The Story of Theseus is one of using determination and quick wit to achieve what you’re after. Theseus was (depending on the interpretation), either the son of Poseidon and Arethea (the Queen of Athens), or Aegeus. Arethea sent Theseus away once he reached manhood. It was thought that Theseus could not be allowed to be granted heir to the throne.
He started the journey having two choices: reaching his destination by land or by sea. Wanting to prove himself worthy of recognition as Heir to Athens, he chose the harder path. Instead of choosing the path that led directly across the Saronic Gulf via water, he traveled by land on the road along it, despite it being the more difficult way to get to Athens.
On the journey out into the world, Thesus thrived. The first battle was against Periphetes. Periphetes was a cyclops-like being who had a leg injury. He robbed and killed travelers. Theseus outsmarted him by accusing his club of not being made of real bronze. In order to prove that it was, Periphetes thrashed his head with the club, effectively killing himself. The second battle was against Sinus, who killed people by tearing them apart between two trees, at the Isthmus of Corinth. The third battle was against a monstrous wild pig called the Crommyonian Sow. The pig belonged to a witch named Phaea. Some myths say the the Crommyonian Sow was the child of Echidna and Typhon.
The fourth battle was against the Scrion. Scrion is the child of (depending on the myth) Poseidon or Pelops , residing on a cliff on the Sceironian Rocks, of the Corinth, Isthmus. Scrion would often trick travelers into washing his feet. After, he would kick them off the cliff. Theseus tricked Sciron by telling him to wash his feet. “When Sciron bent over to do so, Theseus kicked him over the cliff.”, according to Greek Boston.com. The firth battle was Theseus v. Cercyon, king of Eleusis, who always challenged all passersby to a wrestling match to the death. Theseus defeated him via wrestling with a superior technique. The final battle was against Procrustes, the Stretcher. Procrustes (also known as Damastes), was a smith who gruesomely fitted his victims onto 2 iron beds. Theseus killed him by tricking him and baiting him to go on one of the beds himself, which then resulted in him dying when it stretched his body to “fit” it.
After these six Labors, he still hadn’t yet proven himself fit for the throne. Medea, a sorceress his father had married, wanted him dead. She sent him on a mission to kill the Minotaur, a half-bull half-man located in the labyrinth, an extremely complicated maze. This was to avoid the Minotaur waging war after his son was killed in Athens by unknown assassins. On the way he met Ariadne, King Mini’s daughter. They fell in love, and she gave him a ball of silk thread, a sword, and instructions on the maze from its creator Daedalus, in exchange for her marrying him. He was able to kill the Minotaur with the sword but had to leave Ariadne behind due to a dream he had that was likely from Dionysus. The dream said her fate was not with him. He was told to turn the flag of the ship he used for the mission white to announce he had succeeded and was alive.
Despite being successful in the mission, Medea still wanted him dead. She attempted to poison him. “Medea would attempt to poison Theseus, before Aegeus recognized his own son, but the poisoned chalice was dashed from Theseus’ hand by his father,” says greeklegendsandmyths.com. Medea fled to Asia, And Aegeus declared him his birthright as heir to the throne of Athens.
By sheer perseverance, and the aiding others, Theseus proved himself as brave, true, and kind, and was seen as worthy of the throne of Athens. By having determination, and by stepping up to help their community, one can achieve greatness. This can apply to graduation, though no minotaur fight is required. Doing community service helps round someone’s character and qualifications, and the resolve it takes to push through the school year and keep up with things like grades, exams, club responsibilities, and duties outside of school.
