Atlanta was about a a goddess who was born as a beautiful girl but her parents wanted her to be a boy. Her parents took and left her in a field in the woods to die. As she was laying in that field a bear came and found her, in finding her the bear took her and kept taking care of her as if she was a baby bear cub. She grew up loving to hunt. One day in an attempt of rape by two centaurs Atlanta killed them both. Atlanta was very beautiful and all men fell in love with her but inspite of a prophecy which the oracle of Apollo and Delphi told her about, she decided she would only marry the man who could beat her in a race concidering a husband would be her ruin.One by one men lined up hoping to win Atlanta’s hand in marriage, knowing that if they lost they would die and lose there head because Atlanta hung them on poles around her field to display her wins, they kept coming prepared to race. Atlanta always gave the men a head start in every race and on top of the head start she was weighed down with armor and yet, Race after race man after man she won and killed them with her bow and arrow and hung there heads proudly on a pole. One day Hippomenes was watching her race and fell in love with her. He called out to her after the race was over with great courage asked her for a race. Atlanta did not know what she had felt towards him whether it was love or dismay she asked him “be gone stranger” but he refused to leave until he got his race with her. She did not want to agree because she feared that he would lose and she would have to kill him despite her feelings she agreed to a race. Hippomenes raced to The Golden Aphrodite with a plea to help him win the race and Atlanta as his wife he persauded her with word like ‘’ you have inspired my love’’. Aphrodite then gave him three golden apples and told him use them wisely and he would win. The trumpets sounded and the race began with a head start sadly Atlanta’s speed past him so with all of his strength he threw the first golden apple Atlanta’s then headed off course and stopped to pick up the apple. Hippomenes then did this two more times the third time he threw the apple with everything that he had and once again Atlanta raced to the apple and picked it up bu this time she had fallen to fr behind and the apples had weighed her down to much for her to catch up to Hippomenes so she lost and they married. Both Hippomenes and Atlanta were filled joy. Hippomenes forgot to go back and thank Aprhodite so she tool revenge on the both of them. One day in the woods they engaged in a passionate love and found a sacred grove that belonged to the olympian god Zues, they got punished because they defiling his sacred grove. Zues and Aphrodite punished them when they awoke after spending a night in the sacred grove. Zues turned them into lions. They then carried Reah’s chariot across the earth. Atlanta could not resist her fate forever she ended up falling in love and the prophecy came true she lost her beauty her hunting and her speed but yet she gained a husband and fell in love was it worth it?
Chapter 34
The myth about Theseus was originated sometime after the Mycenaean Greeks invaded and conquered the island Crete about 1450 b.c. Crete had many communities the major one was the priestess-queen and a sacred king called Minos which means King. Every eight years also known as the great year. when the old king Asterius died Minos claimed title to the throne.the town did not like having a non blood king to claim the throne so Minos asked the gods to spawn a bull from the river an the gods herd his prayer and sent him a bull from the river. The people seen how the gods seen Minos so they were happy to let him gain the throne. Minos did not sacrifice the bull that the god of the sea sent so he humiliated Minos by making his wife fall in love with the bull and she made a beast it was called ‘Minotaur’ Minos had to find a place to hind the minotaur to hind.Athenians and Minos were in a battle and they were to much of equal so they made a peace treaty and the oracle assured them that the anger of the gods also would be appeased. Unable to cope with further disaster the Athenians reluctantly informed Minos that they would submit to his power. Minos agreed to establish peace with Athens on one condition: Once every nine years, for as long as the Minotaur lived, the Athenians must send to Crete seven young maidens and seven young men, whom Minos would feed to the Minotaur.
The Early Years, Theseus chapter 34
The circumstances that surrounded Theseus’s birth were really unusual The king Aegeus of Athena was really worried about the future of his kingdom because he had no son to give it all to. His brother Pallas had fifty sons. Aegeus was certain that if he did not have a son his brother would inherit the throne of Athens. Aegeus went to the oracle of Apollo and Delphi to ask how he could get a son the oracle replied “ do not open your mouth until you return to Athens” confused Aegeus traveled from the Delphi to Troezen to ask King Pittheus, the wisest mans of his time to explain the meaning. The King understood it immediately and explained that Aegeus could not drink wine nor make love until he got back to Athens if he could do this he would have a son. The king could not resist the opportunity to have a grandson that would combine two Greece families. So instead of helping Aegeus he tricked him into drinking wine and sleeping with his daughter Aethra Theseus was conceived in defiance of the oracle’s prophecy. Aegeus did not know that Poseidon also slept with Aethra. King Aegeus provided for his son and hid a pair of sandals with a sword in a hollow beneath a huge rock and told Aethra that when the boy grew strong enough he were to go and lift the rock and retrieve the gifts from his father. Aethra was also told to keep Theseus away from knowing Aegeus was his birth father. He wanted to keep this a secret because if his brother were to find out about him he would try to kill him in order to get the kingdom. Aethra raised her son fatherless. Pittheus was his grandfather and told everyone that Poseidon was Theseus’s father since the people worshiped Poseidon seeing he was the protector of their city. Theseus was only seven years when he displayed his heroic nature, all of his cousins were playing around with Hercules and his lion coat when it started to move Theseus picked up and axe an charged it fiercely tackling it. Theseus grew up strong, able, courageous, intelligent and wise. He became a great wrestler by using strategy as much as strength to bring victory upon himself. The idea of intelligence in wrestling was new at the time eve Hercules depended on hi size and strength to bring him victory. When Theseus was fifteen Aethra took him to the spot where his father had hidden the gifts and revealed his fathers true identity. Theseus then lifted the rock and took he gifts his father had left for him. Theseus then wanted to travel to Athens but he refused to take the safe sea route. He wanted to take the perilous land passage from the Peloponnesus across the Isthmus of Corinth to Athens. The land route sheltered such a frightening collection of robbers and murderers, no man dared to rule them. The first criminal Theseus met was in Epidaurus and was the fearsome robber Periphetes called Corynetes or “club-carrier” because his wepon was a huge bronze club. Periphetes was accoustomed to murdering all travelers who passed his way Theseus killed him and then carried his club for proof. Near Corinth Theseus met the clever fiend Sinis called Pityocamptes or “Pinebender” Sinis forced any traveler he could beat in a fight to help him bend two pine trees until their tip tops touched the ground. Then Sinis forced his victims to hold the tree down until they had no more strength left the pine trees then hurled his victims and killed them or he would tie them to the tree in which they would be split into to. Theseus wrestled Sinis and killed him in the same way that he killed his victims.Theseus then killed a wild huge sow of Crommyon Phea an off spring of the terrible monster Typhon and was named after the old woman who fed it. Near Megara Thesus came upon Scheming robber Sceiron. After robbing travelers he enjoyed forcing them to step seaward side of the cliff where he made them wash his feet. Once the travelers bent over to do this he would kick them off to the giant tortoise below to be ate. Theseus defeated him by pulling him over his shoulders before he had a chance to kick him. Sceiron was now food for the giant Tortoise. In reaching Eleusis Theseus meet King Cercyon who forced all travelers to wrestle with him. Once Cercyon pinned his victims beneath him he kills them until Theseus no travelers had survived but not only did he survive he killed him by slamming him to the ground and killing him. Theseus met his last villain Damastes or Procrustes also known as the Stretcher he ran a inn and would offer travelers a place to stay then would stretch them or saw their body parts off. Theseus killed him by stretching him to the size of the longest bed and he died. Theseus made land travel safe between Troezen and Athens. He had earned fame and honor. Now he was ready for king Aegeus to realize he is the lawful heir to the throne of Athens. When Theseus arrived at Athens Pallas and his fifty sons were threatening Aegeus’s rule. Medea wanted to kill Theseus because he thinks Theseus wants to kill Aegeus. The plan was to poison Theseus. Theseus attended this feast without disclosing who he was. In order to let his father know who he really was he waited for the maids to put the meat on the table and when they did he pulled out Aegeus sword as if he were going to slice it Aegeus immediately recognized the sword because it was his own it was not his enem it was his long awaited son. It was no wonder Medea wanted him dead. Aegues quickly jumped up and sliced the poisoned cup out of Theseus hand, because of Theseus ‘s heroic accomplishments, the people received Theseus with great joy. Theseus was the heir to the thrown he had to fight Pallas and his sons. Theseus killes all fifty sons but Pallas got away. Then to impress the Atheneans with his courage and skill Theseus volunteered to capture the fearsome bull of Marathon. This bull created endless destruction by ravaging who ever it met killing the. Much like his cousin Hercules he captured the bull alive brought it to Athens streets so that everyone could see his own heroism. He then sacrificed the bull to Apollo. Minos arrived form Crete for the third time Athenian tribute. It was customary for the fourteen victims to be chosen by lot. The atmosphere was full of dread. The Athenians angrily accused Aegeus of being the cause of their trouble but immune to their suffering. Theseus understood the complaints and then willingly volunteered to be one of the fourteen victims and share the fate of the victims lottery. He offered to kill the Minotaur. Knowing that none of the victims would ever live to return they always got sent to Crete in a ship bearing black sails to symbolize their death. Theseus was so confident that he would kill the Minotaur Aegeus gave the captian a white sail to hoist up if Theseus was successful. Minos held athletic games in memory of his son Androgeus. Theseus asked to participate and was given permission to do so. Minos’s daughter Ariadne fell in love with Theseus she watched him very carefully. After the contest Ariadne approached Theseus in secrete and offered to help him if he agreed to take her back to Atheans as his wife. Theseus agreed. Ariadne then begged Daedalus for a means to save Theseus. Daedalus gave her a ball of thread and suggested an ingenious way to keep Theseus safe. She then gave Theseus the ball of thread along with instructions. He rolled the ball of string ou and followed it to the Minotaur and wrestle him to the ground and beat him to death with his fists. All the writers agree that Theseus deserted Ariadne and returned to Athens without her. Many writers say that Theseus left her on the island of Naxos. Aegues lookied for the white sail but instead he saw the black one and in thinking his son was dead Aegeus hurled himself off the Acropolis to his death and Theseus became the king as great a king as he was a hero
The Late Years chapter 34 Theseus had done many foolish things in his past life that brought unhappiness to not only the Athens but also himself. He organized an expedition against the Amazons where he abducted their queen Antiope. To avenge the abduction the Amazons attacked but were sadly defeated. Later Antiope had Thesuses baby Hippolytus. Theseus then left Antiope because he wanted to marry Ariadne’s sister Phaedra. In order for Phaedra’s children to become legal heirs to the thrown of Athens Theseus then sent his own son Hippolytus to Troezen where he was to become a successor to Theseus’s grandfather, King Pittheus. Not to long after that Theseus killed Pallas and the remainder of his son’s because of their attempt to assassinate him. Some writers say that Theseus was tried for murder be the Athenian court but was acquitted because the court had considered his crime as justified. Others say that as a punishment for his crime The Athenian court exiled Theseus from Athens for one year and that consequently he took Phaedra with him to Troezen. In Troezen Phaedra met Hippolytus and fell in love with him but because Hippolytus was her stepson she was ashamed of her feelings towards him but she could not resist her passion for him. Hippolytus did not feel the same way he could not love her because she was his stepmother. He did not love any woman he only loved to hunt and was dedicated to his worship of Artemis the goddess of hunt and chastity. Phaedra became obsessed with her stepson and had a big fear that he would tell his father about her feelings for him. She then made a scheme that would punish Hippolytus for rejecting her. She wrote a note that stated she had been forced kill herself because Hippolytus raped her. As she clutched the note she hung her self. When Theseus returned home he found his dead wife clutching the note and he read it. He only believed the letter by Phaedra and no one else Theseus filled with rage then banished his son from Athens and Troezen and asked his father Poseidon to kill him. Poseidon fulfilled his request and while Hippolytus was driving his chariot along the sea shore away from Troezen into exile Poseidon sent a bull from the sea. The beast terrorized the horses that were pulling the chariot the horses then bucked and threw Hippolytus to the ground entangled in the reins the horses dragged him to his death. Theseus then later realized his mistake and mourned the death of his son. Theseus returned to Athens. In order to meet and test the hero Theseus on his courage King Peirithous led a small group of men that stole a heard of oxen grazing near the walls of Athens but instead of killing Peirithous Theseus was so impressed with his courage that they pledged eternal friendship. After that the two Kings were inseparable. Searching for adventure the two kings decided to kidnap and marry daughters of Zues. They went together to Sparta where they captured twelve year old Helen, then drew lots to see who she would marry. Theseus was fifty years old and won Helen as his bride. Because of her youth he left her to be raised by his mother in Aphidnae a town near Marathon until she became old enough to marry him. Peirithous then decided that he wanted to abduct Persephone the beautiful queen of the underworld. The two kings were able to get into the underworld with no problem but then Grim Hades quickly conquered them by tricking them to come eat and drink with him. They sat down in the seat of forgetfulness they were bound permanently to it by coils of snakes. They both had soon forgot the world where they came from. Peirithous remained in the land of Hades for ever bound to the chair of forgetfulness. Theseus was however rescued by his cousin Hercules who was in the underworld to preform his last labor when seen by the two kings they reached there hands out for help so he grabbed onto his Theseus’s hands and pulled him free but when he tried to free the other king the earth began to shake which was a sign that he was to remain in the underworld for punishment so Hercules sadly let go. Theseus was imprisoned in the underworld. Helens brother invaded the Athens to try and get his sister but he did not find her so he burnt and destroyed all of Attica. Theseus’s mother Aethra and Aphidnae rescued Helen and enslaved Aethra and her servant and then burned the town to the ground then they returned to Sparta. When Theseus returned home many Athenians hated him for causing the Spartan Invasion and would not permit him to regain his thrown. Fearing for his life he left Athens for the island of Scyrus where he hoped to be received with hospitality by a king. Lycomedes decided to kill his guest. He took him high above the sea to a rocky area where he then pushed him off to his death. Years later, in the battle against Marathon, many Anthenians thought they saw Theseus leading them to victory against against the Persians. Persian wars, the oracle of Apollo at Delphi commanded the Athenians to return Theseus’s bones to Athens and honor them. The Conqueror of Scyrus tried to locate Theseus’s grave. He saw an eagle picking at a pile of dirt. He dug until he found a tomb stone there was a large body of a man that had been buried with a bronze spear and sword. His body was returned to Athens and the Athenians received these items as sacrifices and celebrations. They then forgave Theseus and his errors of judgement that had brought war to the Athens they only remembered his heroism of his life and they glory of his kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment