Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesPlacesPlanetsPopularAll Myths
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusHomerHesiodAeschylusSophoclesEuripidesAristophanesApolloniusOvidPausaniasPindarAll Ancient Sources
Olympians
Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesPlacesPlanetsPopularAll Myths
Plays
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusHomerHesiodAeschylusSophoclesEuripidesAristophanesApolloniusOvidPausaniasPindarAll Ancient Sources

Plutarch · c. AD 46-after 119

Life of Theseus

Θησεύς
Ancient Sources / Plutarch / Life of Theseus

Plutarch's Life of Theseus follows the Athenian hero from his birth at Troezen to his death on Scyros and the return of his bones to Athens. Plutarch says he will purify fable and make it submit to reason, and he compares the versions of historians such as Philochorus, Hellanicus and Cleidemus with those of the poets and tragedians. It is paired with the Life of Romulus.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 11 passages, about 11400 words in English.
Translator
Bernadotte Perrin (1914)
Edition
Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 1, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1914 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus)
Cite as
Plutarch, Life of Theseus 1.1 (by chapter, section)

Contents · 11 passages

  1. 1.1–5.4Prologue; Aegeus, Aethra and the birth of Theseus; his hair offering at Delphi1190 words
  2. 6.1–11.2The road to Athens: Periphetes, Sinis, the Crommyonian Sow, Sciron, Cercyon and Procrustes1546 words
  3. 12.1–14.3Theseus in Athens: Medea's poison cup, the sons of Pallas and the Marathonian Bull726 words
  4. 15.1–18.2The tribute to Minos and the Minotaur; Theseus volunteers for Crete1148 words
  5. 19.1–21.2Theseus and the Minotaur; the stories of Ariadne; the Crane dance on Delos1196 words
  6. 22.1–23.3The death of Aegeus; the festivals of the return and the ship of Theseus858 words
  7. 24.1–25.5Theseus unites Attica and founds the Athenian state839 words
  8. 26.1–28.2Theseus and the Amazons: Antiope, Solois and Pythopolis, the battle at Athens1119 words
  9. 29.1–30.5Other marriages and exploits of Theseus; Pirithous and the Centaurs734 words
  10. 31.1–34.2The abduction of Helen; Theseus held in Epirus; the Dioscuri take Aphidnae1167 words
  11. 35.1–36.4Theseus freed by Heracles, his exile and death on Scyros; his bones brought to Athens876 words

More by Plutarch

English translation by Bernadotte Perrin (1914). Original text: Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 1, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1914 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.