Questions about Theseus

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Who were the six chthonic bandits Theseus defeated on his journey from Troezen to Athens?

Theseus defeated Periphetes, Sinis, the Crommyonian Sow, Sciron, Cercyon, and Procrustes. He used their own methods against them before continuing northward toward Megara.

How did Theseus kill the Minotaur in the Labyrinth created by Daedalus?

Theseus stabbed the beast in the throat according to scholia on Pindar's Fifth Nemean Ode. He then decapitated the creature and used Ariadne's thread to escape the maze.

Why did King Aegeus commit suicide after Theseus returned from Crete?

Aegeus believed his son was dead because Theseus forgot to raise white sails instead of black ones. The king threw himself off Sounion cliff into the sea which became known as the Aegean Sea named after him.

What happened to Phaedra daughter of King Minos who married Theseus?

Phaedra fell in love with Hippolytus son by Amazon queen Hippolyta and wrote a false claim of rape before taking her own life. Asclepius later resurrected Hippolytus living sacred forest near Aricia in Latium.

When were the remains of Theseus discovered and reburied in Athens?

Cimon conquered Skyros in 475 BC following oracle instructions identifying remains as coffin great corpse bronze spear-head side sword. Plutarch recorded discovery confirming Theseus died there rather than elsewhere.

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