Middle English Literature

Prose Life of Alexander (Thornton Ms). EETS, o.s. 143. The Text. London: Kegan Paul,
Trench, Trübner, 65–7.
Language: English (Northeast Midland)
Manuscript date: ca. 1440
Fra theine Alexander sent a lettre till Talifride,
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quene of Amazon, of this
tenour: “Kyng of kynges, and lorde of lordes, Alexander, the son of Godd
Amon and the Quene Olympias, un-to Talifride, the quene of Amazon, joy.
The grete bataylles that we hafe hadd wit Kyng Darius, and how we hafe
conquered all his rewme and his lordchipes, we trowe be noghte unknawen
un-to yow.
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And also how we hafe foghten with Porus, the kyng of Inde,
and his cheeffe citee wonnen. And also wit many other folkes, and thay
ware never of powere to agaynestande us, the whilke we suppose be noghte
unknawen un-to yowe. Whare-fore, we sende yow worde and commandeth
yow that ye sende us tribute if ye will that wee com noghte to yow to do
yow disesse.”
And un-to this lettre Talifride made ansuere by lettre one this wyse:
“Talyfride, quene of Amazon, wit other grete ladys of oure rewme, un-tille
Alexander, kynge of Macedoyne, joy. We hafe wel herde telle of the hye
witt that es in the, thurgh whilke thou hase in mynde thynges that ere
passede, and disposeth thynges that ere present, and knaweth thynges
that ere to come. Avyse the wele tharefore are thou come till us, what
trebulacionnes and disesse may falle the in thi commynge. For thare was
never nane yit that werreyed agaynes us that ne he had schame thare-offe
at the ende. And thare-fore take hede to thi last ende. For grete schame
it es till a wyse man thurgh indiscrecion to falle in mescheffe.
“Bot if it be lykynge to the to knawe our conversacyon and oure habitacion,
we declare it un-to the be oure present lettres that oure habitacion es in
ane ile that es closede aboute wit a grete rever that nother hase bygynnynge
nor endynnge. Bot on a syde we hafe a strayte entree. And the nowmer of
women that duelleth ther-in es 214,000 that ere noghte filed wit
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men.
For oure husbandes duelleth noghte amangeth us ne no nother man, bot
on the tother syde of the rever. And ilke a yere we make a solempne feste in
the wirchipe of Jubiter thirty days. And than we go till oure husbandes and
duelleth wit tham other thirty dayes, and hase oure luste and oure disporte
to-gedir as kynde askes. And if any of us consayfe and bere a childe, if it be
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to Thalestris.
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Alexander defeated Darius III (d. 330 
BCE
), emperor of Persia.
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raped by, having sex with.
Amazons
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Gender, Sexuality, and Difference
a male, the modere kepis it seven yere and than sendes it to the fadere. And
if scho bere a mayden childe, the moder haldes it with hir and teches it oure
maners.
“When we goo to werre agayne youre enemys, we ere one hundred
thousand rydand one horse wele armede. And sum of us hase bowes and
arowes, and sum speres, and other diverse wapyne. And the remanent kepeth
oure ile. And when we come wit the victorye, oure husbandes does us grete
wirchipe.
“And thare-fore if thou come agaynes us, we late the witt that we will
feghte wit the at all oure myghte. And if it happen that thou hafe the
victory of us, wirchipe sall it nane be to the bi-cause thou hase discomfit
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women. And if we discomfit the, it sall be an heghe wirchippe till us that
we may discomfit so wirchipfull an emperour, and to the it sall be a hye
reprove. Where-fore, we sygnifie un-to the by oure lettres that thou come
noghte agaynes us for sekerly thare may grete dysese come thare-offe, that
peraventure thou knaweth noghte now offe at this tymme.”
When Alexander hadd redd this lettre, he began to lawghe. And onane
he garte
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writte another lettre and sent it to Talyfride, whare-offe the
tenour was this: “Alexander, kyng of kynges and of lordes, the son of Godd
Amon and the Qwene Olympias, to Talyfride, quene of Amazon, and the
other ladys of the same rewme: joy. We late yow weite that thre parties of
the werld – that es to say, Asye, Affric, and Europe – we hafe conquered
and made subjects un-till us, and thare was never nane of tham that myghte
agaynstande oure powere. And if we now suld noghte be of powere to
feghte with yowe, it ware ane heghe schame till us. Never-the-lesse, for als
mekill als we lufe your conversacion, we consell that ye co[m]e forthe of
your ile and your husbondes wit yow, and appere in oure presence. For
we swere yow bi God Amon oure Fader and by all oure goddes, that ye sall
hafe na disesse of us. Bot gyffeth us sumwhat in name of tribute, and we
schall fynd yow and youre Amazonns that come wit yow horse ynowe. And
when you listees for to wende hame agayne, ye schall hafe gude leve.”
And when the Amazons hadd redd this lettre, thay went to consell and
thoghte it was beste for to ascent un-till hym. And than thay sent hym ten
stedes, the beste that myghte be funden in any cuntree, and ten other
horse, the beste that myghte be geten, and a grete sum of golde. And
Talifride hir selfe and other ladys wit hir went un-till hym and accorded wit
hym, and went hame agayne wonder glade and blythe.
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overcome.
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had.

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