Another of these robbers , named Scinis , must likewise have been a very great scoundrel . He was in the habit of flinging his victims off a high cliff into the sea ; and , in order to give him exactly his deserts , Theseus tossed him off the very same place . But if you will believe me , the sea would not pollute itself by receiving such a bad person into its bosom ; neither would the earth , having once got rid of him , consent to take him back ; so that , between the cliff and the sea , Scinis stuck fast in the air , which was forced to bear the burden of his naughtiness . After these memorable deeds , Theseus heard of an enormous sow , which ran wild , and was the terror of all the farmers round about ; and , as he did not consider himself above doing any good thing that came in his way , he killed this monstrous creature , and gave the carcass to the poor people for bacon . The great sow had been an awful beast , while ramping about the woods and fields , but was a pleasant object enough when cut up into joints , and smoking on I know not how many dinner tables . Thus , by the time he reached his journey 's end , Theseus had done many valiant feats with his father 's golden-hilted sword , and had gained the renown of being one of the bravest young men of the day . His fame traveled faster than he did , and reached Athens before him . As he entered the city , he heard the inhabitants talking at the street corners , and saying that Hercules was brave , and Jason too , and Castor and Pollux likewise , but that Theseus , the son of their own king , would turn out as great a hero as the best of them . Theseus took longer strides on hearing this , and fancied himself sure of a magnificent reception at his father 's court , since he came thither with Fame to blow her trumpet before him , and cry to King Aegeus , `` Behold your son ! '' He little suspected , innocent youth that he was , that here , in this very Athens , where his father reigned , a greater danger awaited him than any which he had encountered on the road . Yet this was the truth . You must understand that the father of Theseus , though not very old in years , was almost worn out with the cares of government , and had thus grown aged before his time . His nephews , not expecting him to live a very great while , intended to get all the power of the kingdom into their own hands . But when they heard that Theseus had arrived in Athens , and learned what a gallant young man he was , they saw that he would not be at all the kind of a person to let them steal away his father 's crown and scepter , which ought to be his own by right of inheritance . Thus these bad-hearted nephews of King Aegeus , who were the own cousins of Theseus , at once became his enemies . A still more dangerous enemy was Medea , the wicked enchantress ; for she was now the king 's wife , and wanted to give the kingdom to her son Medus , instead of letting it be given to the son of Aethra , whom she hated . It so happened that the king 's nephews met Theseus , and found out who he was , just as he reached the entrance of the royal palace . With all their evil designs against him , they pretended to be their cousin 's best friends , and expressed great joy at making his acquaintance . They proposed to him that he should come into the king 's presence as a stranger , in order to try whether Aegeus would discover in the young man 's features any likeness either to himself or his mother Aethra , and thus recognize him for a son . Theseus consented ; for he fancied that his father would know him in a moment , by the love that was in his heart .
But , while he waited at the door , the nephews ran and told King Aegeus that a young man had arrived in Athens , who , to their certain knowledge , intended to put him XXXXX death , and get possession of his royal crown .
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