Download The Myth of Theseus

The Myth of Theseus
Theseus: The Athenian Hero
• Son of Poseidon, Aegeus (king of Athens) and
Aethra (princess of Troezen).
• The myths of Theseus appear to preserve a fair
amount of historical memory.
• The Athenians believed that Theseus was a
historical person, an early king who unified Attica.
• In 475 the politician Kimon brought to Athens
remains which were believed to belong to
Theseus, much like the cult of relics in medieval
Christianity.
Theseus: Early years
• Young Theseus recovers his
father’s sword, and takes the
land route to Athens.
• He defeats Prokroustes and
places him on the same bed
where he put his victims to fit.
• Sines, the pine-tree bender
• Skiron, who kicked passengers
into the sea
• several other bandids
Theseus in Athens
• Once in Athens
Theseus faces danger
from Medea, the
famous witch consort
of Aegeus, and his
cousins the 50 gigantic
sons of Pallas
• He slays his cousins
• He slays the
Marathonian bull
Theseus and Minotaur
• Human tribute to Minos
• Theseus sent to Crete to
be sacrificed
• Ariadne falls in love with
him and gives him a way
out of the labyrinth
• Theseus slays Minotaur
• Ariadne abandoned at
Naxos
• Aegeus throws himself
into the sea
The bull in the mythology of Crete
• Zeus seduces Europa in
Phoenicia and carries her to
Crete.
• Minos, Radamantys and
Sarpedon (Iliad) her sons
• Minotaur: son of the bull and
Pasiphae (or Poseidon and
Pasiphae)
• The myths are probably
aetiological meant to explain
the prominence of the bull in
Minoan art and cultural
iconography.