Chapter 195 Theseus and Phaedra Get Married

The stories in Greek mythology usually have real-life prototypes.

Although Theseus went to Crete to kill the Minotaur and took away the goddess-like princess Ariadne, this story was made up by people hundreds of years later, a replica of the story of Inason seizing the Golden Fleece.

But in reality, Theseus did go to Crete and brought back his only wife, Phaedra.

Phaedra was a princess of Crete, the sister of Ariadne.

After she married Theseus, she gave birth to two sons, Akamas and Demophon.

After Phaedra died, Theseus, in order to get a new wife, took the young Helen from Sparta with his friend Pirithous, who had also lost his wife.

Athens.

After the mourning period of the former Athenian king Aegeus made the city silent for a month, the Kingdom of Athens is now as lively as a festival.

Because the young Athenian king Theseus is about to hold a grand wedding with Princess Phaedra from Crete.

In order to establish friendship with Theseus, the king of Athens, the royal families and nobles of various city-states gathered in this city from all directions.

Luo Yin and Ariadne were also guests who came to witness this wedding.

A luxurious carriage guarded by twelve Theban cavalrymen entered Athens. Luo Yin, who was sitting in the carriage, kept observing the street leading to the palace.

Ariadne, who was also sitting in the carriage, kept staring at Luo Yin's profile.

When the carriage was about to arrive at the palace, Ariadne finally couldn't help asking.

"Brother! Are you trying to remember the layout of Athens and prepare for the future occupation of Athena's city?"

Hearing this, Luo Yin hurriedly looked at Ariadne and said.

"Ariadne, if you say this in Athens, Athena will definitely hear it."

Ariadne said with a smirk as if she had succeeded in a prank.

"If you don't want Athena to suspect you, keep your eyes on me!"

Seeing that Ariadne didn't want to be ignored, Luo Yin hugged her waist and held her in his arms.

"We are attending your sister Phaedra's wedding now. You should think about your sister."

"She is not my real sister."

Ariadne said with a nonchalant smile.

"Brother doesn't regard Creon and Eurydice as real parents, nor does he regard Menoeceus as a real brother. Do you want me to regard Phaedra as a real sister?"

Speechless by what Ariadne said, Luo Yin put his forehead against Ariadne's and said.

"Ariadne! We are in the same situation, so I won't ask you to treat Phaedra, who is like a stranger, as your sister. But your current identity is Phaedra's sister, at least when you attend the wedding, you have to pretend to be a sister."

"Since this is my brother's request, I will play the role of Ariadne well."

Under the escort of twelve Theban cavalrymen, Luo Yin's carriage soon arrived at the gate of the Acropolis in the center of Athens.

The Acropolis of Athens, including the Temple of Athena and the Royal Palace, was built on a 150-meter-high hill in Athens.

Except for a mountain road on the west side of this hill, the other sides are cliffs that cannot be climbed.

In the era of the founder of the city, the Acropolis, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack, was the prototype of Athens.

Later, the population of Athens increased, and the Great Athens with the Acropolis as the center developed.

Today, the Acropolis is no longer a fortress of Athens, but an area where royal family, nobles, and priests serving the goddess live.

As the only entrance and exit of the Acropolis, the gate of the Acropolis is heavily guarded by the royal family.

After the Theban cavalry explained the identities of Lo Yin and Ariadne to the guards at the gate of the Acropolis, the guards learned that the sister of Queen Phaedra was sitting in the carriage. They not only opened the gate of the Acropolis immediately, but also sent two guards to lead the way for Lo Yin's carriage.

On the way to the palace, Lo Yin saw a 100-meter-high statue of Athena standing in the Temple of Athena.

Near the Temple of Athena, there is also a temple in the style of a round tomb, which is obviously dedicated to the Athenian King Erechtheus.

The Athenian King Erechtheus was a hero of the same era as Perseus and a hero god who was deified after his death.

After Perseus conquered the Argos region and controlled the Isthmus of Corinth, Perseus launched a second war to conquer the city of Athens.

With the support of Perseus, a Mycenaean prince led his soldiers to occupy the city of Eleusis, which was only about 40 miles away from Athens, and wanted to establish the worship of Poseidon, the king of the sea, here, so that Poseidon would replace Athena as the patron saint of the Attica region.

In order to defend Athena, Erechtheus went to war with foreign invaders.

Although he and his sons all died in the battle of Eleusis, they succeeded in eliminating the invaders.

Because the war to conquer Athens failed again, the Mycenaeans made up the story of Poseidon taking Medusa for himself and letting Medusa give birth to two sons, Pegasus and Chrysaor, in the story of Perseus killing the Gorgon Medusa.

This is also the prototype of the story in mythology that Poseidon once fought with Athena for the city of Athens.

Erechtheus made great sacrifices to defend Athena, and he became the hero god of Athens with this great achievement.

Until more than 3,000 years later, there is still a temple of Erechtheus standing on the Acropolis of Athens.

But because Erechtheus and his sons were all killed in the battle, the throne of Athens was seized by Theseus's grandfather Pandion II, and this began an era of pseudo-royal rule over the city of Athens.

The incompetent rule of Theseus caused riots in the city of Athens, and Menastheus, the descendant of Erechtheus, finally regained the throne left by his ancestor.

Royal Palace of Athens.

The carriage stopped outside the palace, and Luo Yin and Ariadne walked into the palace courtyard.

After the guards informed Theseus of the arrival of Luo Yin and Ariadne, Theseus immediately brought Phaedra to the courtyard.

The four people met in the center of the courtyard and saw Ariadne, who had been abandoned by him on Naxos Island, reappearing. Theseus looked at Ariadne with a complicated expression and said.

"Dear Ariadne, have you come to see me on purpose?"

Ariadne's cheaper sister, Phaedra, looked at Ariadne with the vigilance of seeing a love rival.

Ariadne hurriedly hid behind Luo Yin and explained.

"Brother, don't get me wrong, I have nothing to do with this human being."

Then he addressed Theseus in a disgusted tone.

"Theseus! Although I helped you in Crete, don't think that I fell in love with you. It was just a deal between us. Unfortunately, you betrayed me in the end. Not only did you not send me back to my hometown, He also threw me on the island of Naxos, making me the target of competition between the god of wine Dionysus and the god of sea Glaucus. If my brother had not appeared in time to save me, I would have had no choice but to commit suicide to save it for him. My unmarried life.”

After listening to Ariadne's words, Phaedra breathed a sigh of relief and said.

"Dear sister, thank you for coming to my wedding. Is this King Haemon of Thebes my future brother-in-law?"