soldieress

Honored Hippolyta ,
Most dreaded Amazonian , that hast slain
The scythe-tusked boar ; that with thy arm , as strong
As it is white , wast near to make the male
To thy sex captive , but that this thy lord ,
Born to uphold creation in that honor
First nature styled it in , shrunk thee into
The bound thou wast o’erflowing , at once subduing
Thy force and thy affection ; soldieress
That equally canst poise sternness with pity ,
Whom now I know hast much more power on him
Than ever he had on thee , who ow’st his strength
And his love too , who is a servant for
The tenor of thy speech , dear glass of ladies ,
Bid him that we , whom flaming war doth scorch ,
Under the shadow of his sword may cool us ;
Require him he advance it o’er our heads ;
Speak ’t in a woman’s key , like such a woman
As any of us three ; weep ere you fail .
Lend us a knee ;
But touch the ground for us no longer time
Than a dove’s motion when the head’s plucked off .
Tell him if he i’ th’ blood-sized field lay swoll’n ,
Showing the sun his teeth , grinning at the moon ,
What you would do .