Theseus

• 1. The Rock And The Sword

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  A young man named Theseus stood before a massive stone on the road from Troezen to Athens. It was a rock with a hollow just large enough to receive objects, as Plutarch described. He lifted it and found a sword and sandals buried beneath. His mother Aethra had told him that if he could move this heavy stone, he would know his true father was Aegeus, king of Athens. Before leaving for the city, Aegeus had hidden these items there when he left Aethra pregnant. Theseus chose to walk the dangerous land route instead of taking the safe sea path. He intended to prove his worth by defeating six chthonic bandits guarding entrances to the Underworld along the Saronic Gulf. This journey began his transformation from a boy raised in Troezen into a hero destined for Athens.

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• 2. Six Labours Of The Road

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  Theseus arrived at Epidaurus where Periphetes, known as the Club Bearer, beat opponents into the earth. The hero took the stout staff from the bandit and used it to identify himself later in vase paintings. At the Isthmus, Sinis tied travelers between two pine trees bent to the ground before releasing them to tear victims apart. Theseus slew Sinis using the same method against him. He then seduced Sinis's daughter Perigune and fathered Melanippus. North of the Isthmus at Crommyon, an enormous pig named the Crommyonian Sow terrorized the area. Phaea bred this creature which some versions claimed was offspring of Typhon and Echidna. Theseus killed the sow and continued northward toward Megara. Sciron forced travelers to wash his feet on a narrow cliff pathway before kicking them off into the sea to be eaten by a giant turtle. Theseus pushed Sciron off the cliff instead. Cercyon challenged passers-by to wrestling matches at Eleusis and killed those he defeated. Theseus beat Cercyon at wrestling and killed him. Procrustes offered beds that stretched or cut legs off to fit guests. Theseus employed Procrustes's own method to decapitate him with an axe.

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• 3. The Minotaur And The Thread

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  King Minos demanded tribute from Athens after his son Androgeus died during Panathenaic Games. Seven youths and seven maidens boarded boats every Great Year to face the half-man half-bull monster in the Labyrinth. Daedalus created the maze where the beast lived. On the third occasion, Theseus volunteered to replace one of the youths. He promised his father Aegeus he would return with white sails if successful but set out with black ones. Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, fell in love with him upon arrival in Crete. She gave him a ball of thread so he could find his way out of the Labyrinth. Theseus tied one end of the string to the doorpost and brandished a sword hidden inside his tunic. He followed instructions to go forward always down without turning left or right. At the heart of the Labyrinth, the sleeping Minotaur awoke and a tremendous fight occurred. Theseus overpowered the beast and stabbed it in the throat according to scholia on Pindar's Fifth Nemean Ode. After decapitating the creature, he used the string to escape the Labyrinth. They fled with all young Athenians and Ariadne as well as her sister Phaedra.

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• 4. Abandonment And The Sea

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  Theseus and his crew fell asleep on the beach of Naxos while searching for water. He abandoned Ariadne there before Dionysus eventually found and married her. On their return journey they stopped at Delos where Theseus danced with young Athenians. This dance still performed by islanders twists and reproduces shapes of the labyrinth called Crane. Theseus forgot to raise white sails instead of black ones when returning home. His father Aegeus believed he was dead and committed suicide throwing himself off Sounion cliff into the sea. That body of water became known as the Aegean Sea named after him. Plutarch quotes Simonides stating alternate sail given by Aegeus was not white but scarlet dyed with holm oak flowers. The tragedy marked the end of the heroic youth's first great mission and began years of political struggle within Athens itself.

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• 5. The Rock Of Eternal Punishment

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  Phaedra daughter of King Minos became second wife to Theseus after Ariadne's death. She bore two sons Demophon and Acamas while still infants. Phaedra fell in love with Hippolytus son by Amazon queen Hippolyta. Some versions claim Hippolytus scorned Aphrodite becoming follower of Artemis causing punishment. He rejected her out of chastity despite her pleas. In Euripides version nurse told Hippolytus about mistress's love before hanging herself. Phaedra wrote on tablet claiming rape occurred before taking own life. Theseus believed accusation and used one three wishes received from Poseidon against son. Curse caused horses frightened by sea monster usually bull dragging rider to death. Artemis later revealed truth promising vengeance on another follower of Aphrodite. Seneca's play shows Phaedra committing suicide out of guilt since she did not intend death. Dionysus sent wild bull terrifying horses in yet another version. Cult grew around Hippolytus associated with Aphrodite where girls offered locks hair before marriage. Asclepius

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• 6. Curse And The Sea Monster

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  resurrected him living sacred forest near Aricia in Latium.

  Lycomedes king of island Skyros threw Theseus off cliff after he lost popularity in Athens. This exile marked tragic end for the hero who once united Attica under Athenian rule. In 475 BC Cimon conquered Skyros following oracle instructions identifying remains as coffin great corpse bronze spear-head side sword. Plutarch recorded discovery confirming Theseus died there rather than elsewhere. Remains found by Cimon reburied in Athens establishing final resting place for legendary figure. Early modern name Theseion Temple applied mistakenly to Hephaestus temple thought actual site hero tomb. Pausanias wrote rock originally called altar Zeus Sthenius renamed Rock Theseus because hero took sword sandals from beneath it during journey from Troezen to Hermione. The physical evidence discovered centuries later validated oral traditions about his death and burial location.

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