The Adventures of Theseus
“ I really liked that lesson on Greek history,” Rohan told his friend Sir Dig-A-Lot.
Sir Dig-A-Lot said, “Let me tell you about Theseus tonight, the founder king of Athens. In 1300 BC, the Minoan king Minos lived on the island Crete. He was brutal and never left a chance to attack Athens and kill people. As a result, Theseus’s father Aegeus promised to send seven Athenian boys and seven Athenian girls every nine years, to be eaten by the monster Minotaur who lived on the island.
This had been going on for quite a while. One day, Theseus told his father that he will go with the children and kill the monster. The ship that carried all of them to the island had a black sail which denoted sadness.
Aegeus made Theseus promise that he will return with the white sail put up on the boat. After promising his father that he would return, Theseus set out for Crete.”
“When Theseus reached the island, Minos ordered his men to throw the children along with Theseus to the monster. But Minos’s daughter Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and decided to help him kill the Minotaur.
After killing the Minotaur, Theseus escaped with the children and Ariadne. Halfway back home they rested on an island where Ariadne fell asleep.
Theseus left her there and headed back home without her.”
Rohan interrupted, “But why did he do that?”
Sir Dig-A-Lot answered, “There are many stories that explain why. Some say he wasn’t in love with her, some say he was afraid that she wouldn’t be accepted back home as she was the daughter of the enemy.”
Rohan asked again, “What happened after he decided to head back home?”
Sir Dig-A-Lot said, “Theseus forgot to switch the color of the sails. When Aegeus saw that the sail was still black he assumed his son had died. Aegeus was so heartbroken that he jumped off a cliff.
When Theseus got to know this he was extremely sad. This is when he became the king and ruled justly. But Theseus eventually lost his popularity in Athens and was killed by Lycomedes.”
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