Part Five. The Royal House of Athens Summary and Analysis

This chapter describes a series of myths concerning the earliest kings and queens of Athens, before Theseus became king. One of the earliest kings was Erectheus, who ruled at the time Demeter brought agriculture to earth. He had a son called Cecrops, who was the great-grandfather of Theseus. Erectheus had two sisters called Procne and Philomela. Procne was married to Tereus of Thrace, a son of Ares, who fell in love with Philomela and tricked her into a marriage before cutting out her tongue and locking her up. She could not speak, but wove a tapestry that told in pictures everything that had happened to her. She sent the tapestry to Procne, who was horrified, and came to release her. She then took revenge by killing her own son...