THESEUS FOUNDS ATHENS

B.C. 1235

PLUTARCH

The founding of the city of Athens, apart from the mythological lore which ascribes its name to Athene, the goddess, is credited by the Greeks to Sais, a native of Egypt.  The real founder of Athens, the one who made it a city and kingdom, was Theseus; an unacknowledged illegitimate child.  The usual myth surrounds his birth and upbringing.

King AEgeus, of Attica, his father, had an intrigue with AEthra.  Before leaving, AEgeus informed her that he had hidden his sword and sandals beneath a great stone, hollowed out to receive them.  She was charged that should a son be born to them and, on growing to man’s estate, be able to lift the stone, AEthra must send him to his father, with these things under it, in all secrecy.  These happenings were in Troezen, in which place AEgeus had been sojourning.

All came about as expected.  Theseus, the son, lifted the stone, took thence the deposit and departed for Attica, his father’s home.  On his way Theseus had a number of adventures which proved his prowess, not the least being his encounter with and defeat of Periphetes, the “club-bearer,” so called from the weapon he used.

Theseus had complied with the custom of his country by journeying to Delphi and offering the first-fruits of his hair, then cut for the first time.  This first cutting of the hair was always an occasion of solemnity among the Greeks, the hair being dedicated to some god.  It will be remembered that Homer speaks of this in the Iliad.

One salient fact must be borne in mind in Grecian history, which is that it was a settled maxim that each city should have an independent sovereignty.  “The patriotism of a Greek was confined to his city, and rarely kindled into any general love for the common welfare of Hellas."[22]

     [Footnote 22:  Smith.]

A Greek citizen of Athens was an alien in any other city of the peninsula.  This political disunion caused the various cities to turn against each other, and laid them open to conquest by the Macedonians.

As he [Theseus] proceeded on his way, and reached the river Cephisus, men of the Phytalid race were the first to meet and greet him.  He demanded to be purified from the guilt of bloodshed, and they purified him, made propitiatory offerings, and also entertained him in their houses, being the first persons from whom he had received any kindness on his journey.

It is said to have been on the eighth day of the month Cronion, which is now called Hecatombaion, that he came to his own city.  On entering it he found public affairs disturbed by factions, and the house of AEgeus in great disorder; for Medea, who had been banished from Corinth, was living with AEgeus, and had engaged by her drugs to enable AEgeus to have children.  She was the first to discover who Theseus was, while AEgeus, who was an old man, and feared every one because of the disturbed state of society, did not recognize him.  Consequently she advised AEgeus to invite him to a feast, that she might poison him.