ABSTRACT
This subject is rich and confused and is often approached with a lack of calm; it can easily inspire polemic, vulgarity or ambiguity. The myth of virile women occurs in many cultures and has all kinds of different meanings. However, though such exclusivity clearly has risks and may attract accusations of abuse the present study considers the theme only in terms of the two figures that seem best to encapsulate the issues involved: the Amazons and the Valkyries. Both have the added advantage of being directly mythical.
