Aethra
mythological figure · 5 works · 6 mentions · 12 anchored passages
Troezenian Aethra · daughter of Pittheus · the princess
in the texts
Theseus
Daughter of Pittheus and mother of Theseus by Aegeus.
During the rest of the time, then, Aethra kept his true birth concealed from Theseus, and a report was spread abroad by Pittheus that he was begotten by Poseidon.
This dark saying Pittheus apparently understood, and persuaded him, or beguiled him, to have intercourse with his daughter Aethra.
But when, in his young manhood, Theseus displayed, along with his vigor of body, prowess also, and a firm spirit united with intelligence and sagacity, then Aethra brought him to the rock, told him the truth about his birth, and bade him take away his fathers tokens and go by sea to Athens.
Dithyrambs
Mother of Theseus by Poseidon, daughter of Pittheus of Troezen.
And you, if Troezenian Aethra bore you to Poseidon the earth-shaker, bring this splendid gold ornament on my hand back from the depths of the sea, casting your body boldly down to your father's home.
It may be that the dear lovely-named daughter of Phoenix went to the bed of Zeus beneath the brow of Ida and bore you, greatest of mortals, but I too was borne by the daughter of rich Pittheus, who coupled with the sea-god Poseidon, and the violet-haired Nereids gave her a golden veil.
The Funeral Speech
Mother of Acamas, for whose sake he sailed to Troy according to Homer.
The Acamantidae did not fail to recall the epics in which Homer says that Acamas sailed for Troy for the sake of his mother Aethra.
Heracleidae
Daughter of Pittheus and mother of Theseus, named in Iolaus's genealogical argument to Demophon.
from him sprung Aethra, and from her Theseus thy sire was born.
Suppliants
Mother of Theseus, priestess-suppliant at the shrine of Demeter at Eleusis, who receives the Argive mothers and persuades her son to help them.
O Demeter, guardian of this Eleusinian land, and ye servants of the goddess who attend her fane, grant happiness to me and my son Theseus, to the city of Athens and the country of Pittheus, wherein my father reared me, Aethra, in a happy home, and gave me in marriage to Aegeus, Pandion’s son, according to the oracle of Loxias.
and although I see the prosperity of Cadmus’ folk, still am I confident they will throw a different die;
Aethra: