Chapter 16: Theseus

Question 1

What were the three claims of origins that the Athenians made?

Answer 1

• That they were descended from a mortal named Cecrops
• That they were autochthonous (descended from the earth)
• They were descended from Athena

Question 2

Who was Cecrops?

Answer 2

Half man, half snake. He introduced the arts of marriage and civilisation to the people. He also told them to worship Zeus and abandon human sacrifice

Question 3

How was Ericthonius born?

Answer 3

Hephaestus pursued Athena across the Acropolis and ejaculated semen onto her leg. She wiped it off with a piece of wool which she threw to the ground and up sprang Ericthonius

Question 4

Who were the daughters of Cecrops?

Answer 4

Algarus (shining), Herse (dew) and Pandrosus (all-dew)

Question 5

What did Athena do with Ericthonius?

Answer 5

She gave him to the daughters of Cecrops inside a basket and told them they weren’t allowed to look into the basket. They failed at this and leapt from the Acropolis to their deaths

Question 6

What is the name of the two girls who are involved with the Festival of the Dew Carriers?

Answer 6

Arrhephoroi

Question 7

Who are the children of Pandion (Erichthonius’s son)?

Answer 7

Philomela and Procne

Question 8

Who did Procne marry and what was the name of their child?

Answer 8

She married Tereus and gave birth to the son Itys

Question 9

What did Procne and Philomela do to Itys?

Answer 9

They killed him then cooed him up in a stew which they then served to Tereus

Question 10

What birds do Philomela and Procne become?

Answer 10

Philomela becomes the songless swallow while Procne is the nightingale

Question 11

Who were the parents of Theseus?

Answer 11

Aethra, Aegeus and Poseidon (who possessed her)

Question 12

What marked Theseus as the true son of Aegeus?

Answer 12

He lifted up a stone and removed the sword and sandals

Question 13

What were the six deeds of strength that Theseus performed?

Answer 13

1. He killed Periphetes (the clubber) with his own club
2. He slew Sinis (pine-bender) who used to catapult people threw the air with a pine or ripped the victims apart
3. He killed the Crommyonian sow
4. He killed Sciron who killed people when they washed their feet
5. He crushed Cercyon to death (a powerful wrestler)
6. He killed Procrustes who used to cut off bits of people to make sure they fit perfectly in one of his two beds

Question 14

What sorceress had Aegeus fallen under the influence of?

Answer 14

Medea

Question 15

Why did King Aegeus kill himself?

Answer 15

Theseus promised that if he returned back home after killing the Minotaur he would sail with a white flag. He forgot to change the flag from black and so Aegeus believed he was dead and flung himself off the cliff

Question 16

What did the Amazons do to young girls?

Answer 16

Cut off their right breast so that they could shoot better

Question 17

What was the name of the child of Antiope and Theseus?

Answer 17

Hippolytus

Question 18

What happens to Phaedra?

Answer 18

She falls in love with her stepson Hippolytus then hands herself when he finds out.

Question 19

Who became a friend of Theseus and what did he do?

Answer 19

Pirithous became a friend of Theseus after testing him by raiding his flocks. They found each other worthy and became friends

Question 20

Who did Pirithous marry?

Answer 20

Hippodamia

Question 21

What happened to Pirithous when he went to the underworld to marry Persephone?

Answer 21

Hades invited Pirithous and Theseus to sit down for a meal. Immediately their flesh clung to the seats and their limbs were bound with serpents. Heracles saved Theseus (part of his backside was left behind) but Pirithous could not be saved

Question 22

How did Theseus die?

Answer 22

He was pushed off a cliff by a local king who was jealous of him