Hercules Fights the Amazons

For the ninth labor, Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him the belt of Hippolyte [Hip-POLLY-tee]. This was no ordinary belt and no ordinary warrior. Hippolyte was queen of the Amazons, a tribe of women warriors.

London B 436, Attic black figure kylix, c. 540-500 B.C.

These Amazons had nothing to do with the Amazon river in South America. Their name comes from a Greek word meaning "missing one breast." This is because an Amazon's right breast got in the way when she threw a spear.

The Amazons lived apart from men, and if they ever gave birth to children, they kept only the females and reared them to be warriors like themselves.

Queen Hippolyte had a special piece of armour. It was a leather belt that had been given to her by Ares, the war god, because she was the best warrior of all the Amazons. She wore this belt across her chest and used it to carry her sword and spear. Eurystheus wanted Hippolyte's belt as a present to give to his daughter, and he sent Hercules to bring it back.

Hercules' friends realized that the hero could not fight against the whole Amazon army by himself, so they joined with him and set sail in a single ship.

After a long journey, they reached the land of the Amazons and put in at the harbor. When Hercules and the Greeks got off the boat, Hippolyte came down to visit them.

Tampa 82.11.1, Attic black figure neck amphora, c. 510-500 B.C. Hercules battles the Amazons. The Amazon has fallen to one knee, supported by the shield on her left arm. A wrapped object at her waist may represent the prized belt. Collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, California

She asked Hercules why he had come, and when he told her, she promised to give him the belt. But the goddess Hera knew that the arrival of Hercules meant nothing but trouble for the Amazons. Disguised as an Amazon warrior, Hera went up and down the army saying to each woman that the strangers who had arrived were going to carry off the queen. So the Amazons put on their armour.

The women warriors charged on horseback down to the ship.

But when Hercules saw that they were wearing their armour and were carrying their weapons, he knew that he was under attack. Thinking fast, he drew his sword and killed Hippolyte.Then he undid her belt and took it away from her.

Hercules and the Greeks fought the rest of the Amazons in a great battle.

When the enemy had been driven off, Hercules sailed away. After a stopover at the city of Troy, Hercules returned to Mycenae, and he gave the belt to Eurystheus.