theseus-第9章

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Lycomedes　was　then　king　of　Scyros。　Theseus；　therefore；　addressed
himself　to　him　and　desired　to　have　his　lands　put　into　his
possession；　as　designing　to　settle　and　to　dwell　there；　though　others
say　that　he　came　to　beg　his　assistance　against　the　Athenians。　But
Lycomedes；　either　jealous　of　the　glory　of　so　great　a　man；　or　to
gratify　Menestheus；　having　led　him　up　to　the　highest　cliff　of　the
island；　on　pretence　of　showing　him　from　thence　the　lands　that　be
desired；　threw　him　headlong　down　from　the　rock；　and　killed　him。　Others
say　he　fell　down　of　himself　by　a　slip　of　his　foot；　as　he　was　walking
there；　according　to　his　custom；　after　supper。　At　that　time　there　was
no　notice　taken；　nor　were　any　concerned　for　his　death；　but
Menestheus　quietly　possessed　the　kingdom　of　Athens。　His　sons　were
brought　up　in　a　private　condition；　and　accompanied　Elephenor　to　the
Trojan　war；　but；　after　the　decease　of　Menestheus　in　that　expedition；
returned　to　Athens；　and　recovered　the　government。　But　in　succeeding
ages；　besides　several　other　circumstances　that　moved　the　Athenians
to　honour　Theseus　as　a　demigod；　in　the　battle　which　was　fought　at
Marathon　against　the　Medes；　many　of　the　soldiers　believed　they　saw
an　apparition　of　Theseus　in　arms；　rushing　on　at　the　head　of　them
against　the　barbarians。　And　after　the　Median　war；　Phaedo　being
archon　of　Athens；　the　Athenians；　consulting　the　oracle　at　Delphi；　were
commanded　to　gather　together　the　bones　of　Theseus；　and；　laying　them　in
some　honourable　place；　keep　them　as　sacred　in　the　city。　But　it　was
very　difficult　to　recover　those　relics；　or　so　much　as　to　find　out
the　place　where　they　lay；　on　account　of　the　inhospitable　and　savage
temper　of　the　barbarous　people　that　inhabited　the　island。
Nevertheless；　afterwards；　when　Cimon　took　the　island　（as　is　related　in
his　life）；　and　had　a　great　ambition　to　find　out　the　place　where
Theseus　was　buried；　he；　by　chance；　spied　an　eagle　upon　a　rising　ground
pecking　with　her　beak　and　tearing　up　the　earth　with　her　talons；　when
on　the　sudden　it　came　into　his　mind；　as　it　were　by　some　divine
inspiration；　to　dig　there；　and　search　for　the　bones　of　Theseus。
There　were　found　in　that　place　a　coffin　of　a　man　of　more　than　ordinary
size；　and　a　brazen　spear…head；　and　a　sword　lying　by　it；　all　which　he
took　aboard　his　galley　and　brought　with　him　to　Athens。　Upon　which
the　Athenians；　greatly　delighted；　went　out　to　meet　and　receive　the
relics　with　splendid　processions　and　sacrifices；　as　if　it　were　Theseus
himself　returning　alive　to　the　city。　He　lies　interred　in　the　middle　of
the　city；　near　the　present　gymnasium。　His　tomb　is　a　sanctuary　and
refuge　for　slaves；　and　all　those　of　mean　condition　that　fly　from　the
persecution　of　men　in　power；　in　memory　that　Theseus　while　he　lived　was
an　assister　and　protector　of　the　distressed；　and　never　refused　the
petitions　of　the　afflicted　that　fled　to　him。　The　chief　and　most　solemn
sacrifice　which　they　celebrate　to　him　is　kept　on　the　eighth　day　of
Pyanepsion；　on　which　he　returned　with　the　Athenian　young　men　from
Crete。　Besides　which　they　sacrifice　to　him　on　the　eighth　day　of
every　month；　either　because　he　returned　from　Troezen　the　eighth　day　of
Hecatombaeon；　as　Diodorus　the　geographer　writes；　or　else　thinking　that
number　to　be　proper　to　him；　because　he　was　reputed　to　be　born　of
Neptune；　because　they　sacrifice　to　Neptune　on　the　eighth　day　of
every　month。　The　number　eight　being　the　first　cube　of　an　even
number；　and　the　double　of　the　first　square；　seemed　to　be　an　emblem
of　the　steadfast　and　immovable　power　of　this　god；　who　from　thence
has　the　names　of　Asphalius　and　Gaeiochus；　that　is；　the　establisher　and
stayer　of　the　earth。




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