| Theseus | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Real Name: | Theseus founder-king of Athens |
| Descendent: | Theresa |
| Species: | Demi-God |
| Age: | 32 |
| Originally From: | Athens |
| Family: |
Poseidon (Father) |
| Affiliations: | |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender: | Male |
| Hair color: | Red |
| Eye color: | Blue |
| Height: | 6'7 |
| Character Information | |
| First appearance: | Mazed and Confused (No Lines) |
| GALLERY | |
Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night.
Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were identified with an archaic religious and social order. As Heracles was the Dorian hero, Theseus was the Athenian founding hero, considered by them as their own great reformer.
He was responsible for the synoikismos —the political unification of Attica under Athens, represented emblematically in his journey of labours, subduing highly localized ogres and monstrous beasts. Because he was the unifying king, Theseus built and occupied a palace on the fortress of the Acropolis that may have been similar to the palace that was excavated in Mycenae. Pausanias reports that after the synoikismos, Theseus established a cult of Aphrodite Pandemos and Peitho on the southern slope of the Acropolis.
Plutarch's vita of Theseus makes use of varying accounts of the death of the Minotaur, Theseus' escape, and the love of Ariadne for Theseus.
Apperances[]
Mythology[]
Pirithous had heard rumors about Theseus' courage and strength in battle but he wanted proof. He rustled Theseus' herd of cattle from Marathon, and Theseus set out to pursue him. Pirithous took up arms and the pair met, then became so impressed by each other they took an oath of friendship. They were among the company of heroes that hunted the Calydonian Boar. They were considered "the strongest men that Earth has bred.."
Later, Pirithous was set to marry Hippodamia, but she died shortly after giving birth. Pirithous went to visit Theseus at Athens only to discover that Theseus' own wife, Phaedra, was dead. So they pledged to carry off daughters of Zeus; Theseus chose Helen of Sparta and together they kidnapped her when she was 13 years of age and decided to hold on to her until she was old enough to marry. Pirithous chose a more dangerous prize, Persephone herself. They left Helen with Theseus' mother, and travelled to The Underworld. When they stopped to rest on the Chair of Forgetfulness and found themselves unable to stand up from the rock as they saw The Furies appear before them.
Hercules freed Theseus from the chair, but the earth shook when he attempted to free Pirithous. He had committed too great a crime for wanting the wife of one of the great gods as his own bride. By the time Theseus returned to Athens, Helen's twin brothers had taken her back to Sparta. They had taken captive Theseus's mom, and Pirithous' sister and they became handmaidens of Helen and later followed her to Troy. Pirithous was worshiped at Athens, along with Theseus, as a hero.
Theseus & Hippolytus
Theseus's son Hippolytus worships only Artemis and refuses to engage in any form of sexual contact. Aphrodite is infuriated by his prideful behavior and declares that, by honoring only Artemis, Hippolytus has directly challenged her authority. Aphrodite causes his stepmother, Phaedra, to fall in love with him, knowing Hippolytus will reject her. Phaedra commits suicide and leaves a note to Theseus telling him she killed herself because Hippolytus attempted to rape her. Theseus prays to Poseidon to kill Hippolytus for his transgression. Poseidon sends a wild bull to scare Hippolytus's horses as he is riding by the sea, causing the horses to bolt and smash the chariot against the cliffs, dragging Hippolytus to a bloody death. Artemis vowing to kill Aphrodite's own mortal beloved Adonis in revenge.