nqueringe 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 Graecia. 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