Hippolyta's Belt (ninth feat)
The ninth feat Hercules was his trip to the land of the Amazons behind the belt of the queen Hippolyta. This belt was given to Hippolyta by the god of war Ares, and she wore it as a sign of her power over all the Amazons. Daughter Eurystheia Admeta, priestess of the goddess Hera, I definitely wanted to have this belt. To fulfill her wish, Eurystheus sent Hercules for the belt. Having gathered a small squad of heroes, the great son of Zeus set off on a long journey on a ship alone. Although the squad of Hercules was small, but there were many glorious heroes in this squad, I was in it the great hero of Attica Theseus.
The heroes had a long way to go. They had to reach the farthest shores of the Euxine Pontus, since there was the country of the Amazons with the capital Themyscira. On the way, Hercules landed with his companions to the island Paros, where the sons of Minos ruled. On this island, the sons of Minos killed two companions of Hercules. Hercules, angered by this, immediately began a war with the sons of Minos. He killed many of the inhabitants of Paros, while driving others into the city, he kept them under siege until the besieged sent envoys to Hercules and asked him to take two of them instead of the killed companions. Then Hercules lifted the siege and took the grandchildren of Minos instead of those killed, Alcea and Sphenela.
From Paros, Hercules arrived in Mysia to the king Lika, who received him with great hospitality. Unexpectedly, the king of the Bebriks attacked the Face. Hercules defeated the king of the Bebriks with his detachment and destroyed his capital, and gave the whole land of the Bebriks to the Face. King Lik named this country after Hercules Heraclea. After this feat, Hercules went on, and finally arrived at the city of the Amazons, Themyscira.
The fame of the exploits of the son of Zeus has long reached the country of the Amazons. Therefore, when the ship of Hercules landed at Themyscira, the Amazons and the queen came out to meet the hero. They looked with amazement at the great son of Zeus, who stood out like an immortal god among his hero companions. Queen Hippolyta asked the great hero Hercules:
- Glorious son of Zeus, tell me, what brought you to our city? Are you bringing us peace or war?
So Hercules answered the queen:
- Queen, it was not by my own will that I came here with an army, having made a long journey across a stormy sea; the ruler of Mycenae Eurystheus sent me. His daughter Admeta wants to have your belt, a gift from the god Ares. Eurystheus instructed me to get your belt.
Hippolyta was unable to refuse Hercules anything. She was already ready to voluntarily give him the belt, but the great Hera, wanting to destroy the hated Hercules, took the form of an Amazon, intervened in the crowd and began to convince the warriors to attack the army of Hercules.
- Hercules is not telling the truth, - Hera told the Amazons, - he came to you with an insidious intent: the hero wants to kidnap your queen Hippolyta and take her away as a slave to his house.
The Amazons believed Hera. They seized their weapons and attacked the army of Hercules. Ahead of the Amazonian army, Aella was rushing as fast as the wind. She was the first to attack Hercules, like a stormy whirlwind. The great hero repelled her onslaught and put her to flight, Aella thought to escape from the hero by a quick escape. All her speed did not help her, Hercules overtook her and struck her with his sparkling sword. Fell in battle and Protoya. She struck down seven heroes from among the companions of Hercules with her own hand, but she did not escape the arrow of the great son of Zeus. Then seven Amazons attacked Hercules at once; they were companions of the Artemis: no one was equal to them in the art of wielding a spear. Covering themselves with shields, they launched their spears at Hercules. but the spears flew past this time. All of them were struck down by the hero with his mace; one after another they crashed to the ground, flashing their weapons. Amazon Melanippe, who led the army into battle, was captured by Hercules, and with her captured Antiope. The formidable warriors were defeated, their army fled, many of them fell at the hands of the heroes who pursued them. The Amazons made peace with Hercules. Hippolyta bought the freedom of the mighty Melanippe at the price of her belt. The heroes took Antiope with them. Hercules gave her as a reward to Theseus for his great bravery. So Hercules got Hippolyta's belt.