GREEK GOD
ADVENTURES

There was once a king named Athena

AEgeus. He had no sons; but he had five

twenty nephews, and they're waiting for him to die, so one of them

he could be king in his place. They are wild and

worthless, and the Athenians were fearfully looking forward to the day when

the city will be in their power. As long as AEgeus lives, though,

they cannot do much, but are content to spend their time

eat and drink at the king's table and in quarrels among themselves.

It happened one summer so

AEgeus left his kingdom in the care of the city elders and continued

journey across the Saronic Sea to the old and famous city of Troezen, which

located at the foot of the mountains on the opposite shore. . Troezen is not far away

fifty miles by water from Athens, and the purple-tipped island of AEgina

it was between them; but for the people of that time it was a distance

it looked very far away, and not often ships passed from place to place

another place. And about a road trip around the bend of the sea

broadly speaking, it was such a dangerous thing that no one would dare

tried it.

King Pittheus of Troezen was delighted

look at AEgeus, because they are boys together, and he

welcome him to his town and do all he can to make

pleasant visitation. So, day after day, there was a party and excitement

and the music in the marble hall of Troezen was old, and the two kings spent a lot of time

happy by talking about the deeds of their youth and about heroes

the mighty that both have known. When it was time for the ship

sailing back to Athens, AEgeus was not yet ready to depart. She said

he will stay a little longer in Troezen, because the elders of the city will

set everything up well at home; and the ship returned without him.

But AEgeus stayed, not for rest and

the pleasure he experienced at his old friend's house, but rather for the sake of AEthra, the princess

old friend. Because AEthra is as beautiful as summer mornings, and she is

the joy and pride of Troezen; and AEgeus was never as happy as the moment

be in front of him. So it just so happened to be a while after the ship sailed,

there was a wedding in the hall of King Pittheus; but it was kept secret, because of AEgeus

afraid that his nephew, if they heard him, would be very angry and would

sending people to Troezen to hurt him.

Month after month passed, and AEgeus was still

stay with her bride and trust her elders to take care of her

athenian Affairs. Then one morning, when the Troezen garden was filled with

rose and green heather in the hills, a baby was born from AEthra - a

a boy with a beautiful face and strong hands and big eyes

as sharp and bright as a mountain eagle. And now AEgeus is more reluctant to

back home than before, and he ascended to the mountain overlooking

Troezen, and prayed to Athena, queen of the air, to give her wisdom

and show him what to do. Even when he

praying a ship came to the harbor, carrying a letter to AEgeus and

alarming news from Athens.

"Go home without delay" - this is

words from the letter sent by the elders-"go home quickly,

or Athena will be gone. A great king from across the sea, Minos of

Crete, on its way by ship and a group of men at war, was,

and he declares that he will bring swords and fire into our walls,

and will kill our youth and make our children his slaves.

Come and save us!"

"This is a call of duty" said

AEgeus; and with a heavy heart he prepared to cross immediately

the ocean to help its people. But he couldn't take AEthra and

the baby, out of fear of his disobedient nephew, who will kill them

both.

"The best wife" he said, when

the time for separation has come, "listen to me, for I will not

never seen your father's hall, or your dear old Troezen, or maybe a face

your own beauty, again. Do you remember the old one? a tree that stands

on the side of the mountain, and a large flat stone that was located a little far behind him,

and who can't be lifted up by anyone but myself? Below

that stone, I hid the sword and sandals I had brought from Athens. At

there they will lie down until our child is strong enough to lift the stone and

take it yourself. Take care of him, AEthra, until then; and then, and

not until then, you can tell him about his father, and tell him to

he's looking for me in Athens."

Then AEgeus kissed

dipped into the waves; the white sail stretched out in the wind; and

AEthra from the window of his palace saw the ship speeding over the blue waters towards

AEgina and the distant Attic coast.

Years passed, but there was no news

until AEthra from her husband across the sea. Often and often he

climb the mountain above Troezen, and sit there all day, looking out

the blue waters and purple hills of AEgina to the dim and distant beaches

across there. Sometimes he could see a white-winged ship sailing

soon; but the people said that it was the ship of Crete,

and most likely filled with ferocious Cretan warriors, bound to

the cruel task of war. It was later reported that King Minos had

seized all the ships of Athens, and had burned part of the city, and had forced

people to pay the saddest tribute. But further away

from this there is no news.

Meanwhile, baby AEthra has grown into

a tall boy with reddish cheeks, strong like a mountain lion; and

he named them Theseus. On the day he was fifteen years old, he

go with him to the top of the mountain, and with him look out to the sea.

"Ah, if only your father would

coming!" he sighed.

"My dad?" word

Theseus. "Who is my father, and why are you always watching and

waiting and hoping he will come? Tell me about him."

And he said: "My son, are you

looking at the large flat stone located there, half buried inside

land, and covered with moss and vines? Do you think you

can lift it?"

"I'll try, mom," said

Theseus. And he dug his fingers into the ground beside him, and

grasping at its uneven edges, and pulling it, lifting it, and

straining until his breath was wheezing and his arms ached and his body

it was filled with sweat; but the stone was not moved the same

once. Finally he said, "This task is too heavy for me to arrive

I became stronger. But why do you want me to lift it?"

"When you are strong enough to

lift it up," replied AEthra, "I'll tell you about

your father."

After that the boy came out every

day and practice running and jumping and throwing and lifting; and

every day he rolled a few stones from his place. At first he

he could only move a little, and the people who saw him laughed as he

it was attractive and puffing and his face became red, but never gave up

until he lifted it. And little by little he became stronger,

and his muscles became like iron bands, and his limbs like levers

strong for strength. Then on his next birthday

go up the mountain with his mother, and once again try to lift a big rock

that's. But it stayed fast in place and did not move.

"I'm not strong enough, mother," he said.

"Prophey, my son," said AEthra.

So he continued again by running and

jumping and throwing and lifting; and he also practiced wrestling, and

tame the wild horses in the plains, and hunt lions among the

mountains; and his strength and speed and skill are

everyone's miracle, and old Troezen is filled with stories about

the actions of the boy Theseus. But when he tried again on his birthday

the seventeenth, he was unable to move the large flat stone located

near the field tree on the side of the mountain.

"Patience, son," said AEthra

again; but this time her tears were held back.

So he went back to his training; and

he learned to use a sword and battle axe and threw an outside burden

ordinary and carrying an incredible load. And people say that

since the days of Hercules there has never been such a great power in one

body. Then, when he was a year older, he climbed the mountain again

with his mother, and he bowed and held the stone, and the stone gave up

at his touch; and, behold, when he has lifted him from

the ground, he found beneath him a bronze sword and a golden sandal, and

this he gave to his mother.

"Tell me now

about my father" he said.