Theseus


By: Eduardo Dones

            Theseus was born from Aethra, his mother, and Aegeus, his father.  Aegeus had never known Aethra was pregnant. Before Theseus was born his grandfather Pitheus had put his sword and pair of shoes under a large rock and said if the child was a boy and could lift the rock that they would be for him.  Theseus was raised and taught by his grandfather in his own house at Troezen.  Theseus grew up to be very strong, with unusual courage and intelligence.  When the time came and his mother had taken him to the rock, Theseus easily lifted the rock.  Theseus then took the sword and the shoes and said his goodbyes.  Then he was off to Athens. 

            Instead of taking the boat to Athens, he walked even though he knew the danger of bandits.   Pitheus had even told Theseus of all the robbers on the road, but Theseus insisted that it was disgraceful to take the easy way to Athens instead of the hard way.  On his way to Athens he encountered a man named Periphetes, also known as the Club Bearer.  Theseus had slain him rather easily in a fair fight and acquired his weapon called the Spider’s Fang. Continuing on, Theseus encountered another villain called Sinnis, also known as the Pine Bender. Theseus then put Sinnis to rest and continued on. Around half way to Athens people had warned him to beware of Phaea the Sow of Crommyon.  She was very fierce, old and ugly. She had got that name by being very savage and robbing people.  When Theseus had came to her parts, he killed her before moving on.  Next, Theseus killed Sciron, a robber of travelers along the road.  Sciron threw his victims off a cliff. Theseus threw Sciron off the same cliff.  When Theseus made it to Eleusis he killed Cercyon in a wrestling match and after that killed Procrustes by stretching him on his own torture rack.

            Finally arriving in Athens, he found the city in despair thanks to Medea. Here Medea persuaded King Aegeus to poison Theseus.   So when dinner was set for the hero, Theseus brought out his sword and pretended to cut the meat.  Aegeus recognized the sword and spilled out the cup of poison. A man named Pallas, who had fifty sons, sent some of them to kill Theseus but instead of Theseus dying the intruders did.  Now that Theseus had settled down he did not want to become lazy, so he went to Marathon.

              In Marathon there was a bull terrorizing the people.  Theseus captured the bull and sacrificed it to Apollo the sun god.  Now King Minos of Crete demanded tribute because his eldest son had been murdered. He said that every nine years seven boys and seven girls would have to go to Crete as his sacrifice.  When Theseus heard of this he volunteered to be one of the 14 victims.  All of Aegeus’ tears could not turn Theseus away from his resolution.  Black sails were on the ship taking the victims to Crete but Aegeus demanded to have white sails aboard the ship when they returned so he would know Theseus had been safe.  When they arrived, King Minos’ daughter  fell deeply in love with Theseus.  She gave him a ball of string to mark his way around the labyrinth.  Theseus killed the Minotaur and led the hostages to freedom.  King Minos’ daughter Ariadne went back to Athens with Theseus.  Everyone was so overjoyed that they forgot to put up the white sails.  When Aegeus saw this he committed suicide by jumping off a cliff.  After the suicide Theseus became king. 

            The people wanted to have a better political arrangement so Theseus ended the Monarchy and brought up a Democracy.  Theseus was the first king to start a Democracy voluntarily. After Theseus had settled once again he traveled to Amazonia, the land of the Amazons.  The Amazonians brought gifts to Theseus and his men.  Theseus invited the Queen aboard.  When she came on Theseus set sail with the captive.  That began the war with the Amazons.  The Amazons had conquered all the way to Athens to end up in a draw.  A peace treaty was finally made and the Amazons returned to Amazonia.  When Theseus returned to Athens one of his noble men named Menestheus was stirring up trouble and got the townspeople to turn against Theseus.  They imprisoned Theseus in a town called Pluto.  Heracles, who stopped by Pluto coincidently, heard what happened to Theseus and asked for him to be free. They gave in to Hercules’ demands and let Theseus go.  When he returned to Athens he found that things had changed.  The minds of people had become corrupted.  Theseus left Athens after trying to regain leadership. He sailed to Scyros where he died.  No one cared of Theseus’ death.  Thereafter in Athens Menestheus took over as king. This ends the story of Theseus, the Athenian Adventurer. 

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