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Theseus and Pirithous
Theseus, the national hero of Athens, had quite a few adventures in his time. He was the son of the king of Athens, but he was born in Troezen out of a clandestine affair. His father had left sandals and a sword under a heavy boulder, and instructed Theseus' mother that if she should have a son strong enough to lift the boulder, to send the young man to him in Athens.
At this point in the story, it is almost obligatory to point out reasons why Theseus probably didn't use brute strength to lift the boulder. Well screw that! With brute strength alone, he lifted the damn boulder, went to Athens and met his father.
His father, King Aegeus, was then married to the Medea of Jason and the Argonauts fame ( The ones who brought back the golden fleece. Remember Orpheus?). She didn't want Theseus ruining her son's inheritance and tried to slip Theseus poisoned wine. But Aegeus recognized the sword and sandals, and dashed the wine out of his son's hands. Medea then rode away on a chariot pulled by flying dragons.
Theseus had already proved himself a hero, but decided to go to the Pallace of Cnossos to battle the Minotaur. At that time, King Minos of Crete demanded sacrifices from Athens to be fed to the Minotaur, his half bull, half man step-son. With the help of Ariadne, Minos' daughter, Theseus defeated the Minotaur, and returned to Athens. In the victory celebration, they had forgotten to change the black sail of mourning, and King Aegeus, thinking his son dead, committed suicide.
Theseus became King of Athens, and once, while pirates were raiding the city, he found himself in a brawl with another man, Pirithous, the Prince of the Lapiths of the north. At that time, it was common for princes to become pirates and loot other cities until they became kings. The two men became friends, and swore an oath of loyalty.
In Sparta, lived a young woman so lovely that her face would launch a thousand ships. Theseus decided to kidnap this Helen, and have his mother take care of her until she was of marrying age. At the time, she was only thirteen. He enlisted Pirithous to do this, but soon afterward, Helen was rescued by her twin brothers, Castor and Pollux.
Pirithous later approached Theseus with a request that he join him on a very similar quest. And you'll never guess what woman he wanted to abduct.
Find out in the spellbinding Theseus and Pirithous part Two.
