
What is the mother of Theseus called?
Aethra (mother of Theseus) In Greek mythology, Aethra or Aithra (Ancient Greek: Αἴθρα, pronounced [ǎi̯tʰra], English: /ˈiːθrə/, the "bright sky") was a daughter of King Pittheus of Troezen and the mother of Theseus (his father was King Aegeus of Athens, or in some versions, Poseidon) and of Clymene (by Hippalces).
Who is the father of Theseus the Greek god?
The night Theseus was conceived, his mother Aethra slept with Aegeus, the king of Athens, and Poseidon, the god of the sea. Whoever his father had been, Theseus’ exceptional parentage was evident even in his early years. Soon after Theseus reached adulthood, Aethra sent him to Athens.
Was Theseus a real person?
As the subject of myth, the existence of Theseus as a real person has not been proven, but scholars believe that he may have been alive during the Late Bronze Age possibly as a king in the 8th or 9th century BCE. Aegeus, one of the primordial kings of Athens, was childless.
What is the story of Theseus in the Odyssey?
The myth of Theseus is long and detailed. It tells of his childhood, his travels to Athens, the discovery of his true father, and how he saved countless lives with his services. Theseus was born in Troezen. His mother, Aethra, was unsure of who his father was.

Who is Theseus father and mother?
Greek Mythology Theseus was one of the most famous heroes and founder-king of Athens. He was the son of both the god Poseidon and a mortal man Aegus (his mother laid with both on her wedding night), the dual patronage of which still bestowed godliness unto him.
Does Theseus have a mother?
Aethra, in Greek mythology, daughter of King Pittheus of Troezen and mother of Theseus.
What happened Theseus mother?
This was granted, and Aethra became free again. According to Hyginus, she afterwards put an end to her own life from grief at the death of her sons.
Who is Theseus wife?
After the death of his Amazonian wife Antigone, Theseus had married Phaedra, the sister of Ariadne, the woman he had once betrayed. Phaedra, a young woman that was to have a tragic fate, gave her husband two sons, Demophone and Acamas.
Why did Theseus betray Ariadne?
In Euripides' play, it is implied that Theseus left Ariadne because the goddess Athena, the patron of his hometown, convinced Theseus that Ariadne was a distraction, and that his future was with Athens. This plays on the idea that Ariadne as Theseus' Queen would bring disgrace to Athens.
Is Theseus son of Zeus?
Theseus, a great abductor of women, and his bosom companion, Pirithous, since they were sons of Zeus and Poseidon, pledged themselves to marry daughters of Zeus.
Why was Theseus killed?
When Theseus arrived in Athens, he had the misfortune of being recognized by the wrong person: not by his father Aegeus, but by his then-wife, the sorceress Medea. Obviously, Medea didn't want Aegeus to be succeeded in his throne by a son from a previous marriage, so she resolved to kill Theseus.
Why did Ariadne not marry Theseus?
Some say that she hung herself because she was abandoned by Theseus; others that she was conveyed to Naxos by sailors and there lived with Oinaros (Oenarus) (Of the Wine) the priest of Dionysos, and that she was abandoned by Theseus because he loved another woman . . . Moreover, some say that Ariadne actually had sons ...
Was Theseus betrayed?
Now, in his later years he continues his bad behavior by kicking his wife, Hippolyta, to the curb to marry Ariadne's sister, Phaedra. Of course, the theme of betrayal gets flipped on its head when Phaedra betrays Theseus by passing love notes to his son, Hippolytus.
Who killed Medusa?
PerseusPerseus set out with the aid of the gods, who provided him with divine tools. While the Gorgons slept, the hero attacked, using Athena's polished shield to view the reflection of Medusa's awful face and avoid her petrifying gaze while he beheaded her with a harpe, an adamantine sword.
Is Theseus a hero or villain?
Theseus is a legendary hero from Greek mythology who was considered an early king of Athens. Famously killing villains, Amazons, and centaurs, his most celebrated adventure was his slaying of the fearsome Minotaur of the Cretan king Minos.
Is Theseus a girl or boy?
boy'sThe name Theseus is boy's name of Greek origin.
Does Theseus have a divine mother?
Theseus' life can be divided into two distinct periods, as a youth and as king of Athens. Aegeus, king of Athens, and the sea god Poseidon (53.11. 4) both slept with Theseus' mother, Aithra, on the same night, supplying Theseus with both divine and royal lineage.
Why does Theseus have 3 parents?
Theseus' biological mother was Aethra … the ambiguity over his father is because she has sex with Aegeus and Poseidon nine months before Theseus was born. However, Greek mythology allows that some people can have two fathers, a divine and a biological one.
Does Theseus have three parents?
Theseus, great hero of Attic legend, son of Aegeus, king of Athens, and Aethra, daughter of Pittheus, king of Troezen (in Argolis), or of the sea god, Poseidon, and Aethra. Legend relates that Aegeus, being childless, was allowed by Pittheus to have a child (Theseus) by Aethra.
Which goddess is Theseus?
Ariadne, in Greek mythology, daughter of Pasiphae and the Cretan king Minos. She fell in love with the Athenian hero Theseus and, with a thread or glittering jewels, helped him escape the Labyrinth after he slew the Minotaur, a beast half bull and half man that Minos kept in the Labyrinth.
What did Aegeus do before he left Athens?
Before leaving, he covered his sandals, shield and sword under a huge rock, that served as a primitive altar to Strong Zeus, and told her that when their son would grow up, he should move the rock and bring his weapons back.
Why did Bellerophon go to Troezen?
Bellerophon came to Troezen to ask Aethra's father, Pittheus, for the maiden's hand in marriage, but the hero was banished from Corinth before the nuptials took place. King Aegeus who was childless with his previous marriages went to Troezen, a city southwest of Athens that had as its patrons Athena and Poseidon.
Where did Athena lay in the night?
Following the instructions of Athena in a dream, she left the sleeping Aegeus and waded across to the island of Sphairia that lay close to Troezen's shore. There she poured a libation to Sphairos, Pelops ' charioteer, and laid with Poseidon in the night. Aethra was therefore impregnated by both Aegeus and Poseidon in the process.
Who is Aethra in the opera?
In popular culture. With significant alterations to the character, a version of this Aethra appears (as "Aithra"), a sorceress and concubine of Poseidon, in Richard Strauss's famous opera Die ägyptische Helena (The Egyptian Helen).
Did Aethra get free?
This was granted, and Aethra became free again. According to Hyginus, she afterwards put an end to her own life from grief at the death of her sons. The history of her bondage to Helen was represented on the celebrated chest of Cypselus, and in a painting by Polygnotus in the Lesche of Delphi.
Who is the mother of Theseus?
Aethra (mother of Theseus) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to navigation Jump to search. For other uses, see Aethra (Greek mythology). Theseus and Aethra, by Laurent de La Hire (1606-1656) In Greek mythology, Aethra or Aithra ( Ancient Greek: Αἴθρα, pronounced [ǎi̯tʰra], English: / ˈiːθrə /, the "bright sky") was a daughter ...
When was Bacchylides's poem published?
Bacchylides, The Poems and Fragments. Cambridge University Press. 1905. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
Who was Theseus?
The son of either Poseidon or Aegeus and Aethra, Theseus was widely considered the greatest Athenian hero, the king who managed to politically unify Attica under the aegis of Athens. Son of either Aegeus, the king of Athens, or Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Aethra, a princess, Theseus was raised by his mother in the palaces of Troezen.
What did Aegeus hide under the rock?
Because, you see, before Aegeus left Troezen, he hid his sword and a pair of sandals under a great rock. “If you bore a son in nine months,” he told Aethra, “and if he is able to lift this rock once he reaches manhood – then send him to Athens with this sword and these sandals, for then I’d know that he is, indeed, my son, the future king of Athens .” When the time came, Aethra led Theseus to the rock and relayed to him his father’s message. Theseus lifted the rock with ease and, equipped with Theseus ’ tokens of paternity, hit the road to Athens.
Why did Aethra send Theseus to Athens?
Sending him off to Athens, Aethra begged Theseus to travel by sea and, thus, bypass all the dangers which, by all accounts, lay on the land-route ahead of him. Theseus, however, wanted to earn himself a reputation worthy of a formidable hero before meeting his father. And by the time he reached Athens, he had vanquished so many famous villains – each with a memorable modus operandi – that people were already eager to compare him to his childhood idol, Heracles.
How did Procrustes make his house fit?
However, once the ill-fated traveler would choose and lay down in one of them, Procrustes made sure to make him fit the bed ( not the other way around), either by using his infernal apparatus to elongate his extremities or by hammering down his length. As it should be evident by now, Theseus eventually dealt with his host in the same way he did with his guests. And even though we don’t know which one of Procrustes’ two beds spelled the end for Procrustes, it couldn’t have been a pleasurable experience either way.
Why did Aegeus pay tribute to Minos?
Namely, in recompense for the death of Minos ’ son, Androgeus – once savagely killed by the Athenians out of jealousy and envy – Athens obliged to regularly send fourteen of its noblest young men and women to Crete, where each of them was destined to meet the same end: to be thrown into Daedalus ’ Labyrinth and be devoured by the monstrous half-man half-bull Minotaur.
Why is Sinis called the Pine Bender?
Before leaving Peloponnese, Theseus happened upon Sinis, the Pine Bender, so called because of his notorious habit of tying casual travelers to bent-down pine trees, which , upon release, instantaneously tore in two anyone unfortunate enough to be caught by this brutish bandit.
What is the Crommyonian Sow?
An offspring of Typhon and Echidna, the Crommyonian Sow was either a huge wild pig which troubled the lands around Corinth and Megara or a vicious female robber nicknamed “The Sow” because of her appearance and vulgar manners. Either way, Theseus had no problems dealing with her as well.
Who Is Theseus?
Theseus was a well-respected Greek hero. He was strong, courageous, and very wise. He worked hard to protect Athens and helped develop their power structure. He led the Athenian army on a number of battles, always returning victorious. He was known for helping the poor and less fortunate and also founded modern-day democracy.
What did Theseus do when Sciron wasn't looking?
Theseus obliged, but when Sciron wasn’t looking, Theseus grabbed him by the feet and threw him over the cliff to be eaten by the turtle. He them came across a man who asked him to hold down a pine tree. Theseus did, and the man was surprised that he was able to hold it down instead of being flung in the air.
What did Aegeus tell Aegeus?
She told Aegeus that the hero had come to kill him. To prevent this, she would give the young man poisoned wine at dinner that evening. Just as Theseus was about to take a sip of the doomed wine, Aegeus recognized his sandals and sword. He knew that Theseus was his son and shoved the wine glass to the floor.
Why did Theseus give the club to the Periphetes?
The men argued and Periphetes became aggravated. He gave the club to Theseus to prove that it was indeed made of brass. Once he had it in his hands, Theseus hit Periphetes with it, took the club, and went on his way. A few miles later, Theseus came across a man with an axe.
What happened to the ship with a black sail?
A ship with a black sail approached Athens. Theseus asked what it meant and learned that Androgeus, the son of King Minos of Crete, was accidently killed in Athens many years before. As payment for their sin, Athens was to send seven males and seven females each year to be sacrificed in Crete. They were fed to the Minotaur, a half man and half bull monster.
What did Theseus do when he was shown the bed?
When Theseus was being shown the bed, he threw the man down, cut of his legs, and then his head. He rested after his long day and prepared to enter Athens in the morning.
Where was Theseus born?
Theseus was born in Troezen. His mother, Aethra, was unsure of who his father was. King Aegeus was a possibility, and told Aethra that when the child became of age, he was to lift a rock and take the sword and sandals hidden beneath. After hiding the items, Aegeus headed back to Athens. When Theseus was a young man, his mother took him to the rock.
Why did Pirithous steal cattle?
Pirithous wanted to see if Theseus could live up to his reputation of being a great hero so he stole some of Theseus' cattle. When Pirithous heard that Theseus was pursing him, instead of running away, he turned around and met Theseus and said, "I will submit to any penalty you impose. You be the judge." Theseus replied, "All I want is for you to be my friend and brother-in-arms."
Why did King Aegeus pull out his sword?
Without knowing he was his son, King Aegeus was influenced by Medea, who wanted to get rid of Theseus in fear that she will lose her influence over the king, to poison his son. When Theseus reached the castle, he pulled out his sword to show the king that he was his son. King Aegeus immediately recognized the sword and Theseus as his son so he swept the cup to the ground.
What did Aegeus leave in the hole?
Aegeus left a sword and a pair of shoes in a hole and covered it up with a big boulder. He told her that once Theseus grows up and becomes strong enough to roll away the stone and get the things in the hole, she could send him to Athens to claim him as his father.
How did Theseus kill Sciron?
Sciron - made his victims kneel to wash feet and then kicked down into the sea. Theseus killed him by throwing him over a giant cliff
Why did Theseus choose to travel by land?
Although he was encouraged by his mother and grandfather to take a sea voyage, Theseus opted to travel by land as he believes that sailing is the easiest way and he doesn't want to take the easiest route.
Did Phaedra kill herself?
Her nursemaid, who was extremely loyal to her, beseeched Hippolytus to give her his love but he refused. Phaedra ends up ki lling herself and writes a letter to Theseus in which she claimed that Hippolytus took advantage of her. Theseus, blinded with rage and grief, cursed and exile Hippolytus, who dies on the road. Artemis appeared to explain to Theseus the true course of events.
Who ordered the Labyrinth?
King Minos ordered Daedalus, a great architect and inventor, to construct a place of confinement for the Minotaur from which escape was impossible. Thus, the Labyrinth.
