AETHRA (mother of Theseus)

Her father gave her in marriage to Aegeus, son of Pandion, following an oracle from Loxias.^4,5 Aegeus was made drunk and forced to sleep with Aethra.^1,9 Aegeus suspected she was pregnant by him and instructed her to raise any male child without revealing the father's identity.^9,1 He hid a sword and sandals under a rock for her to retrieve later, telling her to send the boy away once he could move the stone.¹ Aethra gave birth to a son named Theseus, and Pittheus spread a rumor that Poseidon was his father.^7,10,11 She hid the truth of Theseus's birth from him during his youth until he was older.¹¹

Later, she was captured at Aphidnae by Pollux and Castor after they seized the city.^12,3 She was taken to Lacedaemon, where she later became a slave of Helen.^12,13 Some accounts state she helped raise Munychus in Ilium during this time.¹²

Aethra traveled to Ilium with Menestheus to lead the followers of Acamas and Demophon, arriving at the camp of the Greek forces.^14,15,16 She was the specific reason their followers came to the city, and the sons of Theseus recognized her upon her arrival.^17,15,16,18 Demophon requested her from Agamemnon after recognizing her, and Agamemnon agreed to give her to him only after Helen consented.^18,16 Aethra was the only one among the followers to receive a share of the spoils, and Demophon promised to carry her to ships and return her to Greece.^15,13 However, she also secretly left the city of Ilium after it was captured, fleeing from the chaos of war and fire.^18,16,5

Before the fall of Troy, Aethra had crossed to an island to perform libations for Sphaerus after a dream from Athena.¹⁹ She renamed the island from Sphaeria to Sacred Island and built a temple dedicated to Athena Apaturia there.¹⁹ She established a custom for Troezenian maidens to dedicate girdles to Athena Apaturia.¹⁹ Theseus sent his son Hippolytus to be raised by Aethra's brothers, and she expressed confidence that the gods would reverse the fortunes of Cadmus' people.^20,21 She suffered greatly during wars while serving as a mother-in-law, urging Theseus to help the dead receive burial rites and to heed the will of heaven.^13,21