“Theseus was, of course, bravest of the brave, as all heroes are; but, unlike other heroes, he was as compassionate as he was brave, and a man of great intellect as well as great bodily strength,(Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes). This is a quote about the Grecian hero, Theseus. The quote itself describes him with great accuracy, because he is the greatest Greek hero. Three reasons why he deserves to be the greatest hero is because he is noble, adept, and he makes sure that he is fair. First of all, Theseus put others before himself. Later in his life, he abandoned his own kingdom when he went on a foolish adventure, but he made up for it in the times he was there for Athens. Back when Theseus was still a prince and it was time …show more content…
It was never determined who Theseus’s father was. It was agreed that Aethra was his mother. Some sources say that King Aegeus is his father, while others say Poseidon sired Theseus. Other sources, say both men were the fathers of the boy(Greekmythology.com). Nevertheless, both characters have parts in Theseus’s story. When he was born, King Aegeus placed a sword of his own under a large rock. He also placed a pair of sandals under the rock. He said that when Theseus became of age, he would lift the rock, come to Athens, and bring glory to his father. With that, Aegeus left. A few years later, Aethra told her son of his true parentage, and told him to lift the rock and go to Athens. Theseus lifted the rock with ease, and set off to Athens, with a new pair of sandals and a sword at his belt. When he arrived in Athens, his father had remarried a woman named Medea. She recognized Theseus instantly, while King Aegeus did not. Medea started to form a plan to rid Athens of the boy, because if he was here, her own son would not get the throne. Medea told King Aegeus that the boy was here to kill him, and that she was going to give him poisoned wine. Medea’s treacherous plan was set into motion, but at the last minute, Aegeus recognized his son, and knocked the poisoned cup out of his reach. Medea was exiled from Athens. When Theseus returned from his battle with the Minotaur, Aegeus threw himself out of the palace window, after he assumed …show more content…
He was always very smart Well, except for when he decided to kidnap Helen of Troy, and it started a minor war. When he faced Procrustes(whose name means He who stretches, according to Mythweb.com), he managed to trick him into killing himself with his own machine. Procrustes is a bandit who offers shelter to those traveling on the road. He treats the guests with hospitality, and gives them a meal and offers a night’s rest in his bed. He convinces the guest that the bed is ‘special’ and will fit to whoever lays in it. However, this bed is not special at all, and instead a torture device. Once the person lies down on the bed, Procrustes will adjust them to fit the bed, by stretching them if they are too short, or cutting off their legs if they are too long for it. Theseus realized his plan, and managed to get Procrustes to lay on the bed instead, and was fatally killed by Theseus. Theseus’s intellect shined again when he crossed paths with a man named Sinis. According to Greekmythology.com, Sinis had a very beautiful daughter, and so he used her to his advantage. Sinis would stand by a large but stretchable pine tree and wait for a man to arrive, and he would offer the man a chance for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Sinis is known as the ‘Pine-Bender’ and that is quite literate to what he makes you do to earn his daughter’s hand. It was a plot to kill random people for the spite of it. Sinis asked Theseus to hold down
A Greek myth by Alisoun Witting, “The Hero’s Test,” is about the son of Aegeus, who is the king of a monarchy, that shows that he has strong attitudes, abilities, and actions. Theseus showed he has a great attitude when he arrived at Crete and did not complain even though he did not have a plan. Although he was a kid, he just decided that he would sacrifice himself to the Minotaur, a psychopathic bull and man, and did not even think about it. Then he got on the ship and left his father, who also ruled an autocracy, to save all the Athenians.Theseus proved that one of his strongest abilities was quickness. The Minotaur tried to charge at Theseus, but he was too quick for the Minotaur. Then the Minotaur tried to force Theseus into a corner,
Monarchs ruled Athens, before the life of Theseus. To kept the monarchy in control and continue the current rulers authority, an heir had to be born. Conflict between the current ruler and those who wanted to take over his position was always inevitable. In Plutarch writing, Theseus was born to the king of Athens, Aegeus, and Aethra, the daughter of the wise Pittheus. After Aegeus’ encounter with Aethra, he left shoes and a sword under a rock so that if he did produce an heir he would return to Athens to be at his father’s side. Aegeus knew that if he did produce an heir that he had to keep the child a secret so that his enemies, the fifty sons of Palla, would not kill the child. When Aethra’s son was born her, her father claimed that little Theseus’ father was the god of the sea, Poseidon, hiding the secret of the real father. In addition, it is possible that Poseidon was said to be the boy’s father because this could boost the boy’s reputation as he grew.
The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
man who did not let any mortal man, god, or goddess stand in his way
An integral part of every epic story is the epic hero, a character often with superhuman qualities, designed to complete a difficult or seemingly impossible task. Ancient Greek poet Homer’s classic epics The Iliad and the The Odyssey center around some of the most memorable epic hero archetypes, Achilles and Odysseus, respectively. Each of these characters exhibits essential traits of the Greek epic hero, but Homer also designs Achilles and Odysseus to possess unique, complex identities that distinguish and highlight their particular strengths and weaknesses. When examining these heroes, one can admire Odysseus for the resilience, cunning, and faithfulness that set him apart from the brash, impulsive, and occasionally selfish Achilles. Both
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
For a character to be an epic hero, he must possess four characteristics. These four characteristics include the following: (1) he must be high born, (2) the hero must have human weaknesses, (3) he must be brave,and 4) he must be clever. In The Odyssey, Homer’s character Odysseus was an epic hero because he possessed all four of the characteristics.
A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
When it was time for Theseus to seek his father he would not go by water " But
All throughout Edith Hamilton’s rendition of Theseus’ story she displays example for all three parts of the characteristic from Theseus’ superior strength, the prime example from the story is when Theseus kills the sleeping Minotaur without any weapons and only his bare hands, an example of Theseus’ intelligence comes during his reign as the King of Athens, he’s described as a wise king who chose a more democratic rule to govern his people, and an example for Theseus’ courage lies in his selfless actions to volunteer himself as one of the sacrifices to enter the Labyrinth to face the Minotaur. Although Hamilton’s description of Theseus’ legacy speaks for itself, “Theseus was, of course, bravest of the brave as all heroes are, but unlike other heroes he was as compassionate as he was brave and a man of great intellect as well as bodily strength (Hamilton 166.)” Just in Hamilton’s quick summary of Theseus’ character is a testament that he doesn’t fit the role of an epic hero but he is the literal archetype which epic heroes strive to be. Theseus isn’t just superhumanly strong, like Hercules, or only incredibly courageous to the point it’d be stupid, like Perseus, Theseus is superior in strength, intelligence, and
“Men hold me / formidable for guile in peace and war (Homer 488).” The quote in the beginning of Book 9 perfectly sums up Odysseus because he does indeed fulfill what he states. Odysseus is a hero that would be known for his effectiveness in war and, generally, his great ability to overcome other troubles. He cleverly maneuvers his crew eventually back to their homeland surmounting many perils that any other person could not. He never loses hope and he never lets it get in his way. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a hero because Odysseus is loyal to his crew, he is a clever and intelligent man, and he is a courageous soldier and leader on the voyage back to Ithaca.
All of Athens mourns the death of Arcite. Emelye, Theseus, and Palamon are brokenhearted. Egeus, Theseus’s father, pulls Theseus aside and tells him that every man must live and die and that life is a journey through sadness that must at some point, come to an end. After some years pass by, the mourners feel better except for Emelye and Palamon, who continue to go about dreadfully, dressed in black. During one assembly at Athens, Theseus criticizes the two for grieving excessively. He reminds them that God ordains that all must die. He requests that they stop mourning, and that Emelye take Palamon as her husband. They obey, and as they realize the wisdom of Theseus’s advice over many years, Emelye and Palamon enjoy a long, loving, and happy marriage.
Theseus is an enlightened ruler, notable for his wise judgement but there is a limit to his abilities: the problem Egeus gives him seems incapable of solution, so he tries to buy time and work on Egeus and Demetrius. But there seems little hope that the "harsh Athenian law" will produce a solution acceptable to all parties.
This wasn’t enough for him to stop being angry; The King Minos used the Minotaur to feed him Athenians’ young boys, and young unwed girls because the strength it had. In addition, the king used the Minotaur for his benefits and made the problem bigger and more serious but, Theseus was the Athenian hero of the new generation; he killed the monster and saved the young Athenians from another sacrifice from King Minos. While on his journey of killing Minotaur, Theseus went to Crete as a sacrifice same as the others. Then, he met King Mino’s daughter Ariadne and fell in love with her, she helped him to find his way back with a ball of thread to retrace his steps after killing the