuaunce and ende of a Woman's Common wealth
(an History rare and straunge to the vnlearned, ignorant of the
world's fickle ruled stay) which contented with the mighty
Princes and puissant Potentates for defence of their kingdome,
no lesse than the Carthaginians and Romaynes did for theirs. But
as it is no wonder to the skilful that a whole Monarche, and
kingdome should be intierly peopled with that Sexe: so to the
not well trained in Histories, this may seeme miraculous.
Wherefore not to staye thee from the discourse of those straunge
and Aduenturous women, diuers be of diuers opinions for the
Etimologie of the word: whereof amonges the Grætians be diuers
iudgementes. These Amazones were most excellent warriers, very
valiaunt, and without man's aduice did conquer mighty
Countreyes, famous Cities, and notable Kingdomes, continuinge of
longe time in one Seigniory, and gouernment. These people
occupied and enioyed a great part of Asia. Som writers deuide
them into two Prouinces, one in Scythia in the North part of
Asia: other by the hill Imaus, which at this day is called the
Tartarian Scythia, different from that which is in Europa: the
other sort of the Amazones were in Libia a prouince of Africa.
But because the common sort of Authors doe vnderstand the
Amazones to be those of Asia, I meane to leaue of the
difference. The Scythians were a warlike people, and at the
beginninge of their kingdome had two kinges, by whom they were
gouerned. Notwithstandinge the nature of dominion beinge of it
selfe ambicious, cannot abide any companion or equall: which
caused these two kinges to be at variaunce, and afterwards the
matter grew to ciuill warres, wherein the one beinge Victor, two
of the principal and chiefe of the contrary faction, called
Plinius and Scolopithos, were banished with a great number of
their adherentes, al which did withdraw themselues to the limits
of Cappadocia in the lesser Asia, and in despite of the Countrey
Pesantes, dwelled alonges the riuer of Thermodon, which entreth
into the Sea Euxinum, otherwise called Pontus. And they beinge
made Lordes of the countrey, and of the places adioyninge,
raygned for certayne yeares, vntill the Peasantes and their
confederates made a conspiracy agaynst them: and assemblinge by
Pollicy, ouercame and sleewe theym all. The newes of theyr death
knowen to their Wyues dwellinge in theyr countrey, caused them
to conceiue great heauinesse, and dolor extreme: and although
they were women, yet did they put on manly courage, and
determined to reuenge the death of their husbandes, by puttinge
theyr hands to weapons wherewithal they did exercise themselues
very ofte: and that they might all be equall, and their sorrow
common, they murdred certaine of their husbandes which remayned
there, after the other were banished. Afterward beinge
altogether, they made a great army, and forsooke their dwellinge
places, refusinge the mariage of many suters: and arriuinge in
the lande of their enemies (that made small accoumpt thereof,
although foretolde of their approche) they sodaynly came vpon
them vnprouided, and put them all to the sword. This beinge
done, the women tooke the gouernment of the Countrey,
inhabitinge at the beginninge alonge the Riuer of Thermodon,
where their husbandes were slayne. And although many Authors do
differ in the situation of the place where the Amazones did
dwell, yet the truth is, that the beginning of their kingdome
and of their Habitation was vppon that Riuer. But of their
manyfolde conquestes, be engendred diuers opinions declared by
Strabo, and others. They fortified themselues in those places,
and wan other countreys adioyninge, choosinge amonge them two
Queenes, the one named Martesia, and the other Lampedo. These
two louingely deuided the army and men of Warre in two partes,
eyther of them defendinge (with great hardinesse) the Landes
which they had conquered: and to make themselues more dreadfull
(sutch was the credite and vanity of men that time) they fayned
to be the daughters of Mars. Afterward these miraculous women
liuing after this maner in peace and iustice, considered that by
succession of time, for want of daughters that might succeede,
warres, and time, would extinguish their race. For thys cause
they treated maryage with their neyghbors named Gargarians
(as Plinie sayeth) with condition, that vpon certayne tymes of
the yeare, their husbandes should assemble together in some
appoincted place, and vse them for certaine dayes vntyll they
were with chylde, whych beinge done and knowen, they should
returne home agayne to their own houses. If they brought forth
daughters, they norished and trayned them vp in armes, and other
manlik exercises, and to ride great Horse: they taught them to
run at Base, and to followe the Chace. If they were deliuered of
males, they sent them to their fathers, and if by chaunce they
kept any backe, they murdred them, or else brake their armes and
legs in sutch wise as they had no power to beare weapons, and
serued for nothynge else but to spin, twist, and to doe other
feminine labour. And for as mutch as these Amazones defended
themselues so valiantly in the Warres with Bowe, and Arrowes,
and perceyued that their breastes did very much impech the vse
of that weapon, and other exercises of armes, they seared vp the
right breasts of their yonge daughters, for which cause they
were named Amazones, which signifieth in the Greeke tongue,
wythout breasts, although some other do geeue vnto that name any
other meaninge. Afterwards, increasing by course of time in
number and force, they made greate preparation of Weapons and
other Engins for the Warres, and leauing their countrey (which
they thought was very small) in the keepinge of some, whom they
specially trusted, the rest marched abroade, conqueringe and
subduinge all those which they found rebellious. And hauing
passed the river of Tanais, they entred Europa, where they
vanquished many countreys, directing their way towardes Thracia,
from whence they returned a while after, with great spoyle and
victory, and comminge agayne into Asia, they brought many
prouinces vnder their subiection, proceedinge euen to Mare
Caspium. They Edified, and peopled an infinite number of good
citties, amongs which, according to the opinion of diuers, was
the famous Citty of Ephesus, the same beeinge the chiefe of al
their Empire, and the principal place that stoode vpon
Thermodon. They defended themselues in Warres with certayne
Tergats, made in fashion of a halfe Moone, and entring into
battaile vsed a certaine kinde of Flutes to geue the people
corage to fight, as the Lacedemonians were wont to do. In this
wise increased more and more the fame of those women, and so
continued vntill the tyme that Hercules, Theseus, and many other
valiaunt men liued in Græcia. The sayd Hercules, kinge Euristeus
of Athenes commaunded, to proceede with great force of people
against the Amazones, and that hee should bringe vnto him the
armures of the two Queenes, which then were two sisters, that is
to say Antiopa and Oritia. At this commaundement Hercules
incoraged with desire of honor and glory, accompanied with
Theseus, and other his frends, sayled alongst Pontus, and
arriued in most conuenient place vpon the shoare of Thermodon,
where he landed in sutch secret manner and with sutch oportunity
of tyme, as Oritia, one of the two Queenes was gone out of the
countrey with the greatest part of her women, to make Warre, and
conquer new Countreyes, in so mutch that he found Antiopa, which
doubted nothinge, ne yet knewe of his comminge. Vppon which
occasion, Hercules and his people surprisinge the Amazones
vnwares, and although they entred into Fielde and did put
themselues in defence with sutch diligence as they could, yet
they were ouercome, and put theym to flight, and many of them
slayne and the rest taken: amongst whom were the two sisters of
the Queene, the one named Menalipe whych was Hercules prysoner,
and the other Hipolita, the prysoner of Theseus. Certane
Historians do say that they were subdued in a pitched field, and
appoynted battle. And that afterwards the two sisters were
vanquished in singuler Combat. The Queene Antiopa then seeinge
this ouerthrow, and the takinge of her sisters, came to
composition with Hercules, to whom shee gaue her armure to cary
to Euristeus, vpon charge that he shoulde render vnto her, her
sister Menalipe. But Theseus for no offer that she coulde make,
woulde deliuer Hipolita, with whom he was so farre in loue, that
he caried her home with him, and afterward toke her to wyfe, of
whom hee had a sonne called Hipolitus. Hercules satisefied of
his purpose, returned very ioyful of his victory. Oritia
certified of these news, beinge then out of her countrey,
conceyued no lesse shame than sorrow, who fearing greater
damage, returned speedily with her women, the greater part
whereof beinge of her opinion, perswaded Antiopa to be reuenged
vpon the Grekes. For which purpose they made great preparation
of warre. Afterwards leuyinge so great a number of the Amazones
as they could, they sent to Sigilus king of Scythia for succour:
who sent them his sonne Pisagoras, with a great number of
horsemen, by whose helpe the Amazones passing into Europa, and
Countrey about Athenes, they greatly annoyed their ennemy: but
Pisagoras entred in quarel agaynst the Queene and her women, by
meanes whereof, the Scythians could not fight, but withdrew
themselues aside, whereby the Amazones (not able to support the
force of the Greekes,) were ouercome, and the greatest part of
them cut in peeces. Those which did escape, ran to the Scythians
Campe, of whom they were defended: afterward being returned into
their countrey, they liued in lesse force, and surety than
before. In processe of time the Greekes passed into Asia, and
made a famous conquest of the Citty of Troy, when Penthesilea
was Queene of the Amazones, who remembringe the iniuries
receyued by the Greekes, went with a great army to helpe the
Troians: where the Queene did thinges worthy of remembraunce,
but the Troianes vanquished, in many Skirmishes al the Amazones
were almost slayne. And Penthesilea amonges other, was killed by
the hand of Achilles. Wherefore those that remained, returned
into their countrey with so litle power (in respect of that they
had before) as with great difficulty they susteyned, and
defended their old possessions, and so continued till the time
that Alexander the great went into Asia, to make warre against
the Hircanians. In which time one of their Queenes named
Thalestris accompanied with a great number of the Amazones, went
out of hir countrey with great desire to see and know Alexander.
And approchinge the place where hee was, shee sent her
Ambassadour vnto him to the ende that shee might obtayne safe
conduct to see him, makinge him to vnderstand how mutch the
Renoume of his personage had inflamed hir heart to see him.
Whereof Alexander beeinge tolde, graunted hir hys safe conduct.
By meanes whereof, after she had chosen out some of hir
principall women, leauinge the rest in a certayne place in very
good order, she went towardes Alexander, of whom she was
curteously entertayned, and then with very good countenaunce,
shee offered vnto him the effect of al her ability. Who prayed
hir to tell him, if he were able to do her pleasure, and
promised that hir request should be accomplished. She aunswered
that hir comminge was not to demaund either landes or dominions,
(whereof she had sufficient) but rather to knowe and be
acquainted with sutch a famous Prince as hee was, of whom she
had heard maruellous and straunge report. But the chiefest cause
of hir comminge was, to pray him of carnal copulation, that she
might be conceiued with childe, and haue an heire begotten of so
excellent a Prince, telling him that she was come of noble
kinde, and of high parentage, and that he ought not to disdaine
hir vse. Promisinge hym that if it pleased the Gods, that she
should haue a daughter, she would nourishe it her selfe, and
make it her vniuersall Heire, and if it were a Sonne, she would
send it vnto him. Alexander asked her if shee woulde go with hym
to the warres, which if she would, he promised hir his company.
But she excusinge hir selfe, aunswered that she could not goe
with hym without great shame, besides the hazardinge the losse
of her kingdome. Wherefore she prayed him agayne to satisfie hir
request. Finally she kept company with Alexander by the space of
XIII dayes in publike and secret sort, which beinge expired, she
tooke hir leaue, and returned home to hir prouince. But as it is
the property of tyme to consume all thinges: euen so the
kingdome and power of the Amazones grew to vtter decay, no one
sutch nation at this day to be found. For what monstruous Sexe
was this that durst not onely by many armies encountre with
puissant nations, but also by single Combate, to fight with that
terrible personage Hercules, whose vnspeakable and incredible
labours and victories, are by antiquity reported to be sutch, as
none but he, durst euer aduenture the like. What nation euer
comparable to the Greekes, or the Athenian Citty? and yet these
mankinde women for reuenge shronke not to peerce their Prouince.
What like besieged towne as that of Troy was? and yet
Penthesilea one of their Queenes with hir mayny, indeuoured to
rayse the Greekes, that so many yeares had lien before the same.
What Queene (nay what Stalant) durst sue for company of meanest
man? any yet one of these presumed to begge the matche of the
mightiest Monarch that euer ruled the world. The maners and
qualities of which nation, bycause they were Women of no common
spirite and boldnesse, bee thought good in the front of this
second Volume to be described: bycause of dyuers Womens liues
plentifull variety is offered in the sequele. And for that some
mention hath bin made of the great Alexander: and in what wise
from vertue hee fell to vice, the seconde Nouell ensuinge shall
geue further aduertisement.