Theseus
Aegeus is the king of Athens, but he decides to make a long journey to visit his friend, King Pittheus of Trozen. He plans to only stay for a while, but he ends up extending his trip. Why? How does this turn out?
He falls in love with the king's daughter, Aethra. They soon get married and have a son named Theseus.
Unfortunately, King Midas of Crete is attacking Athens. So, Aegeus has to leave almost immediately after Theseus is born. He leaves his new wife and baby at home
Acrisius, King of Argos, consults an oracle. What is the message that he receives? What is the result?
He is told that, his daughter's son will lead to his death.
He becomes paranoid, and he traps his daughter, Danae, in a brass tower so that she would not be able to meet a husband and have a son
What is the message Aegeus gives to his wife before he leaves for Athens?
Does his wish come true?
When our son is strong enough to lift the stone that only I can lift, have him retrieve the sword and sandals that I have hidden underneath the stone. Then, have him come to me in Athens.
On his 18th birthday, after three years of trying, Theseus is able to complete the task, and he sets off to Athens.
How is Zeus involved in the tale?
What happens when Acrisius finds out about what happened?
He hears about how Danae is trapped in the tower. He enters the tower in the form of a light ray. He marries Danae, and they have a child together named Perseus.
Acrisius trapped Danae and Perseus in a chest and sent them out to sea.
Who are the giants and robbers that Theseus runs into?
Corneytes, Pityocamptes, Sciron, and Procrustes
Danae and Perseus land in Seriphos, and Perseus is visited in a dream by Athena. What is the conversation about?
She tells him that there are two different kinds of people. The first lives a long easy life, and the second lives a shorter bur more eventful life. She asks him what kind of life he wants to live, and he chooses the latter. She happily responds by giving him the quest of finding and defeating Medusa.
Why is Midas (and Crete) attacking Athens? What's the mix up?
Midas' son, Androgeous, entered into the games in Athens (honoring Athena), and he does very well. Hoewever, he is soon murdered. He thinks that Aegeus is responsible for Androgeous' death. He believes that he was so jealous of his success that he arranged his murder.
However, it was ACTUALLY Aegeus' nephews that arranged his murder in order to set up Aegeus.
Perseus sets out to find Medusa, and he runs into the Gray Sisters. How does Perseus convince the Gray Sisters to tell him where he can find Medusa?
He takes the eye that they share, and he tells them that he won’t return it until they help him. They then lead him to Atlas, who also helps him along his journey.
What does Midas request as retribution? How does Theseus stop the punishment?
He requests that, yearly, 7 men and 7 women leave Athens and go to Crete in order to be thrown into the labyrinth and sacrificed to the Minotaur.
Theseus volunteers to go to Crete, and he slays the Minotaur with the help of his love, Ariadne. (She gave him a sword and a spool or thread to use). They soon escape and go back to live in Athens.
Once Perseus slays Medusa, he encounters Andromeda on the way home. How does he encounter her? Why is she there?
She is chained to a rock on the shore of Ethiopia. She is there because her mother, the queen of Ethiopia, bragged about her own beauty. As punishment, a sea monster ravaged the shores of Ethiopia. Her father visits an oracle, which tells him that he must sacrifice his daughter in order to stop the monster.