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Athenians　and　the　Cretans；　whom　he　engaged　under　an　oath　never　again
to　commence　any　war　with　Athens。
　　There　are　yet　many　other　traditions　about　these　things；　and　as
many　concerning　Ariadne；　all　inconsistent　with　each　other。　Some　relate
that　she　hung　herself；　being　deserted　by　Theseus。　Others　that　she
was　carried　away　by　his　sailors　to　the　isle　of　Naxos；　and　married　to
Oenarus；　priest　of　Bacchus；　and　that　Theseus　left　her　because　he
fell　in　love　with　another…

　　　　　　　　〃For　Aegle's　love　was　burning　in　his　breast；

a　verse　which　Hereas；　the　Megarian；　says　was　formerly　in　the　poet
Hesiod's　works；　but　put　out　by　Pisistratus；　in　like　manner　as　he　added
in　Homer's　Raising　of　the　Dead；　to　gratify　the　Athenians；　the　line…

　　　　　　　　〃Theseus；　Pirithous；　mighty　son　of　gods。〃

Others　say　Ariadne　had　sons　also　by　Theseus；　Oenopion　and　Staphylus；
and　among　these　is　the　poet　Ion　of　Chios；　who　writes　of　his　own　native
city…

　　　　　　　　〃Which　once　Oenopion；　son　of　Theseus　built。〃

But　the　more　famous　of　the　legendary　stories　everybody　（as　I　may
say）　has　in　his　mouth。　In　Paeon；　however；　the　Amathusian；　there　is　a
story　given；　differing　from　the　rest。　For　he　writes　that　Theseus；
being　driven　by　a　storm　upon　the　isle　of　Cyprus；　and　having　aboard
with　him　Ariadne；　big　with　child；　and　extremely　discomposed　with　the
rolling　of　the　sea；　set　her　on　shore；　and　left　her　there　alone；　to
return　himself　and　help　the　ship；　when；　on　a　sudden；　a　violent　wind
carried　him　again　out　to　sea。　That　the　women　of　the　island　received
Ariadne　very　kindly；　and　did　all　they　could　to　console　and　alleviate
her　distress　at　being　left　behind。　That　they　counterfeited　kind
letters；　and　delivered　them　to　her；　as　sent　from　Theseus；　and；　when
she　fell　in　labour；　were　diligent　in　performing　to　her　every　needful
service；　but　that　she　died　before　she　could　be　delivered；　and　was
honourably　interred。　That　soon　after　Theseus　returned；　and　was　greatly
afflicted　for　her　loss；　and　at　his　departure　left　a　sum　of　money　among
the　people　of　the　island；　ordering　them　to　do　sacrifice　to　Ariadne；
and　caused　two　little　images　to　be　made　and　dedicated　to　her；　one　of
silver　and　the　other　of　brass。　Moreover；　that　on　the　second　day　of
Gorpiaeus；　which　is　sacred　to　Ariadne；　they　have　this　ceremony　among
their　sacrifices；　to　have　a　youth　lie　down　and　with　his　voice　and
gesture　represent　the　pains　of　a　woman　in　travail；　and　that　the
Amathusians　call　the　grove　in　which　they　show　her　tomb；　the　grove　of
Venus　Ariadne。
　　Differing　yet　from　this　account；　some　of　the　Naxians　write　that
there　were　two　Minoses　and　two　Ariadnes；　one　of　whom；　they　say；　was
married　to　Bacchus；　in　the　isle　of　Naxos；　and　bore　the　children
Staphylus　and　his　brother；　but　that　the　other；　of　a　later　age；　was
carried　off　by　Theseus；　and；　being　afterwards　deserted　by　him；　retired
to　Naxos；　with　her　nurse　Corcyna；　whose　grave　they　yet　show。　That　this
Ariadne　also　died　there；　and　was　worshipped　by　the　island；　but　in　a
different　manner　from　the　former；　for　her　day　is　celebrated　with
general　joy　and　revelling；　but　all　the　sacrifices　performed　to　the
latter　are　attended　with　mourning　and　gloom。
　　Now　Theseus；　in　his　return　from　Crete；　put　in　at　Delos；　and　having
sacrificed　to　the　god　of　the　island；　dedicated　to　the　temple　the　image
of　Venus　which　Ariadne　had　given　him；　and　danced　with　the　young
Athenians　a　dance　that；　in　memory　of　him；　they　say　is　still
preserved　among　the　inhabitants　of　Delos；　consisting　in　certain
measured　turnings　and　returnings；　imitative　of　the　windings　and
twistings　of　the　labyrinth。　And　this　dance；　as　Dicaearchus　writes；
is　called　among　the　Delians　the　Crane。　This　he　danced　around　the
Ceratonian　Altar；　so　called　from　its　consisting　of　horns　taken　from
the　left　side　of　the　head。　They　say　also　that　he　instituted　games　in
Delos；　where　he　was　the　first　that　began　the　custom　of　giving　a　palm
to　the　victors。
　　When　they　were　come　near　the　coast　of　Attica；　so　great　was　the　joy
for　the　happy　success　of　their　voyage；　that　neither　Theseus　himself
nor　the　pilot　remembered　to　hang　out　the　sail　which　should　have　been
the　token　of　their　safety　to　Aegeus；　who；　in　despair　at　the　sight；
threw　himself　headlong　from　a　rock；　and　perished　in　the　sea。　But
Theseus　being　arrived　at　the　port　of　Phalerum；　paid　there　the
sacrifices　which　he　had　vowed　to　the　gods　at　his　setting　out　to　sea；
and　sent　a　herald　to　the　city　to　carry　the　news　of　his　safe　return。　At
his　entrance；　the　herald　found　the　people　for　the　most　part　full　of
grief　for　the　loss　of　their　king；　others；　as　may　well　be　believed；
as　full　of　joy　for　the　tidings　that　he　brought；　and　eager　to　welcome
him　and　crown　him　with　garlands　for　his　good　news；　which　he　indeed
accepted　of；　but　hung　them　upon　his　herald's　staff；　and　thus　returning
to　the　seaside　before　Theseus　had　finished　his　libation　to　the　gods；
he　stayed　apart　for　fear　of　disturbing　the　holy　rites；　but；　as　soon　as
the　libation　was　ended；　went　up　and　related　the　king's　death；　upon　the
hearing　of　which；　with　great　lamentations　and　a　confused　tumult　of
grief；　they　ran　with　all　haste　to　the　city。　And　from　hence；　they
say；　it　comes　that　at　this　day；　in　the　feast　of　Oschophoria；　the
herald　is　not　crowned；　but　his　staff；　and　all　who　are　present　at　the
libation　cry　out　eleleu；　iou；　iou；　the　first　of　which　confused
sounds　is　commonly　used　by　men　in　haste；　or　at　a　triumph；　the　other　is
proper　to　people　in　consternation　or　disorder　of　mind。
　　Theseus；　after　the　funeral　of　his　father；　paid　his　vows　to　Apollo
the　seventh　day　of　Pyanepsion；　for　on　that　day　the　youth　that　returned
with　him　safe　from　Crete　made　their　entry　into　the　city。　They　say；
also；　that　the　custom　of　boiling　pulse　at　this　feast　is　derived　from
hence；　because　the　young　men　that　escaped　put　all　that　was　left　of
their　provision　together；　and；　boiling　it　in　one　common　pot；　feasted
themselves　with　it；　and　ate　it　all　up　together。　Hence；　also；　they
carry　in　procession　an　olive　branch　bound　about　with　wool　（such　as
they　then　made　use　of　in　their　supplications）；　which　they　call
Eiresione；　crowned　with　all　sorts　of　fruits；　to　signify　that
scarcity　and　barrenness　was　ceased；　singing　in　their　procession　this
song：…

　　　　　　　　〃Eiresione　bring　figs；　and　Eiresione　bring　loaves；
　　　　　　　　Bring　us　boney　in　pints；　and　oil　to　rub　on　our　bodies；
　　　　　　　　And　a　strong　flagon　of　wine；　for　all　to　go　mellow　to　bed　on。〃

Although　some　hold　opinion　that　this　ceremony　is　retained　in　memory　of
the　Heraclidae；　who　were　thus　entertained　and　brought　up　by　the
Athenians。　But　most　are　of　the　opinion　which　we　have　given　above。
　　The　ship　wherein　Theseus　and　the　youth　of　Athens　returned　had　thirty
oars；　and　was　preserved　by　the　Athenians　down　even　to　the　time　of
Demetrius　Phalereus；　for　they　took　away　the　old　planks　as　they
decayed；　putting　in　new　and　stronger　timber　in　their　place；　insomuch
that　this　ship　became　a　standing　example　among　the　philosophers；　for
the　logical　question　of　things　that　grow；　one　side　holding　that　the
ship　remained　the　same；　and　the　other　contending　that　it　was　not　the
same。
　　The　feast　called　Oschophoria；　or　the　feast　of　boughs；　which　to
this　day　the　Athenians　celebrate；　was　then　first　instituted　by
Theseus。　For　he　took　not　with　him　the　full　number　of　virgins　which
by　lot　were　to　be　carried　away；　but　selected　two　youths　of　his
acquaintance；　of　fair　and　womanish　faces；　but　of　a　manly　and　forward
spirit；　and　having；　by　frequent　baths；　and　avoiding　the　heat　and
scorching　of　the　sun；　with　a　constant　use　of　all　the　ointments　and
washes　and　dresses　that　serve　to　the　adorning　of　the　head　or　smoothing
the　skin　or　improving　the　complexion；　in　a　manner　changed　them　from
what　they　were　before；　and　having　taught　them　farther　to　counterfeit
the　very　voice　and　carriage　and　gait　of　virgins　so　that　there　could
not　be　the　least　difference　perceived；　he；　undiscovered　by　any；　put
them　into　the　number　of　the　Athenian　maids　designed　for　Crete。　At
his　return；　he　and　these　two　youths　led　up　a　solemn　procession；　in　the
same　habit　that　is　now　worn　by　those　who　carry　the　vine…branches。
Those　branches　they　carry　in　honour　of　Bacchus　and　Ariadne；　for　the
sake　of　their　story　before　related；　or　rather　because　they　happened　to
return　in　autumn；　the　time　of　gathering　the　grapes。　The　women；　whom
they　call　Deipnopherae；　or　supper…carriers；　are　taken　into　these
ceremonies；　and　assist　at　the　sacrifice；　in　remembrance　and
imitation　of　the　mothers　of　the　young　men　and　virgins　upon　whom　the
lot　fell；　for　thus　they　ran　about　bringing　bread　and　meat　to　their
children；　and　because　the　women　then　told　their　sons　and　daughters
many　tales　and　stories；　to　comfort　and　encourage　them　under　the　danger
they　were　going　upon；　it　has　still　continued　a　custom　that　at　this
feast　old　fables　and　tales　should　be　told。　For　these　particularities
we　are　indebted　to　the　history　of　Demon。　There　was　then　a　place　chosen
out；　and　a　temple　erected　in　it　to　Theseus；　and　those　families　out
of　whom　the　tribute　of　the　youth　was　gathered　were　appointed　to　pay
tax　to　the　temple　for　sacrifices　to　him。　And　the　house　of　the
Phytalidae　had　the　overseeing　of　these　sacrifices；　Theseus　doing
them　that　honour　in　recompense　of　their　former　hospitality。
　　Now；　after　the　death　of　his　father　Aegeus；　forming　in　his　mind　a
great　and　wonderful　design；　he　gathered　together　all　the　inhabitants
of　Attica　into　one　town；　and　made　them　one　people　of　one　city；　whereas
before　they　lived　dispersed；　and　were　not　easy　to　assemble　upon　any
affair　for　the　common　interest。　Nay；　differences　and　even　wars　often
occurred　between　them；　which　he　by　his　persuasions　appeased；　going
from　township　to　township；　and　from　tribe　to　tribe。　And　those　of　a
more　private　and　mean　condition　readily　embracing　such　good　advice；　to
those　of　greater　power　he　promised　a　commonwealth　without　monarchy；
a　democracy；　or　people's　government；　in　which　he　should　only　be
continued　as　their　commander　in　war　and　the　protector　of　their　laws；
all　things　else　being　equally　distributed　among　them；…　and　by　this
means　brought　a　part　of　them　over　to　his　proposal。　The　rest；　fearing
his　power；　which　was　already　grown　very　formidable；　and　knowing　his
courage　and　resolution；　chose　rat