Jordanes, Getica 8: no need for men.

Mediaeval historians often have delightful phantasies. Jordanes  (6^th century) for instance tells in his  Getica  - a history of the Goths - that the Amazons derived from Gothic women. At some point in early history, the Goths while roaming through Asia Minor, left their wives behind for fighting and looting. Neighbouring tribes tried to get hold of these undoubtedly Valkyrie like beauties, but they were beaten by those furies. Having discovered that they could do very well without their men, some decided to form an army and they conquered various tribes and kingdoms. However there was a problem: how to have progeny?

Jordanes, Getica, caput 8

VIII. 56 Quae veritae, ne eorum proles rarisceret, vicinis gentibus concubitum petierunt, facta nundina semel in anno, ita ut futuri temporis eadem die revertentibus in id ipsum, quidquid partus masculum edidisset, patri redderet, quidquid vero feminei sexus nasceretur, mater ad arma bellica erudiret: sive, ut quibusdam placet, editis maribus novercali odio infantis miserandi fata rumpebant. Ita apud illas detestabile puerperium erat, quod ubique constat esse votivum. 57 Quae crudelitas illis terrorem maximum cumulabat opinionis vulgatae. Nam quae, rogo, spes esset capto, ubi indulgi vel filio nefas habebatur? Contra has, ut fertur, pugnavit Herculis, et Melanis pene plus dolo quam virtute subegit. Theseus vero Hippoliten in praeda tulit, de qua et genuit Hypolitum. Hae quoque Amazones post haec habuere reginam nomine Penthesileam, cuius Troiano bello extant clarissima documenta. Nam hae feminae usque ad Alexandrum Magnum referuntur tenuisse regimen.

To be sure, when all this was supposed to have happened, the Goths  were still living in Scandinavia!

vereor veritus sum: to fear

proles, is (f.) offspring

raresco: to become rare

vicinus: neighbouring

concubitus –us (m.): sleeping together

peto petii petitum: to strive for

nundina: market day, appointed day

ita ut… patri redderet: so that (the mother)  could give back to the father

futuri temporis eadem die revertentibus in id ipsum : abl. abs.

reverto reverti: to return (cl. Latin revertor)

partus, us (m): offspring (gen.)

edo edidi editum: to bring forth, give birth

erudio: to teach

ut quibusdam placet: as others (i.e. historians) prefer

editis maribus: the males being exposed (mas, maris)

novercalis, is: of a step-mother (noverca)

fata: (here) future life

rumpo rupi ruptum: to break, destroy

puerperium: giving birth

constat esse votivum: it is certain to be wished for

illis terrorem maximum cumulabat opinionis vulgatae:  increased the fear for them of (in) general rumour  to a maximum  

captus: captive

ubi indulgi vel filio nefas habebatur: where it was considered a shame for even (vel) a sone to be spared

ut fertur: as is said

Menalis: according to the critical apparatus in the edition of Mommsen, this must be Menelippen, but the mistake seems to derive from Jordanes himself. The final n is a Greek accusative.

pene = paene:  almost

dolus: cunning

subigo subegi subactum: to conquer

in praeda tulit: took as booty

gigno genui genitum: to beget

exto: to exist

clarissima documenta:  not in Homer, but in Pseudo-Apollodorus’ Epitome of the Bibliotheke.

referuntur tenuisse regimen: are said to have hold power

Amazon in battle. Greek relief 4C BC. Künsthistorische Museum, Wien.

Translation by Charles C. Mierow (1908)

VIII (56) Fearing their race would fail, they sought marriage with neighboring tribes. They appointed a day for meeting once in every year, so that when they should return to the same place on that day in the following year each mother might give over to the father whatever male child she had borne, but should herself keep and train for warfare whatever children of the female sex were born. Or else, as some maintain, they exposed the males, destroying the life of the ill-fated child with a hate like that of a stepmother. Among them childbearing was detested, though everywhere else it is desired. (57) The terror of their cruelty was increased by common rumor; for what hope, pray, would there be for a captive, when it was considered wrong to spare even a son? Hercules, they say, fought against them and overcame Menalippe, yet more by guile than by valor. Theseus moreover, took Hippolyte captive, and of her he begat Hippolytus. And in later times the Amazons had a queen named Penthesilea, famed in the tales of the Trojan war. These women are said to have kept their power even to the time of Alexander the Great.