a famous hero of antiquity, ranked among the demigods, whose history is fabulous. He was the reputed son of Aegeus 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 affianct of that prince's daughter, Ariadne, who gave him a clue, escaped out of that labyrinth, and failed 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 afflicted his friend Piritheus in his expedition to the infernal regions to carry off Proserpine; but was imprisoned by Pluto, till he was released by Hercules. He is also said to have established the Ithmean 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 Melanthus 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, Hypothia queen of the Amazons; and the last, Phedra father to Ariadne, who punished him for his infidelity to her sister, by her incestuous passion for his son Hippolitus.