Before Theseus was born, his father, King Aegeus of Athens, traveled to the Delphic oracle.
The oracle warned Aegeus not to open his wine flask before he returned home.
Not understanding the message, Aegeus got drunk on his way back to Athens and slept with a woman named Aethra.
When Aegeus realized she was pregnant, he took a sword and sandals and placed them under a rock.
He told Aethra not to tell the child who his father was, but when he was strong enough to lift the rock and retrieve the sword and sandals, she should send him to Athens.
Theseus grew into a strong young man. When he was old enough, Aethra took him to the rock and told him about his father.
Realizing that he was the heir to the Athenian throne, Theseus lifted the rock, took the sandals and sword, and set off for Athens.
By then, King Aegeus had grown old and feeble and many Athenians plotted to seize his throne. He was overjoyed when he recognized Theseus wearing the sandals and holding the sword he had placed under the rock.
After defeating Aegeus’s enemies, Theseus told his father that he would kill a monster that had threatened Athens for decades, the Minotaur.
Related Posts
-
How Did Theseus Defeat the Minotaur In Ancient Greek Mythology?
When Theseus arrived in Crete, Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, fell in love with the hero. She gave Theseus a sword and a ball of thread, which he tied to a stone…
-
Who Was Jason In Ancient Greek Mythology and How Did Jason Regain His Father’s Kingdom?
Jason was a hero in ancient Greek mythology whose travels took him to the ends of the earth. When Jason was a young man, he agreed to carry an old woman across a…
-
Who Was King Midas In Greek Mythology and How Did King Midas’ Touch Turn Everything To Gold?
King Midas was ruler of Phrygia, a land covered with roses. One day, King Midas's servants discovered the satyr Silenus, a creature that was half man, half goat, in a drunken slumber in…
-
What Was the Golden Fleece In Greek Mythology and Why Did King Aeetes Sacrifice the Bull To Zeus?
The Golden Fleece was a coat of fur from a sacred bull that had been sent by Zeus to rescue a child about to be sacrificed by his father. The bull swooped down…
-
How Did the Olympic Games Originate According To Greek Mythology and How Did Pelops Honor King Oenomaus?
A king named Oenomaus had a beautiful daughter, Hippodamia, who attracted the attention of many suitors. But the king jealously guarded his daughter, and he challenged each suitor to a chariot race. If…
-
What Happened To King Menelaus and Odysseus After the Trojan War According To Greek Mythology?
For the Greeks, the Trojan War was a hollow victory. The gods grew angry with the Greeks for destroying holy temples while sacking Troy. Few of the Greek warriors survived the journey home,…
