The king , hearing the hiss of the serpents , scrambled as fast as he could to the window , and bawled out to the abominable enchantress never to come back . The whole people of Athens , too , who had run out of doors to see this wonderful spectacle , set up a shout of joy at the prospect of getting rid of her . Medea , almost bursting with rage , uttered precisely such a hiss as one of her own snakes , only ten times more venomous and spiteful ; and glaring fiercely out of the blaze of the chariot , she shook her hands over the multitude below , as if she were scattering a million of curses among them . In so doing , however , she unintentionally let fall about five hundred diamonds of the first water , together with a thousand great pearls , and two thousand emeralds , rubies , sapphires , opals , and topazes , to which she had helped herself out of the king 's strong box . All these came pelting down , like a shower of many-colored hailstones , upon the heads of grown people and children , who forthwith gathered them up , and carried them back to the palace . But King Aegeus told them that they were welcome to the whole , and to twice as many more , if he had them , for the sake of his delight at finding his son , and losing the wicked Medea . And , indeed , if you had seen how hateful was her last look , as the flaming chariot flew upward , you would not have wondered that both king and people should think her departure a good riddance . And now Prince Theseus was taken into great favor by his royal father . The old king was never weary of having him sit beside him on his throne -LRB- which was quite wide enough for two -RRB- , and of hearing him tell about his dear mother , and his childhood , and his many boyish efforts to lift the ponderous stone . Theseus , however , was much too brave and active a young man to be willing to spend all his time in relating things which had already happened . His ambition was to perform other and more heroic deeds , which should be better worth telling in prose and verse . Nor had he been long in Athens before he caught and chained a terrible mad bull , and made a public show of him , greatly to the wonder and admiration of good King Aegeus and his subjects . But pretty soon , he undertook an affair that made all his foregone adventures seem like mere boy 's play . The occasion of it was as follows : One morning , when Prince Theseus awoke , he fancied that he must have had a very sorrowful dream , and that it was still running in his mind , even now that his eyes were opened . For it appeared as if the air was full of a melancholy wail ; and when he listened more attentively , he could hear sobs , and groans , and screams of woe , mingled with deep , quiet sighs , which came from the king 's palace , and from the streets , and from the temples , and from every habitation in the city . And all these mournful noises , issuing out of thousands of separate hearts , united themselves into one great sound of affliction , which had startled Theseus from slumber . He put on his clothes as quickly as he could -LRB- not forgetting his sandals and gold-hilted sword -RRB- , and , hastening to the king , inquired what it all meant . `` Alas ! my son , '' quoth King Aegeus , heaving a long sigh , `` here is a very lamentable matter in hand ! This is the wofulest anniversary in the whole year .
It is the day when we annually draw lots to see which of the youths and maids of XXXXX shall go to be devoured by the horrible Minotaur ! ''
Aegeus Athens Theseus enchantress fall first habitation hailstones morning opals