The Marathonian Bull

The king of Athens, Aegeus, was so proud for the young prince and for his dangerous and unbelievable accomplishments in such a short time, and because he was the only heir to the throne of Athens, the king was afraid for his life and he pleaded his son to stop his exploits and to stay with him at the palace. But Theseus that had secured his position, he did not choose to live lazily at the palace.

At that time in the Marathon plain a large bull was terrorizing the inhabitants. It is the same bull that Hercules captured and brought back from Crete. "The Cretan bull of Poseidon". Then it was delivered to king Eurystheus where it was set free by Eurystheus. It wondered for a while in Peloponissos and then went on to Attica where he spread fear and death again. Theseus, when he heard about this horrible bull decided to go to Marathon and kill this beast.

It was high noon when he sneaked out of his father's palace and about night fall he arrived near a mountain area. Black clouds covered the night sky of Attica and soon a storm was about to hit the area. Theseus seek refuge in a small hut among the trees where an old woman welcome the hero. Her name was Ekali.

- My young man, which god guided you to my humble hut in this night? asked Ekali. You look of royal blood, and if you are not an Olympus god then what do you seek?

I'm on my way to Marathon and the night caught me into this woods, said the hero smiling.

- If you are heading to Marathon my boy, be very careful, for the horrible bull of Poseidon is in that area. It will be a great loss if something happens to a young, hansom boy like you. I am not sure if a second Hercules could be found to kill that beast...

Next morning the sky was clear again and Theseus thanking the old woman for her hospitality march on his way to Marathon. Not long after Theseus heard a wild roar among the trees. He stopped, he was sure that he was about to face the horrible beast.

But Theseus did not waited for the bull to attack him, instead he attacked the bull first. The beast was taken by surprised and stall for a second, giving the chance to our hero to grab him from its horns and lowering his head to the ground Theseus was rubbing his nose into the dirt with such power that the bull could not do anything but remain still and powerless from the pain.

Theseus then captured this Marathonian beast and brought him back to Athens alive to show it to the Athenians.

The Athenians greeted their prince with rose petals and cheers. As for Aegeus he greeted his son with joy and pried as any father would do. Then he took the bull to Delphi where he sacrificed him to Apollo.

Next day, Theseus went back to the mountain to find the kind old lady, to bring her to Athens to honor her for the hospitality she offered him. But the old woman died during the night. Theseus, did honor her in another way, he named that mountain area after her, "Ekali", so that her name will be remembered for ever. Today that area of Attica still bears her name as remembrance of that hospitable, sweet old lady.