Here she often talked with her son about his father , and said that he was called Aegeus , and that he was a great king , and ruled over Attica , and dwelt at Athens , which was as famous a city as any in the world . Theseus was very fond of hearing about King Aegeus , and often asked his good mother Aethra why he did not come and live with them at Troezene . `` Ah , my dear son , '' answered Aethra , with a sigh , `` a monarch has his people to take care of . The men and women over whom he rules are in the place of children to him ; and he can seldom spare time to love his own children as other parents do . Your father will never be able to leave his kingdom for the sake of seeing his little boy . '' `` Well , but , dear mother , '' asked the boy , `` why can not I go to this famous city of Athens , and tell King Aegeus that I am his son ? '' `` That may happen by and by , '' said Aethra . `` Be patient , and we shall see . You are not yet big and strong enough to set out on such an errand . '' `` And how soon shall I be strong enough ? '' Theseus persisted in inquiring . `` You are but a tiny boy as yet , '' replied his mother . `` See if you can lift this rock on which we are sitting ? '' The little fellow had a great opinion of his own strength . So , grasping the rough protuberances of the rock , he tugged and toiled amain , and got himself quite out of breath , without being able to stir the heavy stone . It seemed to be rooted into the ground . No wonder he could not move it ; for it would have taken all the force of a very strong man to lift it out of its earthy bed . His mother stood looking on , with a sad kind of a smile on her lips and in her eyes , to see the zealous and yet puny efforts of her little boy . She could not help being sorrowful at finding him already so impatient to begin his adventures in the world . `` You see how it is , my dear Theseus , '' said she .
`` You must possess far more strength than now before I can trust you to go to Athens , and tell King XXXXX that you are his son .
Aegeus Aethra Athens Attica Theseus Troezene amain force ground protuberances