Nothing Without Theseus: The Great Athenian Hero

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Nothing Without Theseus “The great Athenian hero was Theseus. He had so many adventures and took part in so many great enterprises that there grew up a saying in Athens, ‘Nothing without Theseus’” (Hamilton 208). Theseus is the dearest of heroes to the Athenians; he is the son of Zeus, but was thought to be the son of the Athenian King, Aegeus. Befitting Athens, a city well known for its wise thinkers, Theseus, the chief hero of Athenian legends, was known more for his quick wits than his strength. His cleverness made him, along with heroes such as Hercules, Perseus, and Jason, one of the greatest heroes in Greek Mythology. Theseus earned a reputation for not only for his strength and intelligence, but also for his fairness. He is one of the first rulers of Athens to reform the government in the direction of democracy. As both a king and an adventurer, he defended the oppressed and consistently fought for the ideal of justice. In Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, Theseus portrays the most admirable characteristics of a hero due to his strength, nobility, and wisdom. It is true that Theseus wasn’t perfect; he had performed inglorious acts …show more content…

He kills the Minotaur, turns Athens into a democracy, and clears the land of monsters for travelers. Even if there were heroes more mighty and strong than Theseus, he is still a great hero because of his fairness and his fight for the ideal of justice. It’s important to remember Theseus because of how his early adventures benefited the city and region of Athens, helping in the consolidation of the Athenian power through shrewd political maneuvering. He also led the Athenian army on a number of victorious campaigns. He is also credited as the founder of democracy, transferring many of his powers as king over to an elected assembly. While Jason, Hercules, and Perseus are all Greek heroes, Theseus portrays the most admirable characteristics of a

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