expire in the most cruel torments. Theseus freed the country
from this inhuman monster by serving him as he had done his unfortunate
victims.

The hero now continued his journey, and at length reached Athens without
meeting with any further adventures. When he arrived at his destination he
found his father a helpless tool in the hands of the sorceress Medea, whom
he had married after her departure from Corinth. Knowing, by means of her
supernatural powers, that Theseus was the king's son, and fearing that her
influence might be weakened by his presence, she poisoned the mind of the
old king against the stranger, whom she represented as being a spy. It was
accordingly arranged that Theseus should be invited to a banquet, and a
strong poison mixed with his wine.

Now Theseus had resolved to reveal himself at this feast to the father whom
he yearned to embrace. Before tasting the wine he put his plan into
execution, and drew out his sword so that the eyes of the king might rest
upon it. When Aegeus beheld once more the well-known weapon which he had so
often wielded, he knew that it was his son who stood before him. He warmly
embraced him, presented him as his heir to his courtiers and subjects, and
then, no longer able to endure the sight of Medea, he banished her for ever
from his dominions.

When Theseus was acknowledged as the rightful heir to the throne he was
opposed by the fifty sons of Pallas, {262} the king's brother, who had
confidently expected that on the demise of the old king the government of
the country would devolve upon them. They therefore resolved to put Theseus
to death; but their plans becoming known to him, he surprised them as they
lay in ambush awaiting his approach, and destroyed them all.

Fearing, however, lest the Athenians might entertain a prejudice against
him on account of his extermination of their fellow-citizens, the
Pallantids, Theseus resolved to perform some signal service for the state,
which should gain for him the hearts of the people. He accordingly decided
to rid the country of the famous bull of Marathon, which had become a
terror to the cultivators of the land. He captured the animal and brought
him in chains to Athens, where, after publicly exhibiting him to the
astonished multitude, he solemnly sacrificed him to Apollo.

The next enterprise undertaken by Theseus far surpassed all his other feats
of heroic daring, and secured to him the universal admiration and gratitude