The 9th labor of heracles was to retrieve
the magic girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the
Amazons.
Eurystheus' spoilt daughter Admete, desired
the girdle, a gift to the Amazonian queen
by her father, Ares, so Erystheus asked heracles
to obtain it as his next task.
In the company of some friends, heracles sailed
off for the legendary land of Themiscyra,
home of the Amazons.
On their way, they stopped at the island of
paros, inhabited by the sons of minos.
the princes killed 2 of heracles friends,
and heracles in turn, killed 2 of the princes,
demanding that 2 inhabitants of paros replace
his dead friends.
Minos' grandsons agreed to join the band,
and they continued their journey.
After a brief visit to his friend at Lycus,
heracles finally reached Themiscyra, where
he was well received by Hippolyta.
The queen was undoubtedly impressed by heracles'
famed deeds that she was willing to hand him
the girdle, then hera interfered.
The vengeful goddess disguised herself as
one of the amazons, spreading rumors heracles
had come to capture their queen, so the amazons
set off to arrest this foe.
Now when heracles saw them, he believed that
it was a plot by hippolyta, that she never
wanted to give him the girdle as she promised
she would.
So he engaged her in battle and ultimately
killed her.
Taking the girdle, he managed to escape Themyscira
and returned to Tiryns, presenting the magic
girdle to Eurystheus, his task, a success.
