Afterwards, when the giants fought with the immortal gods at Pallene, Hercules aided the gods, and, after a great slaughter made by him of those sons of the earth, he became greatly renowned. For Jupiter called those only gods of Olympus who assisted him in the war, by this title of honour to distinguish the courageous from the coward; which surname he gave to Bacchus and Hercules, though their mothers were mortals, not only because they were the offspring of Jove, but likewise for that they were like him in virtuous qualifications, doing good generally to all mankind.

But Prometheus, because he stole fire from heaven, and handed it to men, was clapped in chains by Jupiter, who caused an eagle to seize and feed continually upon his liver; but Hercules, seeing that he suffered so much for his kindness to mankind, shot the bird with an arrow, and then, having pacified Jove, freed this common benefactor from all further trouble.

Afterwards he was enjoined to bring away Diomedes king of Thrace’s mares, which were kept in stalls of brass, and (by reason of their strength and fierceness) tied up in iron chains. Their provender was not from the product of the earth, but they were fed with the flesh of miserable strangers that came thither, cut in small pieces for that purpose. Hercules, to gain possession of them, laid their own master Diomedes before them, who, satiating their hunger by his flesh who had wickedly taught them to feed upon flesh, thereby became tame and manageable. Eurystheus, when they were brought to him, dedicated them to Juno, and their breed continued to the time of Alexander the Great. When he had performed this labour, he sailed with Jason to Colchis, to bring away the golden fleece by force of arms. But of this we shall speak when we come to the expedition of the Argonauts.

Then he was commanded to strip Hippolyta the Amazon of her belt. Hereupon, resolving upon a war against the Amazons, he sailed into Pontus, from him called Euxinus8, and, arriving at the mouth of the river Thermodon, he encamped near the city Themiscyra, the seat-royal of the Amazons; and first he demanded the belt to be delivered to him, which being refused, he joined battle with them.