THESEUS, a famous hero of antiquity ranked among the demi-gods, whose history is fabulous. He was the reputed son of Ægeus king of Athens. He threw Sciron, a cruel robber, down a precipice; fastened Procrustes tyrant of Attica to a bending pine, which being let loose tore him asunder; killed the Minotaur kept in the labyrinth by king Minos, in Crete; and by the assistance of that prince's daughter, Ariadne, who gave him a clue, escaped out of that labyrinth, and sailed with his deliverer to the isle of Naxos, where he had the ingratitude to leave her.
Theseus afterwards overcame the Centaurs, subdued the Thebans, and defeated the Amazons. He assisted his friend Pirithous in his expedition to the internal regions to carry off Proserpine; but was imprisoned by Pluto, till he was released by Hercules. He is also said to have established the Isthmian games, in honour of Neptune; to have united the twelve cities of Attica; and to have founded a republic there, 1236 B. C. Some time after, taking a voyage into Epirus, he was seized by Aidonius king of the Molossians; meanwhile Menelaus rendered himself master of Athens. But at length Theseus being released from prison, retired to Scyros, where king Lycomedes caused him to be thrown from the top of a rock. Theseus had several wives; the first of whom was Helena the daughter of Tyndarus; the second, Hypolita queen of the Amazons; and the last, Phedra sister to Ariadne, who punished him for
Thetis for his infidelity to her sister, by her incestuous passion for his son Hippolitus.
Thesis. THESIS, a general position which a person advances, and offers to maintain. In taking degrees in universities, the candidates are generally obliged to write a thesis, which they must afterwards defend.
Thesium, base fluellin, in botany; a genus of plants belonging to the class of pentandria, and order of monogamia. The calyx is monophyllous, with the stamens inserted into it: there is only one seed, which is inferior. There are 17 species; one of which is a British plant, the limophyllum or baldard toad-flax. It has a foliaceous panicle with linear leaves, and flowers in June and July.
Thespis, a famous Greek tragic poet, and the first representor of tragedy at Athens. He carried his troop from village to village in a waggon, from which they performed their pieces. Alceis was the first tragedy they performed at Athens, 536 B. C. See THEATRE.
Thessalian Chair, so called from Thessaly, where chairs of this figure were most in use; it is recommended by Hippocrates in place of a machine for reducing a recent luxation of the shoulder bone. The back of this chair is perpendicular to the seat, as Galen tells us; by which construction it is distinguished and accommodated to the operation.
Thessaly, a country of Greece, whose boundaries have been different at different periods. Properly speaking, Thessaly was bounded on the south by the southern parts of Greece, or Grecia Propria; east, by the Ægean; north, by Macedonia and Mygdonia; and west, by Illyricum and Epirus. It was generally divided into four separate provinces, Thessaliotis, Pelasgiotis, Illixotis, and Phthiotis, to which some add Magnesia. It has been several times called Æmonia, Pelasgicum, Argos, Hellas, Argia, Dryopia, Pelasgia, Leimnion, Pyrrha, &c. The name of Thessaly is derived from Thessalus, one of its monarchs. Thessaly is famous for a deluge which happened there in the age of Deucalion. Its mountains and cities are also celebrated, such as Olympus, Pelion, Ossa, Larissa, &c. The Argonauts were partly natives of Thessaly. The inhabitants of the country passed for a treacherous nation, so that false money was called Thessalian coin, and a perfidious action a Thessalian deceit. Thessaly was originally governed by kings, till it became subject to the Macedonian monarchs. The cavalry was universally esteemed, and the people were superstitious and addicted to the study of magic and incantations. See Lucan. 6. v. 438, &c.; Dionys. 219; Gurt. 3. c. 2; Ælian. V. H. 3. c. 1; Paul. 4. c. 36. l. 10. c. 1; Mela. 2. c. 3; Justin 7. c. 6; Diod. 4.
Thessaly is now called Yanna, a province of European Turkey, bounded by Macedonia on the north, by the Archipelago on the east, by Achaea or Livadia on the south, and by Epirus on the west.
Thetis, in Pagan mythology, the wife of Oceanus, and the mother of Nereus and Doris, who were married to each other; and from this marriage sprung the nymphs of the earth and sea. Among the sea nymphs there was one named Thetis the Younger, who excelled all the rest in beauty, and for whom Jupiter conceived such a passion, that he resolved to espouse her: but being informed by the Delphines that she would bring forth a son who would rise above his father, he married her to Peleus. To their nuptials all the gods and goddesses were invited except Discord, who, to be revenged for this contempt, threw a golden apple into the assembly, on which was engraven, For the fairest. Juno, Pallas, and Venus, disputed for this apple: but Paris being chosen to decide the difference, adjudged it to Venus. From this marriage of Thetis and Peleus sprung Achilles.