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who coupled with the sea-god Poseidon, and the violet-haired Nereids gave her a golden veil. And so, war-lord of Knossos,
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I bid you to restrain your grievous violence; for I would not want to see the lovely immortal light of Dawn if you were to subdue one of these young people against her will.
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Before that we will show the force of our arms, and what comes after that a god will decide.
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So spoke the hero, excellent with the spear; and the sailors were astonished at the man's extraordinary
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boldness. The son-in-law of Helios was angered in his heart, and he wove a new scheme, and spoke: Father Zeus, great in strength, hear me! If indeed the white-armed Phoenician girl bore me to you,
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now send forth from the sky a fire-haired lightning bolt, a conspicuous sign. And you, if Troezenian Aethra bore you to Poseidon the earth-shaker,
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bring this splendid gold ornament on my hand back from the depths of the sea, casting your body boldly down to your father's home. And you shall see whether my prayers are heard
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by the son of Cronus, lord of the thunder and ruler of all.
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And Zeus, great in strength, heard his blameless prayer, and brought about a majestic honor for Minos, wanting it
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to be seen by all for the sake of his dear son; he sent the lightning. And the hero, steadfast in battle, seeing the marvel which pleased his spirit, stretched his hands to the glorious sky and said, Theseus,
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you see Zeus' clear gifts to me. It is your turn to leap into the loud-roaring sea. And your father lord Poseidon, son of Cronus, will grant you supreme
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glory throughout the well-wooded earth. So he spoke. And Theseus' spirit did not recoil; he stood on the well-built deck, and leapt,
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and the precinct of the sea received him willingly. And the son of Zeus was astonished in his heart, and gave an order to hold the ornate ship before the wind; but fate was preparing another path.