The Belt of Ares – the Ninth Labour of Heracles

After Heracles had brought the mares, he
Was told by Eurystheus to go to sea
And bring back the belt of Hippolyte,
That it might be given to Admete,
The daughter of Eurystheus, whose heart
Desired that she should have it for her part.
It was the belt of Ares that the queen
Had, in order that it might be clearly seen
That first of all the Amazons was she.
So, Heracles set sail upon the sea,
And with him in his ship companions sailed,
But when they anchored, two of them were assailed.
They went ashore at the isle of Paros,
Where they were attacked by the sons of Minos,
Whose names were Chryses and Eurymedon,
And Philolaos, and Nephalion.
Then, Heracles was filled with rage and slew
Them all, and laid a siege with his whole crew
Upon the people of that island, ‘til
They sent their envoys and declared “We will
Let you take two men from us to repay
You for your loss. Take whom you will, we pray.”
So, he took Alcaios and Sthenelos,
Sons of Androgeos, son of Minos.
The siege was lifted, and he set sail again,
And to Mysia he came upon the main.
He was received at the court of Lycos,
Who was king and the son of Dascylos.
Then, Lycos made war with the Bebrycian lord,
And Heracles slew many of that horde
And King Mygdon, brother of Amycos.
This done, he gave a swath of land to Lycos,
Who afterwards called it Heracleia.
Then, when he anchored at Themiscyra,
Queen Hippolyte came to see him, and
She gave the belt to him from her own hand:
But, Hera as an Amazon was seen,
And she told them he was kidnapping the queen.
The Amazons were filled with rage and went
To stop the rape and all their fury vent.
When Heracles beheld them, he supposed
He’d been tricked, and a plot had been composed
To kill him, so he slew the queen and fought
The rest, and when their punishment was wrought,
He sailed from there and anchored next at Troy,
Which Apollo sought at that time to destroy.
Poseidon too was filled with wrath, and sent
A monster from the sea as punishment;
For they both had tested Laomedon,
When for pay they fortified Pergamon;
For this the likeness of men they assumed,
But for his pride Laomedon was doomed:
For, he refused to pay them what he owed,
So, a flood from Poseidon overflowed
The plain, and carried the monster, which brought
Them punishment: it killed who’er it caught.
Apollo plagued them, with a sore disease.
The people were beset with miseries.
But, oracles declared they’d be relieved,
Though when the king knew how, he was deeply grieved:
They told him he must offer his daughter
Up to be devoured by the sea monster.
Against some rocks, he chained her by the sea,
But, when Heracles beheld the damsel, he
Said he’d rescue her, so that she might live,
If Laomedon in return would give
The horses that Zeus gave for Ganymede:
Laomedon declared he would indeed.
But, Laomedon was a lying cheat,
For, when Heracles accomplished the feat,
And freed Hesione, the king did not
Give to Heracles the mares for his lot.
So, Heracles vowed he’d come back again,
And wage war on Troy, and see the king slain.
But, at that time, he sailed to Ainos, where
He met King Poltys, but, when he sailed from there,
He shot an arrow and killed Sarpedon,
Poltys’ brother, and son of Poseidon.
He sailed to Thasos and fought the Thracians,
And conquered them, and then unto the sons
Of Androgeos that isle did he give,
That there forthwith they could bear rule and live.
From there, he went to Torone, where he met
Two brothers, which Proteus did beget;
And Proteus’ father was Poseidon.
Polygonos was the name of one son
Of Proteus, and the second was named
Telegonus: these two for strength were famed.
To a wrestling match, they challenged Heracles,
But when they fought, he killed them both with ease.
This done, no longer there did he remain,
But sailed, at last, to Mycenae again.
There to Eurystheus did Heracles
Give, as he’d been ordered, the belt of Ares.