Penthesilea (Greek: Πενθεσίλεια) or
Penthesileia was an
Amazonian queen in
Greek mythology, the daughter of
Ares and
Otrera and the sister of
Hippolyta,
Antiope and
Melanippe.
Quintus Smyrnaeus explains more fully than
pseudo-Apollodorus how Penthesilea came to be at Troy: Penthesilea had killed Hippolyta with a spear when they were hunting deer; this accident caused Penthesilea so much grief that she wished only to die, but, as a warrior and an Amazon, she had to do so honorably and in battle. She therefore was easily convinced to join in the
Trojan War, fighting on the side of
Troy's defenders.