Theseus
The hero who navigated the Labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, and became the legendary king of Athens. Theseus was considered Athens's national hero.
The Legend of Theseus
Son of King Aegeus of Athens — or, in some versions, Poseidon — Theseus was raised by his mother in Troezen. When he came of age, Athena guided him to lift a stone and claim Aegeus's sword. He travelled to Athens by the dangerous land route, defeating bandits including Procrustes, emulating his cousin Heracles. In Crete, he volunteered among the youths sent to feed the Minotaur. Ariadne, daughter of Minos, gave him thread devised by Daedalus. He killed the beast and escaped, but abandoned Ariadne on Naxos, where Dionysus found her. He forgot to change his sails; Aegeus, watching from the Acropolis, leapt to his death. Theseus unified Attica and became Athens's founding king.
Children
Hippolytus
Symbols
Fun Fact
A "Procrustean" approach means forcing things to fit an arbitrary standard — from the bandit Procrustes whom Theseus defeated.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Theseus
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