In
Greek mythology,
Aethra or
Aithra (, , , the "bright sky") was a name applied to four different individuals:
Mother of Theseus
Aethra was a daughter of King
Pittheus of
Troezen and the mother of
Theseus (his father was the
king Aegeus of
Athens, or in some versions,
Poseidon). Aegeus went to Troezen, a city southwest of Athens that had as its patrons
Athena and Poseidon, where Pittheus got Aegeus drunk on unmixed wine and put him to bed with his daughter. Following the instructions of Athena in a dream, she left the sleeping Aegeus and waded across to the island of
Sphairia that lay close to Troezen's shore. There she poured a
libation to Sphairos,
Pelops' charioteer, and was possessed by Poseidon in the night. When she was thus doubly pregnant, Aegeas decided to go back to Athens. Before leaving, he covered his sandals, shield and sword under a huge rock, that served as a primitive altar to Strong
Zeus, and told her that when their son would grow up, he should move the rock and bring his weapons back. Aethra did as she was told, and Theseus, recovering the weapons that were his birthright, grew to be a great hero, killing the
Minotaur, among other adventures.