The Return of Theseus and Achelous’ Story

What’s in a name?

I put, I place suffix denoting actor

Theseus: “The Placer” or “The one who placed” i.e. The Founder

• Theseus jouneys to Athens after the hunt for the Calydonian Boar.

Theseus travels across Greece and comes to the river Achelous

Satellite image of Greece with the course of the Achelous marked in blue.

• The river has flooded and the river God Achelous warns Theseus not to cross.

• He Invites Theseus to rest at his home until the flooding subsides.

More pictures of the Achelous

The God’s Home

• Theseus has traveling companions• The Heroes feast, served by nymphs• Pirithous and Lelex were there

LelexPirithous

Grandfather of the Spartans

Theseus’ friend. Got caught trying to steal Persephone

The Feast of Acheloüs. Oil on wood, ca. 1615 Peter Paul Rubens

Theseus is the guy in red.

• Theseus asks about 5 Islands in the distance

Like Diana, Achelous is angered by neglectful worship.

Five naiads forget about him in their sacrifices.

Achelous floods, his rage tears the earth

Carries forests and fields away to sea

The naiads become 5 islands

A Sixth Island Lies Beyond

• Perimele daughter of Hippodamas

• Achelous falls in love with her and “takes” her

• Hippodamas is enraged, tries to drown her

• Achelous beseeches Neptune to save her

• She becomes the Island Peremele

• All are moved by the story, except for the troublemaker Perithous.

• He doesn't believe the Gods have the power to transform people

• He eventually gets his comeuppance though…

(Lodovico Dolce, 1558)

In the background Lelex has his hand on Perithous, chastising him for his skepticism.