Theseus Discovering his Father's Sword
by BALESTRA, Antonio, Oil on canvas, 287 x 159 cm
Theseus is a legendary Greek hero, king of Athens, and a famous slayer of monsters. Though his father was the king of Athens, Theseus was born and brought up in Troezen. Here his father placed a sword and sandals under a heavy rock and left orders that his child was to follow him to Athens when he was strong enough to lift the rock and bring the tokens hidden underneath.