Theseus

Family: Athens · Role: hero and king · First appears: Theseus

Theseus, hero and king of Athens, was born at Troezen to Aethra, while his true parentage remained concealed. His lineage on his father’s side reached back to Erechtheus and the first inhabitants of Attica, and on his mother’s side to Pelops. He was brought up by his grandfather Pittheus under the care of his tutor and attendant Connidas, while Aegeus left tokens beneath a stone for the son who could one day retrieve them. When Theseus reached Athens, Aegeus recognized the tokens, embraced him, and publicly acknowledged him as his son and successor.

On his way to Athens, Theseus slew Periphetes, Sinnis, Phaea, Sciron, Cercyon, Damastes, Procrustes, and Corynetes, relieving Greece of terrible oppressors. He voluntarily offered himself among the youths and virgins sent as tribute to Crete; there, Ariadne, who had fallen in love with him, gave him the thread that led him through the labyrinth. Theseus escaped, slew the monster, and returned with Ariadne and the Athenian captives. After his return, his failure to display the promised sail made Aegeus believe he had died, and Aegeus threw himself into the sea. Theseus then gathered the inhabitants of Attica into one city and made them one people under a commonwealth.

Theseus was related to Hercules and Daedalus, became Pirithous’s friend and brother in arms, and helped Hercules obtain purification at Eleusis; they later met with mutual respect and admiration. He was associated with Aegle, Antiope, Ariadne, and others, and accounts also say that he married Periboea, Phereboea, Iope, and Phaedra; Hippolytus was his son by Antiope, while Oenopion and Staphylus were said to be his sons by Ariadne. He and Pirithous abducted Helen from Sparta when Theseus was fifty, and he sent his children secretly to Euboea under the care of Elephenor. His rivals included Menestheus, while Castor and Pollux were said to be at enmity with him.

Theseus was eventually imprisoned by Aidoneus after Pirithous was thrown to the dogs, but Hercules obtained his release. After Theseus cursed the people of Athens and sailed to Scyros, Lycomedes, either to gratify Menestheus or from jealousy, led him to a cliff and threw him to his death. About four hundred years later, Cimon captured Scyros, discovered Theseus’s tomb, and carried his remains with great ceremony to Athens. In comparison with Romulus, Theseus was presented as a rival figure: both were suited by nature to govern, while Theseus was credited with killing Sciron, Sinnis, Procrustes, and Corynetes as preludes to his greater deeds.