Theseus Kylix (copy)

The Kylix (drinking cup) shows the labours of Theseus (the ones he did on his way to Athens to meet his father)

DATE: 440-430 BC

STYLE: RED FIGURE

ARTIST: THE CODRUS PAINTER

SIGNIFICANCE: SHOWS THESEUS’ 7 LABOURS

PROCRUSTUS

Procrustus would torture people on a magical bed after tricking them. If they were tall he would chop them, if they were small he would stretch them. To defeat him Theseus got Procrustus onto the bed and then axed his head off.

SCIRON

Sciron was an old man who would sit by a cliff, ask people to wash his feet and then push them over a cliff into a massive turtle that would eat them. (you can see the turtle near the corner)

THE BULL OF MARATHON

Medea (from Jason & the Argonauts) tricked Theseus’ dad to send Theseus to get the Cretan Bull, he easily defeats it and brings in to Athens to sacrifice it.

Cretan Bull (Heracles) = Bull of Marathon (Theseus)

SINIS

Sinis was a robber who would tie people to the ends of pine trees and then launch them so they tear into pieces. Theseus tricked Sinis onto a pine tree and flung him to death.

not so fun fact! Theseus later on had a son with Sinis’ daughter 🫢

CROMMYONIAN SOW

The sow eats people so Theseus kills it. A sow is a female pig

CERCYON

Cercyon was the King of Elusius and really good at wrestling. He would challenge people to a match, if they won they would become King, if not they would die. Theseus beat him and became the King of Elusius and founder of wrestling.

MINOTAUR

The King of Crete had a son that was a minotaur and was in a labyrinth under ground. Every year 7 girls and 7 boys from Athens would be sent to the labyrinth to be eaten. Theseus volunteered himself and with the help of Ariadne (princess of crete) Theseus killed the minotaur and got out of the maze safely.

On the way back he ends up ditching Ariadne on an island to be later found by Dionysus, and Theseus also forgets to change his sails which confuses his dad and makes him jump off a cliff and die. That sea then becomes the Aegean Sea

BONUS LABOUR

Periphetes (not shown on the kylix)

Peripheres was a bandit who sneaks out and beats travellers to death with his club. Theseus decided to beat Periphetes to death with his own club and then keeps it