Theseus

Theseus was the greatest hero of Athens. When king Aegeus of Athens wanted children he went to Delphi to consult the oracle about it, but did not understand the answer. He then went to the wise king Pittheus in Troezen, who instead of telling Aegeus what the answer meant gave him his daughter Aethra. She had been seduced by Poseidon the same night, and the child, Theseus, she had was therefore considered both Aegeus and Poseidon's son.

Aegeus hid his sword and sandals under a rock, and said that when Theseus was strong enough to lift the rock, he would bring the things to his father for recognition.
When Theseus was only 16 he lifted the rock and headed off for Athens. On his way he went through many adventures. He killed the bandit Periphetes who would kill travellers with his club, and from thereon the club was his constant companion.

He then met Sinis, another scoundrel who would tie travelers to two trees that he had bent down. He then let go of the trees, and the unfortunate would be torn apart. Theseus punished Sinis with the same way, and according to one version this deed was the foundation of the Isthmian games.

He then killed the wild boar of Cromyon, and headed off for the "evil stairs" at Gerania. They were rocks near the sea, and a bandit there, Sciron, would ask travellers to wash his feet. Sciron would then kick them into the sea where a turtle ate the victim. Theseus killed Scircon with the same brutal way. Theseus then reached Eleusis where the brute Cercyon would challenge all the travellers to fight him. Noone had made it past him alive, but Theseus lifted him up in the air and crushed him against the ground.

Next bandit was Procrustes, also called Damastes. He had a bed where he would put travellers to measure them. If they were too tall he would cut off their feet, and if they were too short he would stretch them. By defeating him, Theseus had cleared the road from Troize, over Corinth and Isthmus to Eleusis and Athens from bandits.

On his arrival in Athens noon knew who he was, but the kings new wife, the witch Medea, sensed a threat from Theseus. She told king Aegeus that the young man was conspiring against him, and the king sent Theseus away to catch the bull from Crete that was roaming around in Marathon. On his way to Marathon, Theseus stayed in the house of an old lady, who took care of him the best she could. After killing the bull, Theseus went to see her on his way back, but found her dead. He buried her and headed back to Athens.

Medea now tried to poison him. She gave a cup of poisoned wine to king Aegeus who offered it to Theseus. The hero then presented Aegeus with his sword. Aegeus recognized it, and pushed the cup out of Theseus hand before he could drink. Medea was chased out of Athens.

The next adventure, a certainly the most famous, was the killing of the Minotaur. Athens would send seven young boys and seven young girls to king Minosin Crete as a tribute every nine years. There, they would be sacrificed to the half man half bull Minotaur that lived in the labyrinth of Knossos. Theseus set off for Crete as one of the boys to end this monstrosity, promising his father that his ships would bear white sails if he made it. Because of the nature of the trip, the Athenian ships carrying the fourteen children would have black sails of mourning. It was the third expedition.

The Cretan king Minos daughter Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and helped him by giving him a nest of thread to tie to the entrance of the labyrinth in order to find his way back. When Theseus had killed the Minotaur, he fled Crete together with Ariadne. They first landed on the holy island of Delos, where a party was held. The young girls danced, and this dance would be held there to the honour of Apollo later on. After this they went to Naxos where Ariadne was left behind after falling asleep.

Because of the joy and celebration after this adventure, Theseus forgot to change the sails. When his father Aegeus sat on a rock looking for the ships, and saw the black sails approaching, he jumped from the rock into the sea, which got the name the Aegean Sea. Theseus did not stop his adventures after he became king, and he abducted the Amazon Hippolyte with whom he had the son Hippolytus. He left Hippolyte later for Minos daughter Phaedra, and on their wedding day the Amazon walked into the party and killed herself.

The punishment came soon. Phaedra fell in love with Hippolytus, who rejected her. She then told Theseus his son had tried to seduce her, and Theseus asked Poseidon to punish Hippolytus. The god sent a bull from the sea, which frightened Hippolytus horses and killed him. Father and son reconciliated on Hippolytus deathbed.

Theseus was also part in the Calydonian boar hunt and the Argonaut's quest for the Golden Fleece. When Theseus wanted Helen, his friend Perithoos helped him. They abducted Helen who was still just a child, and Theseus imprisoned her in a castle in north Attica. When Theseus was away Helens brothers freed her and took Theseus mother Aethra, who became Helens servant.

When Perithoos wanted Persephone Theseus went with him to Hades. The god of Death invited them to sit on a rock, and there they grew to the rock. Heracles freed Theseus later and he could return to Athens.

There, Menestheus had seized the throne, and Theseus went to Skyros where he was murdered by the king Lycomedes. His bones were later brought back to Athens and his tomb was dedicated to the poor and helpless.