AEGEUS (mythical king of Athens)

Before his rule was secure, Aegeus expelled the Metionidae from their position in Athens along with his brothers.^4,8 His early life was marked by childlessness, a condition attributed to the visitation of a god, which left him completely lost in respect of this misfortune.^4,16,17 To seek a remedy, he traveled to the oracle of Phoebus at Pythia and later to Troezen to consult King Pittheus, whom he considered the dearest of all his warrior friends.^4,3,16 The god instructed him not to untie the neck of a wineskin, a command he failed to understand, prompting his return journey to Athens.^16,4 During this time, he married Meta, the daughter of Hoples, and later Chalciope, the daughter of Rhexenor.⁴

When Medea arrived in Athens to seek refuge, Aegeus resided in the city and promised to keep her safe within his own territory, which was distinct from Corinth.^18,19,17,20 Believing Medea possessed spells that could end his childlessness, he agreed to her marriage, and they had a son named Medus.^{17,12,18,21,19} However, Medea persuaded him to poison a guest named Theseus, though Aegeus knocked over a cup of poison that had been offered to him.^21,22,23 He eventually provided Medea with an escort to leave Athens.^22,19 In accordance with an oracle from Loxias, Aegeus married Aethra, who identified herself as his wife.^24,25

Aegeus deposited the boots and sword under a rock for his son to claim later, instructing Aethra to raise any son without revealing his paternity, and sailed away to Athens.^26,27,13,14 He sent Androgeus to fight the bull of Marathon.^26,21 He returned to Athens to participate in the Panathenian festival games.²⁶

Tragedy struck when Aegeus agreed with the ship's captain to use white sails if Theseus survived the Minotaur, though he had designated a scarlet sail dyed with holm-oak flower as a sign indicating the safety of the travelers.^28,29,30 Aegeus laments the loss of his son and recalls his own harmful actions, asking his son to endure a little longer before dying.³¹ Overcome by grief over his son, Aegeus climbed the acropolis and threw himself to his death from the heights.^32,29 A herald announced the death of Aegeus to the crowd, marking the end of the king who gave his name to a tribe in Athens following a Delphic oracle.^33,34