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Chapter 23

A little background. 5th c. BCE

Rita
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Chapter 23

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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 (cont’d) Theseus volunteers as 1/14 Contest on Board Ship Minos & Theseus have connexions See Bacchylides, Dithyramb 17, p. 604 Ariadne’s 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 Plutarch’s 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 Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus

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