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PLUTARCH'S LIVES

killed Termerus by breaking his skull. This is, they say, the origin of the proverb, "A Termerian mischief," for Termerus, it seems, struck passers-by with his head, and 80 killed them. So also did Theseus sally forth and chastise evildoers, making them undergo the same crueltios which they practised on others, thus justly punishing them for their crimes in their own wicked fashion.

it he

XII. As he proceeded on his way, and reached the river Kephisus, meet and greet him. He demanded to be purified from the guilt of bloodshed, and they purified him, mado propitiatory offerings, and also entertained him in their houses, being the first persons from whom he had received any kindness on his journey. It is said to havo been on the eighth day of the month Kronion, which is now called Heka tombeion, that he came to his own city. On entering house of geus in great disorder; for Medea, who had found public affairs disturbed by factions, and tho been banished from Corinth, was living with Egeus, and had engaged by her drugs to enable geus to havo because of the disturbed stato of society, did not recognise while Egeus, who was an old man, and feared every one feast. that sho might poison him. Thesous accordingly Consequently sho advised Agous to invite him to a came to Egeus's table. Io did not wish to be the first to recognising him, he drew his sword, as if he meant to cut

men of the Phytalid raco were the first to

child ren.

him.

tell his

some

She was the first to discover who Theseus was,

name, but, to give his father an opportunity of

of the meat with it, and showed it to geus.

Ageus looked

calica

at once recognised it, overset the cup of poison, closely at his son and embraced him. He then public meeting and made Theseus known as his

31 to the citizens, with whom he was already very popular because of his bravery. It is said that when tho cup was is the enclosuro in the Delphinium, for thero Egous dwelt; overset the poison was spilt in the place whero now thoro the one who is "at the door of geus." and the Hermes to the east of the temple there they call this expected that they would inherit the kingdom on the XIII. But the sons of Pallas, who had previously to

death

of Egens without issue, now that Theseus was

declared the heir, were much enraged, first that Ægeus should be king, a man who was merely an adopted child of Pandion, and had no blood relationship to Erechtheus, and next that Theseus, a stranger and a foreigner, should inherit the kingdom. They consequently declared war. Dividing themselves into two bodies, the one proceeded to march openly upon the city from Sphettus, under the command of Pallas their father, while the other lay in ambush at Gargettus, in order that they might fall upon their opponents on two sides at once. But there was a herald among them named Leos, of the township of Agnus, who betrayed the plans of the sons of Pallas to Theseus. He suddenly attacked those who were in ambush, and killed them all, hearing which the other body under Pallas dispersed. From this time forth they say that the township of Pallene has never intermarried with that of Agnus, and that it is not customary amongst them for heralds to begin a proclamation with the words "Acoucto Leo," (Oyoz) for they hate the name of Leo because of the treachery of that man.

XIV. Now Theseus, who wished for employment, and also to make himself popular with the people, went to attack the all of Marathon, who had caused no littlo trouble to the inhabitants of Tetrapolis. Ho overcame the beast, and drove it alive through the city for all men to see, and then sacrificed it to Apollo of Delphi. Hekalo, too, and the legend of her having entertained Thcsous, docs not seem altogether without foundation in fact; for the people of the neighbouring townships used to assemble and perform what was called tho Ickalesian sacrifice to Zeus Hekalus, and they also used to honour Ickalo, calling her by tho affectionate diminutive Hekaline, because she also, when feasting Theseus, who was very young, embraced him in a motherly way, and used such liko endearing diminutives. Sho also inade a vow on Theseus's behalf, when he was going forth to battle, that if he returned safo she would sacrifice to Zous; but as she died before he returned, she had the above-mentioned honours instituted by command of Theseus, as a grateful return for her hospitality. This is the legend as told by Philochorus.

• The Greek word leos signifies peoplo.

PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

XV. Shortly after this the ship from Crete arrived for the third time to collect the customary tribute. Most writers agree that the origin of this was, that on the death of Androgeus, in Attica, which was ascribed to treachery, his father Minos went to war, and wrought much evil to the country, which at the same time was afflicted by Scourges from Heaven (for the land did not bear fruit, and there was a great pestilence and the rivers sank into the earth).

Minos

dition

So that as tho oracle told the Athenians that, if

The most

they propitiated Minos and came to terms with him, the anger of Heaven would cease and they should have a respite from their sufferings, they sent an embassy to and prevailed on him to make peace, on the contribute of seven youths and seven maidens. that every nine years they should send him a tragic of the legends states these poor children when they reached Crete were thrown into the Labyrinth, and there either were devoured by the Minotaur or else perished with hunger, being unable to find the way out. The Minotaur, as Euripides tells us, was

66

A form commingled, and a monstrous birth,
Half man, half bull, in twofold shape combined."
that the Cretans do not recog

says

IVI. Philochorus e nise this story, but say that the Labyrinth was merely a prison, like any other, from which escapo was impossible, and that Minos instituted gymnastic games in honour of Androgeus, in which the prizes for the victors were theso children, who till then were kept in the Labyrinth. Also they say that the victor in the first contest was a man of

great po

ver in the stato, a general of the name of Taurus,

who was of harsh and savage temper, and ill-treated the Athenian children. And Aristotle himself, in his treatise on the constitution of the Bottisans, evidently does not believe that the children were put to death by Minos, but that they lived in Croto as slaves, until extremo old age; and that one day the Cretans, in performance of an ancient YOW, Bent first-fruits of their population to Dolphi. Among those who were thus scat were the descendants of the Athenians, and, as they could not maintain themselves

there, they

first passed over to Italy, and there settled

near Iapygium, and from thence again removed to Thrace, and took the name of Botticans. For this reason, the Bottiaan maidens when performing a certain sacrifice sing "Let us go to Athens." Thus it seems to be a terrible thing to incur the hatred of a city powerful in speech and song; for on the Attic stage Minos is always vilified and traduced, and though he was called "Most Kingly" by Hesiod, and "Friend of Zeus " by IIomer, it gained him no credit, but the playwrights overwhelmed him with abuse, styling him cruel and violent. And yet Minos is said to have been a king and a lawgiver, and Rhadamanthus to have been a judge under him, carrying out his decrees.

XVII. So when the time of the third payment of the tribute arrived, and those fathers who had sons not yet grown up had to submit to draw lots, the unhappy people began to revilo geus, complaining that he, although tho author of this calamity, yet took no share in their aflliction, but endured to see them left childless, robbed of their own legitimate offspring, while ho made a foreigner and a bastard the heir to his kingdom. This voxed Theseus, and determining not to hold aloof, but to share tho fortunes of the people, he came forward and offered himself without being drawn by lot. Tho people all admired his courage and patriotism, and geus finding that his prayers and entreaties had no effect on his unalterable resolution, proceeded to choose the rest by lot. Hellanikus says that the city did not select the youths and maidens by lot, but that Minos himself came thither and chose them, and that he picked out Theseus first of all, upon the usual conditions, which were that the Athenians should furnish a ship, and that tho youths should embark in it and sail with him, not carrying with them any weapon of war; and that when the Minotaur was slain, the tributo should cease. Formerly, no one had any hope of safety; so they used to send out the ship with a black sail, as if it were going to a certain doom; but now Theseus so encouraged his father, and boasted that he would overcome the Minotaur, that he gave a second sail, a white one, to the steersman, and charged him on his return, if Theseus were safe, to hoist the white one, if not, the black one as a sign of mourning. But Simonides says

PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

that it was not a white sail which was given by Egens, but “a scarlet sail embrued in holm oak's juice," and that this was agreed on by him as the signal of safety. Tho ship was steerod by Phereklus the son of Amarsyas, But Philochorus says that Theseus had ono Nausithous Bent him from Skirus of Salamis, to steer the ship, and Phrax to act as look-out, as tho Athenians had not yet turned their attention to the sea.

according to Simonides.

One of the youths chosen by lot was Monesthoos the

Bon of

attested by the shrines of Nausithous and Phaax, which Skirus's daughter. The truth of this account is Theseus built at Phalerum, and by the feast called the Kybernesia or pilot's festival, which is held in their

honour.

XVIII. When the lots were drawn Theseus brought the chosen youths from the Prytaneum, and proceeding to the temple of the Delphian Apollo, offered the suppliants' bough to Apollo on their behalf. This was a bough of the sacred olive-treo bound with fillets of white wool. And after praying he went to sea on the sixth day of tho month Munychion, on which day even now they send

maidens

Apollo.

as suppliants to the temple of the Delphian And there is a legend that the Delphian oracle

told him that Aphrodite would be his guide and fellowtravellor, and that when he was sacrificing a she-goat to her by the seaside, it becamo a he-goat; wherefore tho goddess is called Epitragia. XIX. When they reached Creto, according to most historians and poets, Ariadno fell in love with him, and from her he received the clue of string, and was taught how to thread the mazes of the Labyrinth. Ile slew the

Minotaux, and, taking with him Ariadne and the youths,

sailed

away. Pherekydes also says that Theseus also

knock o pursuit.

ont the bottoms of tho Cretan ships, to prevent

was slain in a 80a-fight in tho harbour, when Theseus instituted his games, Taurus was expected to win every prize, and was grudged this honour; for his great influenco

But Demon says that Taurus, Minos's general,

But according to Philochorus, when Minos

away..

and his

unpopular

manners made him disliked, and scandal

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