The Amazons

Deep in the Caucasus mountains, a group of women lived like no other. Their existence was but a legend to many, the echoes of their battle cries blending with the winds of the Black Sea. It was better this way, for those that did know of them rarely spoke their name. A hushed whisper, spoken in fear and reverence. Ἀμαζός – The Amazons. 

No one was allowed to enter the fortress in the hills, and the women rarely emerged. When they did, it was brief, only to reproduce. They descended into the towns below, taking men as their prisoners and spoils of war, but only for a night. Then, once they were no longer necessary, the men were freed, and the Amazons retreated back to their camp. 

At the end of nine months, should the child be born a boy, he was returned to his father. A girl, though, a girl was celebrated and worshiped, welcomed by the tribe. She would be trained in the ways of her mother, and her mother’s mother. A powerful lineage stretching back generations, a tradition of strength. Such was the duty of Hippolyte. 

Though she was small, the lightest of her class, Hippolyte excelled in her training. She fought brave and quick, using her slight frame to her advantage. Never did she hesitate, quick with her bow and her blade alike. 

Her transition from student to warrior was marked by the removal of her right breast, a spiritual tradition as much as it was a useful one. Without the hindrance of the weight and bulk on the right side of her chest, Hippolyte was able to draw her bow with even more ease and speed. It was her great skill with a bow that brought her to the defensive line at the mouth of the Thermodon River. 

Here, she perched in the trees, watching carefully over her sisters on the ground. Most of the long, hot days passed with no incident, for no one who knew of the Amazons would dare to trespass. Those who did not know, though, often chose to fight with the confidence of men who underestimate their enemy. 

It was one such encounter that earned Hippolyte and her squadron the accolades they so deserved. Just as the afternoon began to draw to a close, she glanced westward. She squinted, thinking she must be hallucinating with the setting sun glaring into her eyes, but no – a ship approached. 

The boat idled to a stop along the shore, and several men disembarked. Then, several more. Soon, a whole fleet of Greek seamen stood facing the Amazon women, looking smug. 

“What do we have here?” spoke the captain, “Some little ladies playing dress-up? Why don’t you come aboard the ship? We can help you get out of that heavy armor.” 

Hippolyte descended from her post, joining her comrades on the ground. She sensed hand-to-hand combat was on its way. All together, the women were a team of six, the men, at least forty strong. The Amazons stood tall and fought bravely, but they were simply outnumbered. The six women were tied and thrown below the deck, where they sat listening to the men above drinking, laughing, and celebrating their cowardly victory. 

Hours passed, and still, the men celebrated. The women paid close attention to the motion of the ship, tracking their location precisely. The ship lumbered slowly down the Thermodon, finally making the turn out into the Black Sea. 

As the music above began to die down and the men began to drift into a drunken sleep, the Amazons took action. Hippolyte hacked away at the ropes that bound her wrists, gnawing them with her teeth. When she was able, she pulled the dagger concealed within her breastplate and slashed the bindings at her ankles. Her squadron did the same. In a matter of minutes, all six women were free. 

They crept towards the door, holding on a silent count. Then, with the fury and efficiency of a pack of wolves, the Amazons burst forth. They howled and screeched, fighting with both the bloodlust of a wild animal and the precision of a surgeon. Hippolyte’s lithe movements became almost a dance as she leapt over the men trying to grab at her ankles. She swung her dagger, dragging it across the necks of anyone who dared to get close. The women slashed their way across the ship, a trail of bodies and bloodshed in their wake. As quickly as they had emerged, the women leapt overboard and were gone. What remained of the men watched helplessly as the Amazons began to swim. 

“You’ll die out there! This was all in vain! You should have let us have you, you stupid women! Watch, you’ll drown within the hour!” cried the defeated men, but the Amazons did not drown. No, they had trained for this. The women swam for miles, just as they did each morning against the current of the Thermodon. They reached the shores with ease, and the team began to set up camp. 

After a well-earned rest, the women simply began to walk. They hiked the trails along the shoreline, following the sea’s edge to the river, and then the river back to their beloved fortress in the hills, talking and laughing the whole way home.