Keeping the sea always in view, Theseus went onward a long day's journey
to the north and east; and he left the rugged mountains behind and came
down into the valleys and into a pleasant plain where there were sheep
and cattle pasturing and where there were many fields of ripening
grain. The fame of his deeds had gone before him, and men and women
came crowding to the roadside to see the hero who had slain Club-carrier
and Pine-bender and grim old Sciron of the cliff.
"Now we shall live in peace," they cried; "for the robbers who devoured
our flocks and our children are no more."
Then Theseus passed through the old town of Megara, and followed the
shore of the bay towards the sacred city of Eleusis.
"Do not go into Eleusis, but take the road which leads round it through
the hills," whispered a poor man who was carrying a sheep to market.
"Why shall I do that?" asked Theseus.
"Listen, and I will tell you," was the answer. "There is a king in
Eleusis whose name is Cercyon, and he is a great wrestler. He makes
every stranger who comes into the city wrestle with him; and such is the
strength of his arms that when he has overcome a man he crushes the life
out of his body. Many travelers come to Eleusis, but no one ever goes
away."
"But I will both come and go away," said Theseus; and with his club upon
his shoulder, he strode onward into the sacred city.
"Where is Cercyon, the wrestler?" he asked of the warden at the gate.
"The king is dining in his marble palace," was the answer. "If you wish
to save yourself, turn now and flee before he has heard of your coming."
"Why should I flee?" asked Theseus. "I am not afraid;" and he walked on
through the narrow street to old Cercyon's palace.
The king was sitting at his table, eating and drinking; and he grinned
hideously as he thought of the many noble young men whose lives he had
destroyed. Theseus went up boldly to the door, and cried out:
"Cercyon, come out and wrestle with me!"
"Ah!" said the king, "here comes another young fool whose days are
numbered. Fetch him in and let him dine with me; and after that he shall
have his fill of wrestling."
So Theseus was given a place at the table of the king, and the two sat
there and ate and stared at each other, but spoke not a word. And
Cercyon, as he looked at the young man's sharp eyes and his fair face
and silken hair, had half a mind to bid him go in peace and seek not to
test his strength and skill. But when they had finished, Theseus arose
and laid aside his sword and his sandals and his iron club, and stripped
himself of his robes, and said:
"Come now, Cercyon, if you are not afraid; come, and wrestle with me."
Then the two went out into the courtyard where many a young man had met
his fate, and there they wrestled until the sun went down, and neither
could gain aught of advantage over the other. But it was plain that the
trained skill of Theseus would, in the end, win against the brute
strength of Cercyon. Then the men of Eleusis who stood watching the
contest, saw the youth lift the giant king bodily into the air and hurl
him headlong over his shoulder to the hard pavement beyond.
"As you have done to others, so will I do unto you!" cried Theseus.
But grim old Cercyon neither moved nor spoke; and when the youth turned
his body over and looked into his cruel face, he saw that the life had
quite gone out of him.
Then the people of Eleusis came to Theseus and wanted to make him their
king. "You have slain the tyrant who was the bane of Eleusis," they
said, "and we have heard how you have also rid the world of the giant
robbers who were the terror of the land. Come now and be our king; for
we know that you will rule over us wisely and well."
"Some day," said Theseus, "I will be your king, but not now; for there
are other deeds for me to do." And with that he donned his sword and
his sandals and his princely cloak, and threw his great iron club upon
his shoulder, and went out of Eleusis; and all the people ran after him
for quite a little way, shouting, "May good fortune be with you, O king,
and may Athena bless and guide you!"