Chapter Fifteen Lecture Two Theseus The Begetting of

Chapter Fifteen, Lecture Two Theseus

The Begetting of Theseus

The Begetting of Theseus • Aegeus, a king of Athens, had no sons • Delphi: do not open the wine skins until you return home • At Troezen, Pittheus understands the prophecy • Sends his daughter Aethra • Poseidon also gets involved

The Begetting of Theseus • The sword and the sandal

The Labors of Theseus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Periphetes, the Clubber Sinis, the Pinebender Cormmyonian sow Sciron Circyon Procrustes

Arrival at Athens • Under a spell cast by Medea, Aegeus doesn’t realize that this is his son • Aegeus sends him out to kill a bull on the plains of Marathon • Then she tries to poison him, but Aegeus recognizes his own sword in time – Medea flees

Theseus and Antiopê

Theseus and Antiopê • On his way back from his adventure in Crete with the Minotaur (Chapter 16), Theseus forgets to change the ship’s flag to white • Aegeus drowns himself in the sea (Aegean Sea)

Theseus and Antiopê • Athens is “founded” again with Theseus’s wise reforms – Synoicism – Festival: Panathenaia – social reforms: classes – assembly

Theseus and Antiopê • Goes off in search of more adventure – Abducts the Queen of the Amazons: Hippolyta or Antiopê • Leads to an Amazonomachy in Athens – The Areopagus

The Amazons

The Amazons • Mythic homeland is north of the Black Sea (southern modern-day Russia) – a mazos ? – constructed the temple to Artemis at Ephesus? • A purely myth invention – the world turned upside down

The Amazons • Contrary to the ideal for the Athenian woman – Always defeated by Greek heroes • Given political significance after the Battle of Marathon – The Amazonomachy identified with the Athenian victory over the Persians

Theseus and Hippolytus

Theseus and Hippolytus • Remarries to Phaedra, a daughter of Minos • Their son is Hippolytus • Story told by Euripides in his Hippolytus • Hippolytus worships only Artemis and neglects Aphrodite • Aphrodite makes Phaedra, his mother-inlaw, lust after him

Theseus and Hippolytus • The slave intermediary • Hippolytus curses women, but vows not to tell anyone • Phaedra kills herself, but leaves behind a note for Theseus • Theseus orders Poseidon to kill Hippolytus

The Folktale of “Potiphar’s Wife”

Folktale of “Potiphar’s Wife • Story of the Two Brothers – Anubis (not the god) – Bata • Joseph and Potiphar’s wife • Bellerophon and the wife of King Proteus

Exploits of Theseus and Pirithoüs

Exploits of Theseus and Pirithoüs • The Battle of the Centaurs and the Lapiths (at Perithoüs’s wedding to a Hippodamia) • Caeneus (formerly Caenis) • The two now seek appropriate wives

Exploits of Theseus and Pirithoüs • Theseus tries for Helen, but she is too young and is sent away for safekeeping • The two visit the underworld for Pirithoüs’s choice: Persephonê • They are trapped but Theseus is eventually rescued by Heracles

Death of Theseus

Death of Theseus • Lost favor of the people of Athens and expelled by Menestheus of Athens • Fled to Scyros, King Lycomedes • Killed by the king

Myth and Propaganda

Myth and Propaganda • Theseus originally a minor figure • Becomes more important with the rise of Athens beginning in the 6 th century – Theseïs • Expansion and popularization begins with Pisistratus – Uses Theseus to glorify his own accomplishments for the city

Myth and Propaganda • After the Pisistratid dynasty fell from popularity, Theseus remade again – To a hero of democracy and the defender of freedom • Cimon (son of Miltiades) – Modeled some of his career leading the Athenian rise to empire after Theseus – The “bones” of Theseus; new festivals to Theseus; leader of Ionian Greeks against Sparta

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