Theseus And The Minotaur: A True Athenian Hero

THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR Theseus was a true Athenian legend, a hero, but unfortunately his reputation was not exactly spotless. He was an instigator of the Trojan War, he mercilessly slew many bandits in the same manner that they used on innocent passerby, he ravished many women, he tried to help his friend kidnap Persephone, and so much more. However, Theseus was highly regarded as a just and honorable hero. His greatest accomplishment was his awesome dispatch of the terrible Cretan Minotaur.

The Minotaur was born when king Minos of Knossos asked Poseidon for a bull, which he planned to give back as a sacrifice to the god. When Poseidon obliged the king saw the bull's beauty and kept it to himself. Enraged, Poseidon made the bull
When he found it, he immediately attempted to lift it and did so with surprising ease, proving him worthy to be the heir to the throne of Athens. Scorning the offered trip across the sea, Theseus took the long way over the large bandit infested forests and plains. He felt that he needed to prove his worth, and taking the safe road was not his preferred course of action. Every bandit he faced, he killed in the same fashion that each individual preyed on innocent civilians. Procrustes: he put on a short bed and lopped off the extremities that hung off of the sides, Sinis: he forced to bend a pine tree until it whipped up back into place and flung him into oblivion, Sciron: he picked up by the feet and threw into the mouth of a huge sea turtle, etc. When Theseus arrived in Athens, Aegeus had already heard of his coming, but unfortunately, he was not aware of his son's identity. Aegeus was told by his wife, Medea, that Theseus was a rival to the throne and should be disposed of immediately. As a result Aegeus summoned Theseus to his throne room, but he was not aware that he was about to poison his own offspring. Theseus, upon entering, drew his sword and revealed himself to his father. Shocked, Aegeus dashed the poisoned wine glass from his hand. Aegeus then grew intense rage towards Medea, and exiled her from Athenian territory.

Now while Theseus acquainted himself with
At some point on the way the pair stopped on an island. Mythology is never really clear on what happens next; there are several different accounts. Some say Theseus deserted Ariadne on the island, on which she died or became the wife of Dionysos (again not really clear). While others say that Theseus let her rest because she was seasick, then he got stuck in a bad storm and by the time he came back, she was dead. Either way, mythology makes it abundantly clear that Theseus returned home without her. Theseus, for whatever reason, forgot to raise the white sail upon his return, and his father seeing this jumped into the water and killed