Ay, ay, Thalestris, said Miss Glanville: it is such a strange name I could not remember it; but, pray, was there ever such a person?
Certainly, madam, there was, replied Sir George: she was queen of the Amazons, a warlike nation of women, who possessed great part of Cappadocia, and extended their conquests so far, that they became formidable to all their neighbours.
You find, miss, said Arabella, I did not attempt to impose upon you, when I told you of the admirable valour of that beautiful queen; which indeed was so great, that the united princes, in whose cause she fought, looked upon her assistance to be equal to that of a whole army; and they honoured her accordingly, with the most distinguishing marks of their esteem and acknowledgment, and offered her the chief command of their forces.
O shameful! cried Sir Charles: offer a woman the command of an army! Brave fellows indeed, that would be commanded by a woman! Sure you mistake, niece: there never was such a thing heard of in the world.
What, sir, said Arabella, will you contradict a fact attested by the greatest historians that ever were? You may as well pretend to say, there never were such persons as Oroondates or Juba, as dispute the existence of the famous Thalestris.
Why, pray, madam, said Sir Charles, who were those?
One of them, replied Arabella, was the great king of Scythia; and the other, prince of the Two Mauritanias.
Odds-heart! interrupted Sir Charles, I believe their kingdoms are in the moon: I never heard of Scythia, or the Two Mauritanias, before.
And yet, sir, replied Arabella, those kingdoms are doubtless as well known as France or England; and there is no question but the descendants of the great Oroondates, and the valiant Juba, sway the sceptres of them to this day.
I must confess, said Sir George, I have a very great admiration for those two renowned princes, and have read their beautiful exploits with infinite pleasure; notwithstanding which, I am more inclined to esteem the great Artaban than either of them.