Section 3, I/19-I/27 Summary and Analysis

In "About Queen Penthesila and how she went to the rescue of the city of Troy," the intelligent, courageous and virtuous Queen Penthesila secedes Orithyia. She falls in love with Hector of Troy when she hears of his many courageous feats and travels to see him. When Queen Penthesila arrives in Troy and learns of Hector's death, she promises vengeance and attacks the Greeks, nearly killing Achilles' son, Pyrrhus. When Pyrrhus recovers, he kills Queen Penthesila, causing the Amazons to mourn. They never have a better queen though their empire lasts eight hundred years. In "About Zenobia, Queen of Palmyria," Zenobia marries the King of Palmyria who is ambitious to conquer the entire East and the surrounding empires. Zenobia joins him in battle, subjugating Mesopotamia and capturing the Persian ruler, Sapor. When the king is killed by...