The poetical histories being a compleat collection of all the stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latine poets and other ancient authors / written originally in French, by the learned Jesuite, P. Galtruchius ; now Englisht and enricht with observations concerning the gods worshipped by our ancestors in this island, by the Phœnicians, and Syrians in Asia ... ; unto which are added two treatises, one of the curiosities of old Rome, and of the difficult names relating to the affairs of that city, the other containing the most remarkable hieroglyphicks of Ægypt, by Marius d'Assigny ...

CHAP. III.

Of Theseus.

THeseus was the Son of Aegeus, King of Athens, who gave his name to the Ae∣gean Sea: He did live in the time of Hercu∣les, and was nearly related to him; there∣fore he was often a Companion of his Ad∣ventures, and a perfect follower of his ge∣nerosity, after that he had escaped from the snares of his Mother-in-law Medea, who with a Cup of Poyson intended to deprive him of the succession to the Kingdom.

The most part of the Princes and great Lords of that time were Robbers, who made their greatness consist in a Tyrannical Domi∣nion over their miserable Subjects, and over all those that were so unhappy as to fall into their hands. Phalaris, King of Sicily, was one of them; he was wont to shut men alive into the body of a Brazen Bull hollow with∣in, causing fire to be put under it, that it

might oblige them to send forth groans and cryes out of the throat of this Instrument of his cruelty: In the mean while he did take a singular delight to hear the Bull bellow thus.

Theseus, that wanted neither courage nor goodness, resolved to give a check to the in∣solency of all these Tyrants, and to treat them as they had treated others before. First he marched against one Scirron, who took pleasure in drowning all Passengers in the Sea. Thus he punished Procustes, because he was wont to cut in pieces all those that came into his hands: Sometimes he did cut off their Legs even with the Bed where he did lye.

Thus he encountred with all the Monsters that came into the World, as with the Bull of Marathon, that was of a prodigious bigness; and as with the Boar of Calydonia that Me∣leager had undertaken, but could not over∣come him without the help of Theseus, from whence riseth the Proverb, Non sine Theseo.

The most famous and notable of all his exploits, was the victory that he obtained of the Minotaurus, who was half a man and half a Bull, whose birth we have mentioned in the former Book, speaking of Pasiphae, the Wife of Minos, who was the Mother of this Monster, begot by a Bull on her body. And that we may know how Theseus was engaged in this business, we must understand, that King Minos did make War upon the people

of Attica, to revenge the Death of his Son Androgeus, massacred by them in a treache∣rous manner. In this War he took the City of Megara, and overcame the Athenians; so that he obliged them to send unto him as a Tribute every year, a certain number of young men whom he did give to this Minotau∣rus to be devoured by him. Theseus reque∣sted to be sent amongst the other young men, that he might destroy this Monster that had devoured already so much of the blood of his Citizens. The Labyrinth was the place where this Minotaurus was kept. This Edi∣fice had been built by Dedalus in such a man∣ner, that there were in it so many windings and turnings, that it was a difficult matter for one within to find the way out again. Theseus wisely gave order to this inconveni∣ency, for he won the good liking of Ari∣adone the Kings Daughter, and she delivered to him a Thred, by its assistance he fo nd a way out of the Labyrinth, after that he had killed the Minotaur in it. Ariadne he took with him, promising unto her won∣derful advantages in his Kingdom of Athens. Nevertheless he left her by the way, in the Island of Naxos, to comply with the desires of the God Bacchus, who wished to have her in Marriage; and therefore he presented her with a Crown, that hath been since placed a∣mongst the Stars.

The Ship in which Theseus was carried in∣to the Island of Crete, had no other sails

but Black and Mourning: But he had pro∣mised to his Father Aegeus, that in case he obtained the Victory, he would come home with White Sails; which the excess of joy proceeding from the consideration of his hap∣py return from so imminent a danger, caused him to forget: Therefore it happened that his Father, who was always expecting with much impatience his coming back, when he saw the black sails, the signs of sadness and of sorrow approaching with the Ship, he was taken with so piercing a grief, that he cast himself headlong into the Sea at the same moment, and there was drowned.

This Ship was afterwards kept by the A∣thenians, as the Remembrancer or Monument of the happy Victory that had freed them from so much misery and apprehension. They did therefore repair i••, when any part of it was decayed by long standing, and did nail unto it new Planks, in lieu of those that Time did consume and ••ot. This Ship, saith Plutarchus, was always a President in the di∣sputes of Philosophy in the Schools, brought to express the means that Nature imploys to preserve the Elemental Bodies, and particu∣larly those that are maintained by nourish∣ment.

After this, Piritho••s King of the Lapithes, a people of Thessaly, desired to see so famous a Person; therefore to obtain his desire, he began to spoil the borders of his Kingdom, to oblige him to come to defend himself.

When both met together, they were so much taken with the beautiful countenance, with the courage and generous behaviour one of the other, that they did swear to be for e∣ver Friends, and to lend a mutual assistance in all difficult affairs.

Immediately after, Pirithoüs being ••ssisted by Theseus, did punish severely the Centaurs, when he invited them to the Feastival that was kept at his Marriage with Hippodamia, because they had most insolently affronted his people the Lapithes, and massacred mul∣titudes of them. Now the Centaurs were the first people that had found out the art of riding upon Horses; and for that cause they were esteemed half Men, and half Horses, of those that met them on Horse-back. From hence comes their name H ppocentauri.

Another effect of the alliance between Pi∣rithoüs and Theseus, was the Rape of the fair Helena, of whom we shall speak hereafter. Theseus also accompanied him to Hell, when he went to fetch from thence Proserpina that he loved entirely: But this enterprise suc∣ceeded not according to their expectation, for they were stopt by Pluto. Some say, that Pirithoüs was condemned to the torments of Ixion; but Theseus was forced to rest him∣self after the grievous labors and pains whom he had endured in this expedition upon a great stone, from which he could never af∣ter rise, nor move himself, until Hercules went down to Hell to fetch the great Dog

* 1.1 Cerberus. He did stick so close to this great stone, that he left upon it his skin when he was pluckt from thence. When he returned again into Hell, after his decease, Pluto con∣demned him to the same place, because he had been so bold as to undertake to ravish and carry away his Queen.

We have already declared in the former Chapter how he married Hippolyte, Queen of the Amazons, of whom he had a Son that did bear the Name of his Mother, called by some Antiopea. Afterwards he espoused Phedra, one of the Daughters of Minos. She grew amorous of this Hippolytus her Son-in-law; * 1.2but when she could not gain him by prayers, she accused him to Theseus most ma∣liciously, as if he had offered to dishonour her. Theseus gave credit to her Calumny; therefore he banisht out of his house the poor young Prince, desiring the God Nep∣tunus to punish him for this conceived Crime.

Hippolytus fled from the rage of his Fa∣ther upon a Chariot; and as he was passing by the Sea-side, he met with a Sea-Monster that frighted his Horses, cast him to the ground, and kill'd him in a miserable man∣ner; for he was drag'd over the Rocks and stones, and his body torn in pieces by these fearful and furious Horses. Phedra was migh∣tily grieved at this mischance; being there∣fore pressed with a remorse of conscience, she discovered all the truth of Hippolytus his

Innocency, and of her own malice, and then stob'd her self before him, leaving un∣to Theseus the displeasure of having been too credulous. But since Esculapius being moved with compassion for Hippolytus, he restored him to life again.

* 1.3 Theseus was a wise and valiant King of A∣thens, that perswaded the people dispersed in the Country to live together in Cities. He esta∣blished wholesome Laws in his Dominions, and destroyed many Tyrants and Thieves that did trouble the Country, Cercyon, Polypemon, Pe∣riphetes, &c. He was said to he the Son of Neptunus, because he was an encourager of Trade and Navigation. Minos did question him about his Father, but he proved what he was; for when the King cast a Ring into the Sea, he dived to the bottom, and fetcht it up with a Crown in his hand, which Thetis be∣stowed upon him, and which was afterwards given to Ariadne; but after her death it was placed amongst the Stars.

His Sons were Hippolytus, Acamas, and D••mophon: When he came to be old, he was kill'd by King Lycomedes in a cruel battel.

* 1.4 He Reigned about the year of the World 2700. in the daies of Gedeon, a Judge of Israel, according to the computation of the best Chronology.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are great and dif∣ficult under∣takings.
• * 1.2

  Of him is the Prov. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Diogen Of a chast and virtuous man.
• * 1.3

  Addit. Not.
• * 1.4

  Diod. l. 5. cap. ••