150 
AMAZONS. 
Here the Athenians were routed, and shamefully turned their backs 
to women, as far as the temple of the Furies. But fresh supplies 
coming in from Palladium, Ardettus, and Lyceum, charged their right 
wing, and beat them back into their tents ; in which action, a great- 
number of the Amazons were slain. 
In another place he says, “It appears that the passage of the 
Amazons through Thessaly was not without opposition ; for there 
are yet to be seen many of their sepulchres near Scrotusaea and 
Cynocephalee.” And in his Life of Pompey, he says, “ They inhabit 
those parts of Mount Caucasus that look toward the Hyrcanian sea, 
not bordering upon the Albanians, for the territories of the Getae and 
the Leges life betwixt ; and these people do they yearly, for two 
months only, company with, near the river Thermodoon. After that, 
they retire to their own habitations, and live alone all the rest of the 
year.'’ 
%/ 
Quintus Curtius says, “ The nation of the Amazons is situated upon 
the borders of Hyrcania, inhabiting the plains of Thermiscyra, near 
the river Thermodoon. Their queen was named Thalestris, and she 
had under her subjection all the country that lies between mount 
Caucasus and the river Phasis. This queen came out of her domi- 
nions in consequence of an ardent desire she had conceived to see 
Alexander; and being advanced near the place where he was, she 
previously sent messengers to acquaint him, that the queen was come 
to have the satisfaction of seeing and conversing with him. Having 
obtained permission to visit him, she advanced with three hundred of 
the Amazons, leavitig the rest of her troops behind. As soon as she 
came within sight of the king, she leaped from her horse, holding two 
javelins in her right hand. 
The apparel of the Amazons does not cover all the body ; for 
the left side is naked down to the stomach, nor do the skirts of their 
garments, which they tie up in a knot, reach below' their knees. They 
preserve their left breast entire, that they may be able to suckle their 
female oflkpring ; and they cut off and sear their right, that they may 
draw their bows and cast their darts with the greater ease. 
Thalestris looked at the king with an undaunted countenance, and 
narrow ly examined his person ; which did not, according to her ideas, 
come up to the fame of his great exploits ; for the barbarians have great 
veneration for a majestic person, esteeming those only to be capable 
of performing great actions, on whom nature has conferred a digni- 
fied appearance. The king having asked her whether she had any 
thing to desire of him, she replied w'ithout scruple or hesitation, that 
‘ she was come with a view to bring him heirs to his dominions. Their 
offspring, if of the female sex, she would retain herself ; and if of 
the male sex, it should be delivered to Alexander. He then asked her 
^ whether she would accompany him in his warst But this she declined, 
alleging that she had left no one to take care of her kingdom. Jus- 
tin also repeatedly mentions this visit of Thalestris to Alexander, and 
in one place he says, that she had a march of twenty-five days in order 
to obtain this meeting with him. The interview between Alexander and 
Thalestris is likewise mentioned by Diodorus Siculus. The learned 
Goroppius, as quoted by Dr. Petit, laments the hard fate of ThalegT 
