In an ancient city, a boy named Theseus grows up under the guidance of his mother, Aethra, and his grandfather, King Pittheus. He learns about his father, King Aegeus of Athens, whom he longs to meet. Aethra tells him he must prove his strength by lifting a heavy rock, beneath which lies a sword and sandals belonging to Aegeus. After years of effort, Theseus finally lifts the rock, retrieves the items, and sets out for Athens. On his journey, Theseus encounters and defeats various robbers, including Procrustes and Scinis, earning a reputation as a brave hero. Upon arriving in Athens, he discovers that his father is in danger from his own nephews and the sorceress Medea, who wishes to secure the throne for her son. The nephews deceive Aegeus into believing Theseus is a threat, leading to a near-fatal encounter where Medea attempts to poison him. However, Aegeus recognizes Theseus by the sword and embraces him. As Theseus settles into his new life, he learns of the Minotaur, a monstrous creature in Crete that demands tributes of Athenian youths. Determined to end this cycle of sacrifice, Theseus volunteers to be one of the tributes, intending to confront the beast. He sails to Crete with other young men and women, where he meets King Minos and his daughter, Ariadne, who falls in love with him. Ariadne provides Theseus with a ball of thread to navigate the labyrinth where the Minotaur resides. Armed with his sword, Theseus enters the labyrinth, follows the sound of the Minotaur, and ultimately confronts and slays the creature. He uses the thread to find his way back to Ariadne, and they escape together, but Theseus leaves her behind on an island, believing she will be better off. On the return journey to Athens, Theseus forgets to change the ship's black sails to white, as promised to his father. Aegeus, seeing the black sails, believes his son has perished and throws himself into the sea. Theseus returns to find his father dead and becomes king, ruling wisely and justly, forever marked by the tragic loss of his father.
By Nathaniel Hawthorne · First published 1852 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Mythology