What Role Does Theseus Play In Greek Mythology

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Theseus is a famous hero of ancient Greece. He has appeared in many different stories in
Greek mythology. Mythology, written by Edith Hamilton, discusses Theseus’s many adventures. Along with being in ancient stories, Theseus also appears in modern stories. However, Theseus’s story has been changed in the modern interpretations of his adventures and contradict what Edith Hamilton has stated. Theseus is depicted in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, “Theseus and the Minotaur,” and The Deeds of Theseus.
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology discusses Theseus’s life. “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 was the descendant of Aegeus, king of …show more content…

He was recognized as a hero upon his arrival in Athens (Hamilton 209). Justin Churchill, the author of “Theseus,” adds some information that Edith Hamilton did not state in Mythology. When Theseus arrived in Athens, King Aegeus’s evil wife persuaded Aegeus to kill Theseus. She tells Aegeus to kill Theseus by making him capture the Marathonian Bull (Churchill 1). When Theseus is heading to Marathon, he runs into a violent storm. He finds shelter in the house of an elderly woman, whose name was Hecale. She made a promise that she would prepare a sacrifice to Zeus if Theseus is successful in capturing the Marathonian Bull. When he returns, he finds that she passed away. He establishes a deme in Hecale’s honor (Churchill 1). Edith Hamilton and Justin Churchill state that Aegeus tries to poison Theseus. Theseus captures the Marathonian Bull. When he returns to Athens, Medea makes Aegeus give Theseus wine laced with poison. Right before Theseus is able to drink the wine, Aegeus knocks the cup out of Theseus’s hand right after recognizing Theseus’s sword (Churchill 1). When Medea was handing Theseus the cup of poison, Theseus drew his sword in attempt to make Aegeus believe Theseus was his son. Aegeus immediately recognized the sword and knocked the cup out of Theseus’s hand (Hamilton …show more content…

Some stories differ than the original stories. Edith Hamilton has researched the original stories and documented them in Mythology. Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend, whose story barely corresponds to the true story of Theseus, far contradicts the facts that Edith Hamilton has documented in her book. The Deeds of Theseus is a very intricate kylix that depicts seven accomplishments of Theseus in his lifetime. No matter how Theseus is used in a story, he will always be one of the most famous and well-known heroes of the ancient Greek

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