Theseus - Theseus

Japanese: テセウス - てせうす（英語表記）Theseus

A hero in Greek mythology. Son of King Aegeus of Athens. Some say he was the son of Poseidon. On his way back from consulting the oracle at Delphi, Aegeus became a guest of King Pittheus of Troezen, but Pittheus made him drink wine and, while drunk, he slept with Aethra, King of Troezen. Eventually, Aethra became pregnant. When Aegeus returned home, he instructed Theseus to raise the child without telling him his father's name, and when he reached adulthood, to have him retrieve his sword and sandals from a large rock that he had hidden for a long time, tell him his father's name, and then come to Athens with them as proof. When Theseus became a young man, he took out his sword and sandals and headed for Athens, but instead of taking the safe sea route, he chose the dangerous land route, and defeated all the bandits and thieves that were harassing travelers along the way. The father and son finally met after he had defeated the evil deeds of Medea, who was now his father's wife. Theseus then went to Crete with a group of men and women to offer as tribute to defeat the Minotaur, and achieved great success with the help of Ariadne, who fell in love with him. After ascending to the throne of Athens, he unified Attica and consolidated the foundations of the nation, but was later banished from the throne and exiled to the island of Skyros, where he is said to have been killed by the local king.

The story of his heroism is very similar to that of Hercules, and may be a rehash of it. It seems that the legend of Theseus developed as a national hero of Athens in opposition to the Doric hero Hercules, and there may have been a real person behind his legend, but the truth of this is unclear.

[Teruo Ito]

Legendary achievements

According to legend, Theseus is credited with important achievements in Athenian history. After ascending to the throne, he united the villages and towns of Attica into a unified state with Athens as its capital (the so-called Synoikismos). This feat was long celebrated in later times as the Synoikia festival. However, although it is certain that Attica was once divided into small states and was later unified, it is unclear when, by whom, and how long it took. According to the current leading theory, the unification took a considerable amount of time, and was completed in the 8th century BC, with the unification of Elefsis being delayed by another century.

Theseus is also said to have played an important role in the establishment of the Athenian state by abolishing tyranny, dividing citizens into nobles, peasants, and craftsmen, and establishing a democracy based on these divisions. He is also said to have held the Isthmian and Panathenaea festivals. It is also said that in the early 5th century BCE, after the Persian Wars, Athenian general Cimon discovered what were said to be his bones on the island of Skyros, brought them back to Athens, and buried them there, and the festival of Theseus is said to have been held on the 8th of every month.

An important historical source about Theseus is the "Life of Theseus" included in Plutarch's "Lives".

[Hidenobu Mashita]

"The Mystery of the Legend of Theseus" by Hidemichi Ota (1982, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ギリシア神話の英雄。アテナイ（アテネ）王アイゲウスの子。ポセイドンの子とする説もあった。アイゲウスはデルフォイの神託を伺っての帰路、トロイゼン王ピッテウスの客となるが、ピッテウスに酒を飲まされて酔ったままその娘アイトラと寝かされた。やがてアイトラは懐妊する。アイゲウスは帰国するとき、もし男子が生まれたなら父の名を教えずに育て、成人したら、かねてより隠しておいた剣とサンダルを大岩から取り出させて父の名を教え、さらにそれを証拠にアテナイまでくるよう言い残した。青年になったテセウスは、剣とサンダルを取り出してアテナイに向かうが、安全な海路をとらずに危険の多い陸路を選び、途中旅人を苦しめる山賊や野盗をことごとく退治した。父の妻となっているメデイアの悪事を退けて初めて父子対面となった。テセウスは、その後ミノタウロス退治のため自ら貢ぎ物となる男女に混じってクレタ島へ赴き、彼に恋したアリアドネの助けにより大功をたてた。アテナイの王位についてからは、アッティカを統一して国家の基礎を固めたが、のちに王位から追放されると、スキロス島に亡命、この地の王に殺されたと伝えられる。

　彼の武勇を伝える物語はヘラクレスの伝説に酷似しており、焼き直しと考えられるところがある。つまりドーリス系の英雄ヘラクレスに対抗して、アテナイの国民的英雄としてテセウスの伝説が発達したらしく、さらに彼の伝承の背後には実在の人物が存在していたかもしれないが、その真相は明らかではない。

［伊藤照夫］

伝承上の事績

伝承によれば、アテナイの歴史上重要な業績がテセウスに帰せられている。すなわち、彼は王位につくと、アッティカにある村や町を合併し、アテナイを首都とする国家に統一した（いわゆるシノイキスモス）。この事績は後世シノイキア祭として長く祝われた。しかし、アッティカがある時期小国に分裂しており、のちに統一されたことは確実視されているが、いつ、だれにより、いかなる歳月をかけて統一されたか不明である。今日の有力説に従えば、統一にはかなりの年月を要し、完成したのは紀元前8世紀、エレフシスの合併はさらに1世紀遅れたと考えられる。

　また、テセウスは、専制を廃し、市民を貴族、農民、工人に分け、この区分に立脚した民主政をつくり、アテナイの国家成立に重要な役割を果たしたとされるほか、イストミア祭、パンアテナイア祭を開催したと伝えられる。なお、前5世紀の初め、ペルシア戦争後、アテナイの将軍キモンはスキロス島で彼の骨なるものを発見、アテナイに持ち帰り、埋葬したとも伝えられ、毎月8日にテセウスの祭が行われたといわれる。

　テセウスに関する史料は、プルタルコスの『英雄伝』に所収されている「テセウス伝」が重要である。

［真下英信］

『太田秀通著『テセウス伝説の謎』（1982・岩波書店）』

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