While he stood at a distance, wondering what he might do, a horn
was sounded and an Amazon mounted upon a white stallion rode
toward him. When the warrior-woman came near she cried out,
"Heracles, the Queen Hippolyte permits you to come amongst the
Amazons. Enter her tent and declare to the queen what has brought
you amongst the never-conquered Amazons."
Heracles came to the tent of the queen. There stood tall
Hippolyte with an iron crown upon her head and with a beautiful
girdle of bronze and iridescent glass around her waist. Proud and
fierce as a mountain eagle looked the queen of the Amazons:
Heracles did not know in what way he might conquer her. Outside
the tent the Amazons stood; they struck their shields with their
spears, keeping up a continuous savage din.
"For what has Heracles come to the country of the Amazons?" Queen
Hippolyte asked.
"For the girdle you wear," said Heracles, and he held his hands
ready for the struggle.
"Is it for the girdle given me by Ares, the god of war, that you
have come, braving the Amazons, Heracles?" asked the queen.
"For that," said Heracles.
"I would not have you enter into strife with the Amazons," said
Queen Hippolyte. And so saying she drew ?ff the girdle of bronze
and iridescent glass, and she gave it into his hands.
Heracles took the beautiful girdle into his hands. Fearful he was
that some piece of guile was being played upon him, but then he
looked into the open eyes of the queen and he saw that she meant
no guile.
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