One of the Great heroes of the city of Athens, if not all of Greece. This son of Aegeus, the King of Athens, and his wife Aethra, had almost as many adventures as Hercules. Theseus was one of Argonauts; he slew giants; he fought Amazons.

When Theseus saw a woman he wanted, he took her. In his most famous feat, he slew the Minotaur in the labyrinth with the aid of Ariadne, whom he later betrayed. In addition to abandoning Ariadne, who saved his life, he "forgot" to tell his father of his success with the Minotaur. Thus, the distraught old man, thinking his son dead, committed suicide.

When Theseus wrongfully believed his son had betrayed him, he had Poseidon arrange the boy's death in a most gruesome way—by having his body dragged behind his chariot. Ultimately, he retired to Seyros, where he was murdered by King Lycomedes.