ATHENS.'"]

"Yes, girl-faced stranger," said another, "what do you want here?"

"I am here," said Theseus, "to ask that hospitality which men of our
race never refuse to give."

"Nor do we refuse," cried they. "Come in, and eat and drink and be our
guest."

"I will come in," said Theseus, "but I will be the guest of the king.
Where is he?"

"Never mind the king," said one of his cousins. "He is taking his ease,
and we reign in his stead."

But Theseus strode boldly through the feast hall and went about the
palace asking for the king. At last he found AEgeus, lonely and
sorrowful, sitting in an inner chamber. The heart of Theseus was very
sad as he saw the lines of care upon the old man's face, and marked his
trembling, halting ways.

"Great king," he said, "I am a stranger in Athens, and I have come to
you to ask food and shelter and friendship such as I know you never deny
to those of noble rank and of your own race."

"And who are you, young man?" said the king.

"I am Theseus," was the answer.

"What? the Theseus who has rid the world of the mountain robbers, and of
Cercyon the wrestler, and of Procrustes, the pitiless Stretcher?"

"I am he," said Theseus; "and I come from old Troezen, on the other side
of the Saronic Sea."

The king started and turned very pale.

"Troezen! Troezen!" he cried. Then checking himself, he said, "Yes! yes!
You are welcome, brave stranger, to such shelter and food and friendship
as the King of Athens can give."

Now it so happened that there was with the king a fair but wicked witch
named Medea, who had so much power over him that he never dared to do
anything without asking her leave. So he turned to her, and said: "Am I
not right, Medea, in bidding this young hero welcome?"

"You are right, King AEgeus," she said; "and let him be shown at once to
your guest chamber, that he may rest himself and afterwards dine with us
at your own table."

Medea had learned by her magic arts who Theseus was, and she was not at
all pleased to have him in Athens; for she feared that when he should
make himself known to the king, her own power would be at an end. So,
while Theseus was resting himself in the guest chamber, she told AEgeus
that the young stranger was no hero at all, but a man whom his nephews
had hired to kill him, for they had grown tired of waiting for him to
die. The poor old king was filled with fear, for he believed her words;
and he asked her what he should do to s