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1. Chapter 23 Theseus & the Legends of Attica
3. What about those snaky guys? Cecrops (1st king) and Erichthonius serpentine
Serpent = autochthonous
Erichthonius upbringing Athena takes up job after unfortunate incident with Cecrops daughters
Can Athens really be autochthonous? Why does it matter?
4. Erechtheus 3rd king Erechtheum on Acropolis contained
wooden statue of Athena
Olive tree from Athena
Salt spring from Poseidon
Tomb of Erechtheus
See p. 596 for plan of Erechtheum
5. Legends of Theseus Athens city on the rise needs a hero
Cimon discovers and transports Theseus bones to Athens, c. 475 BCE
Theseus gets build-up from authors a Hercules like figure just for Attica.
6. Labors of Theseus Periphetes Corynetes (Club)
Sinis Pityocamptes (Pine-bender)
Sow of Crommyon
Sciron
Cercyon
Procrustes (Stretcher)
See p. 602 for illustration, and addition of Bull of Marathon
7. Theseus recognized Always pays to have your own eating utensils
Medea as evil stepmother.
8. The Cretan Incident Historical background
Athens as client state to Crete
Cretan worship of bull
The labyrinth
Mythological background
Pasiphae & Minotaur
Death of Androgeos
9. The Cretan Incident (contd) Theseus volunteers as 1/14
Contest on Board Ship
Minos & Theseus have connexions
See Bacchylides, Dithyramb 17, p. 604
Ariadnes help
Goddess or mortal?
Wreath or string?
10. Return to Athens Ariadne on Naxos
What about those black sails?
Aegean sea
11. Theseus Reputation Was there an historical Theseus?
The idealized king
Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus
Euripides Heracles
Euripides Suppliant Women
Plutarchs Life of Theseus
Athenian proverbial tag: not without Theseus.
But
Euripides Hippolytus
12. Theseus closet Kidnapping Helen
Attempted kidnapping of Persephone
Abandoning of Ariadne
Death in exile
13. More on Minoan Crete Daedalus marital aids
Building the Labyrinth
Taking flight quite literally
Fall of Icarus
Daedalus as Athenian
14. Other stories Cephalus & Procris
Problem of jealousy
Procne, Philomela & Tereus
swallow and nightengale
Used as device in Shakespeares Titus Andronicus