Aegeus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Aegeus

17 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Aegeus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Aegeus was the founder of the city of Athens in Greek mythology, and king of the city. After failing to produce a male heir to the throne with his fir... For the story in one place, read our article on Aegeus.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome E.1.1–24Theseus and the Minotaur; Daedalus, Phaedra and PirithousThe Epitome picks up Theseus' labours with the sow of Crommyon and goes on through Sciron, Cercyon and Damastes, after which he reaches Athens and Medea's plot against him fails. With Ariadne's clue he kills the Minotaur, and Ariadne is left on Naxos for Dionysus; Aegeus leaps to his death when he sees the black sail. The section then follows Daedalus and Icarus and Minos's death in Sicily, Theseus's Amazon wife and Phaedra's passion for Hippolytus, the Centauromachy, Helen's abduction, and Theseus's capture in Hades and death on Scyros.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.15.1–3.16.2Erechtheus, Aegeus, Minos's war on Athens and the birth of TheseusPandion's sons divide his inheritance and Erechtheus becomes king; his daughters include Procris, killed accidentally by Cephalus, and Orithyia, carried off by Boreas. The section covers Cleopatra and Phineus, Eumolpus and the war with Erechtheus, who sacrifices his daughter, and Aegeus and his marriages. Minos, to avenge Androgeus, takes Megara through Scylla's treachery and imposes the tribute of youths and maidens for the Minotaur. It ends with the birth of Theseus to Aethra and his first two labours, where the surviving text of the Library breaks off.

Sophocles (2)

Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 495–550Second episode: Oedipus tells his story; Theseus arrivesOedipus says that he cannot go to make the offering himself, being weak and blind, and Ismene goes to perform the rite for him. The Chorus ask him to tell his story, and he says that he suffered through unintended deeds, in a marriage into which the city bound him unknowing and in a killing which he did in ignorance. The Chorus announce that Theseus, the son of Aegeus, has come at the sound of his voice.
Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1500–1555Sixth episode: Oedipus tells Theseus the secret of his burialTheseus comes, and Oedipus says that his hour has come and that he wishes to repay Theseus' kindness by showing him the place of his death. He tells Theseus that the place will be a defence for Athens against Thebes, and that he must reveal it to no one but his eldest son, and so on in each generation. Oedipus then sets out to the place, leading Theseus and his daughters himself, and says farewell to the light.

Euripides (3)

Euripides, Medea 627–758Second choral song; Aegeus promises Medea refuge in AthensThe Chorus prays that love may come in moderation and that it may never be exiled from its own country, since no sorrow is worse than the loss of a fatherland. Aegeus, on his way home from the oracle at Delphi where he asked how he might have a child, meets Medea and hears her story. She offers to cure his childlessness, and he swears by Earth and the sun-god Helios to give her refuge and never to give her up to her enemies.
Euripides, Medea 1361–1419Exodos: Jason mourns and Medea foretells his deathJason begs to be allowed to touch and bury his dead sons, and Medea refuses. She says that she will bury them herself in Hera's sacred field and found a yearly rite in Corinth to atone for the murder, and that she will go to Athens to live with Aegeus. She foretells Jason's death, struck by a piece of the Argo, and the Chorus ends the play on the unexpected ways of the gods.
Euripides, Suppliants 634–730Messenger speech: Theseus defeats the ThebansA Messenger, servant of Capaneus, who escaped captivity, tells the Chorus that Theseus has won a victory and that the Athenians are safe. He describes how, from a tower at Electra's gate, he watched the armies draw up, and how the herald of Theseus called on the Thebans to be still, and Creon would not let his herald answer, so that the chariots charged and the battle was joined, and Theseus drove the Thebans back to their walls.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.59.1–4.63.5TheseusThe historian tells of Theseus' birth at Troezen and his labours against the robbers on the road to Athens, then of the Minotaur: Minos' war over the death of Androgeos, the tribute of youths, Ariadne's help, and Theseus' union of the Attic demes into one city. He adds the story of Phaedra and Hippolytus and the exploits of Peirithoüs, including the abduction of Helen and the descent to Hades.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.54.1–4.56.8Jason and Medea at Corinth; the Argonauts' alleged return routeAfter ten years Jason takes Glauce, daughter of Creon, and Medea burns the palace and kills her children before escaping to Heracles at Thebes. The historian gives the later fortunes of Medea and her son Medus, remarks on the invented marvels of the tragic poets, and records the Argonauts' alleged return route by way of the Tanaïs and the ocean, with place-names in Italy and Libya that are said to prove it.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.404–452Medea and TheseusMedea becomes the wife of King Aegeus of Athens, and Theseus comes to the court, not yet recognised as the king's son. She brews poison for him, but Aegeus sees the sword that Theseus wears, and knocks the cup from his hand, and Medea escapes in a cloud. Athens celebrates with feasts and prayers for the hero.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.297–403Medea and the daughters of PeliasMedea, to punish Pelias, who had wronged Jason's family, pretends to have quarrelled with Jason and persuades Pelias' daughters to cut up their old father and boil him in a cauldron, promising to make him young. She shows them how a ram is made young again by the same method, but she leaves out the magic herbs for Pelias, and the daughters kill him. Medea flees in a chariot drawn by dragons and flies over Greece, over the places of many transformations, and takes refuge with Aegeus, king of Athens.

Pausanias (5)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.22.1–8Athens: Propylaea, Wingless Victory and the picture gallery of the AcropolisBelow the Acropolis are the temple of Themis, the barrow of Hippolytus with the Troezenian version of Phaedra’s love, and shrines of Vulgar Aphrodite, Earth and Green Demeter. Pausanias describes the single approach, the white marble Propylaea and the temple of Wingless Victory, where Aegeus is said to have thrown himself down. In the chamber of pictures he lists Polygnotus’ paintings of Diomede, Ulysses, Orestes and Polyxena, a portrait of Musaeus, and Hermes and the Graces by Socrates.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.5.1–5Athens: the Rotunda and the eponymous heroes of the tribesNear the Council House is the Rotunda, where the presidents sacrifice, and above it stand statues of the heroes who gave their names to the Athenian tribes, among them Hippothoon, Antiochus, Ajax, Leos, Erechtheus, Aegeus, Oeneus and Acamas. Pausanias distinguishes two kings called Cecrops and two called Pandion, and tells of Pandion’s exile at Megara and of Tereus, Procne and Philomela. He adds the later tribes named after Attalus, Ptolemy and the Emperor Hadrian, and mentions Hadrian’s benefactions.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.27.1–10Athens Acropolis: Athena Polias, the Arrephoroi, Tolmides and the bull of MarathonIn the temple of Athena Polias Pausanias lists a wooden Hermes, Daedalus’ folding chair, Persian spoils and the sacred olive, then the temple of Pandrosus and the secret night rite of the Arrephoroi. He describes figures of Erechtheus and Eumolpus, the statue of Tolmides with a summary of his campaigns, and bronze groups of Theseus lifting the rock, and of Theseus and the bull of Marathon, told through Troezenian and Cretan tales.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.3.1–11Corinth: the agora, the spring Pirene and the children of MedeaPausanias continues through Corinth: the bronze Athena, the temple of Octavia, the portal with chariots of the Sun, and the spring Pirene with its link to Corinthian bronze. He lists images of Hermes, Poseidon and Palaemon, the baths and fountains, and the road to Sicyon with the Glauce basin and the tomb of Medea’s children. He recounts the varied stories of Medea, Jason and her children, drawn from the Naupactia, Eumelus and others.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.15.1–11Sparta: heroes’ shrines, Hercules and Hippocoon, Enyalius in fetters and MorphoPausanias lists the shrine of Cynisca, the heroes’ shrines behind the colonnade, the tomb of Alcman and the sanctuaries of Helen and Hercules, and tells how Hercules came to punish Hippocoon’s sons after the death of Oeonus. He also describes Athena Serve-them-right, the temple of Hipposthenes, the fettered Enyalius, Hera Goat-eating, and the temple of armed Aphrodite with its upper storey sacred to Morpho, whose fetters he does not take to be a punishment.

Bacchylides (1)

Bacchylides, Dithyrambs 18.1–60Dithyramb 18: Theseus, a dialogue of the chorus and AegeusThe chorus asks Aegeus why the war-trumpet has sounded over Athens. Aegeus replies that a herald has reported the deeds of a man who has killed Sinis, closed the wrestling-school of Cercyon and silenced the hammer of Polypemon. He describes the stranger's sword, javelins, Laconian bonnet and purple tunic, and says that he seeks Athens.