The 9th labour. The belt of Hippolyta, with Barbara Colombo
A false rumour is all it takes to turn a gift into a massacre
The ninth labour takes Hercules to Themiscyra, on the shores of the Black Sea, in the land of the Amazons. He does not have to face a beast: Eurystheus orders him to bring his daughter Admete the belt of Hippolyta, the queen of that people of women warriors. The belt is a gift from Ares, god of war, and the sign of the sovereign’s power.
The meeting with Hippolyta
Hercules sets sail with a few companions and finds an unexpected welcome: Hippolyta receives him kindly and promises to hand over the belt of her own accord. The labour seems already over, without a fight.
Hera’s false rumour
But Hera steps in. Disguised as an Amazon, she spreads the rumour among the warriors that the stranger has come to abduct their queen. The Amazons take up arms. Hercules, convinced he has been betrayed, kills Hippolyta and seizes the belt. According to other versions of the myth, he instead captures Melanippe, the queen’s sister, and returns her in exchange for the belt. Back in Greece, he delivers the trophy to Eurystheus, who gives it to Admete.
Why it speaks to our time
This feat does not measure the hero’s strength but his fragility in the face of a false rumour. What could have been a gift becomes a war. The ninth labour shows how little it takes to turn an agreement into violence, and how useless a victory won in this way is.
21 February 2027 · from 3.30 pm
Civico Museo Parisi Valle
Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca
Civico Museo Parisi Valle
Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca
