DOI chapter:
The mythology of Athenian local cults
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61302#0110
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MYTHOLOGY AND MONUMENTS
a king, but deprived of his rights, and coming back to win, by
favour of the people, what was his own ; a man contending
with the nobles of the land, the Metionids, the Pallantidae,
and Menestheus; a hero always ready to sacrifice himself for
the people, yet whose throne was never stable. Here we have
more of conscious heroising, of intentional myth-making, than
about Cecrops or Erechtheus. Theseus is carefully modelled
after Herakles (άλλο? οΰτο? 'Ηρακλή?). He gradually gathers
about himself the deeds of other heroes. He obtrudes his
own personality into other cults, dominates alien festivals,
till at length his myth outsteps all limits, and taste, revolted,
complains there is nothing without Theseus (οΰκ avev ye
Θησέως).
The myths about his exploits fall naturally into certain
groups as follows :—
1. Legends about his birth and early childhood.
2. Legends that deal with his journey from Troezen to
Athens.
3. The Cretan legend, including the Marathonian bull.
4. Legends that deal with his adventures after he became
king; his contests with Centaurs, Amazons; descent into
Hades ; rape of Helen ; exile and death.
And closely connected with this part of his life-
5. The Troezenian legend of Hippolytus.
Of these, it is noticeable that the rape of Helen is a local
Laconian legend. In it Theseus appears as nothing more
than a northern robber. The legend never took hold on
Athenian literature or art, but still, as it connected Theseus
with the glories of the Trojan heroine, it is retained, however
discreditable.
The Cretan legend seems the earliest; it alone appears
on black-figured vase-paintings ; it seems to have come to
Athens by way of Phalerum. The later adventures—Amazons,
Lapiths, Hades—are obviously mere replicas of the labours of
Herakles and need no detailed consideration. The exploits
from Troezen to Athens belong exclusively to Theseus, but
are avowedly undertaken in imitation of Herakles.
MYTHOLOGY AND MONUMENTS
a king, but deprived of his rights, and coming back to win, by
favour of the people, what was his own ; a man contending
with the nobles of the land, the Metionids, the Pallantidae,
and Menestheus; a hero always ready to sacrifice himself for
the people, yet whose throne was never stable. Here we have
more of conscious heroising, of intentional myth-making, than
about Cecrops or Erechtheus. Theseus is carefully modelled
after Herakles (άλλο? οΰτο? 'Ηρακλή?). He gradually gathers
about himself the deeds of other heroes. He obtrudes his
own personality into other cults, dominates alien festivals,
till at length his myth outsteps all limits, and taste, revolted,
complains there is nothing without Theseus (οΰκ avev ye
Θησέως).
The myths about his exploits fall naturally into certain
groups as follows :—
1. Legends about his birth and early childhood.
2. Legends that deal with his journey from Troezen to
Athens.
3. The Cretan legend, including the Marathonian bull.
4. Legends that deal with his adventures after he became
king; his contests with Centaurs, Amazons; descent into
Hades ; rape of Helen ; exile and death.
And closely connected with this part of his life-
5. The Troezenian legend of Hippolytus.
Of these, it is noticeable that the rape of Helen is a local
Laconian legend. In it Theseus appears as nothing more
than a northern robber. The legend never took hold on
Athenian literature or art, but still, as it connected Theseus
with the glories of the Trojan heroine, it is retained, however
discreditable.
The Cretan legend seems the earliest; it alone appears
on black-figured vase-paintings ; it seems to have come to
Athens by way of Phalerum. The later adventures—Amazons,
Lapiths, Hades—are obviously mere replicas of the labours of
Herakles and need no detailed consideration. The exploits
from Troezen to Athens belong exclusively to Theseus, but
are avowedly undertaken in imitation of Herakles.