Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - The Adventures of Theseus - The Legendary Greek Myth

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

Tonight, we begin an epic journey into the myths of ancient Greece — a tale of heroes, monsters, secret destinies, and dangerous roads. It's the legendary story of Theseus, the young prince who sets out on a perilous quest to find his father, King Aegeus of Athens. But to reach him, Theseus must brave a land crawling with villains — club-wielding giants, cruel robbers, and dark forests hiding deadly traps. In Part One of The Adventures of Theseus, you’ll drift through marble halls, whispering forests, and shadowy mountain passes. You’ll meet the beautiful Aethra, the wise king Pittheus, and the boy Theseus, growing stronger each day for the challenge ahead. So, tuck yourself in, relax your body, and allow your mind to wander back through time — to an age of gods, heroes, and one boy’s quest to become a legend. Please leave a 5-star review & SUBSCRIBE on Apple and Spotify. Sleep Cove Premium Become a Premium Member for Bonus Episodes & Ad-Free listening: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and become a Premium Member. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Instant Access⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and sign up in two taps. The Sleep Cove Premium Feed includes: - Access to over 400 Ad-free Episodes - Regular Exclusive Bonus Episodes - A Back Catalogue of Dozens of Exclusive Episodes - Full Audiobooks like Alice in Wonderland - Your name read out on the Show - Our Love! Get your 7-day free trial:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://sleepcove.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For Apple users, click the TRY FREE button for a 2-week free trial and become a Premium Member Today. Support our Sponsors: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Zoe.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ and find out what ZOE Membership could do for you. And because you listen to Sleep Cove, you can use the exclusive code SLEEPCOVE10 to to get 10% off membership. Our Sister Shows: - Calm Cove - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bgSKfkbt⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Relaxing Music & Ambient Sounds - Mysteries at Midnight - Mystery Bedtime Stories - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/skj6YFah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Let's Begin - Daytime Meditations with wake sections at the end - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/Z--DgSH4 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - YouTube Bedtime Story Channel -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://rb.gy/t7wyjk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - YouTube Sleep Hypnosis & Meditation Channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClE6WJgPYRBtwVQ1qDBrbqw⁠⁠ Connect: - Join the Newsletter for a Bonus Meditation -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/bonus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://rb.gy/azpdrd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/sleep_cove/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@sleepcovechris⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Recommended Products: Comfortable Sleep Headphones -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/headphones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Best Mattress from Puffy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sleepcove.com/puffy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ All Content by Sleep Cove is for educational or entertainment purposes and does not provide or replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical professional before making any changes to your treatment and if in any doubt, contact your doctor. Please listen in a place where you can safely go to sleep. Sleep Cove is not responsible or liable for any loss, damage or injury arising from the use of this content. _________________ Sleep Cove content includes guided sleep meditations, sleep hypnosis (hypnotherapy), sleep stories (visualizations) and Bedtime Stories for adults and grown-ups, all designed to help you get a great night's sleep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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If you have, you'll probably like The History of Egypt podcast. Every week, we explore tales of this ancient culture. The history of Egypt is available. wherever you get your podcasting fix. Come, let me introduce you to the world of ancient Egypt. Hi, welcome to Sleep Cove, the largest sleep podcast in the world, with me, Christopher Fitton. Tonight, we begin an epic journey into the myths of ancient Greece. in the story of the adventures of Theseus

is a tale of heroes, secret destinies and dangerous journeys. In the story, Theseus the young prince sets out on a perilous quest to find his father, King Egeus, of Athens. But to reach him,

Theseus must bring him, Theseus must brave a land crawling with villains, club-wielding giants, cruel robbers, and dark forests hiding deadly traps. In part one, you'll meet the characters and learn of the backstory that sets the stories seen. So tuck yourself in, relax your body and allow your mind to wander back through time to an age of of gods, heroes, and one-boy's quest to become a legend. So let's begin the Adventures of Theseus, Part 1, Egeus and Ethra. There was once a king of Athens, whose name was Egeus. He had no son, but he had 50 nephews, and they were wait to

for him to die, so that one of them might be king in his stead. They were wild, worthless fellows, and the people of Athens looked forward with dread to the day when the city should be in their power. Yet so long as Egeus lived, they could not do much harm, but were content to spend their time in eating and drinking at the king's table and in quarrelling among themselves. It so happened one summer that Aegeus left his kingdom in the care of the elders of the city and went on a voyage across the Cironic Sea to the old and famous city of treason, which he lay nestled at the foot of the foot.

of the mountains on the opposite shore. Treason was not fifty miles by water from Athens, and the purple-peaked island of Eugenia lay between them. But to the people of that early time, the distance seemed very great, and it was not often that ships passed from one place to the other. and as for going by land round round the great bend of the sea that was a thing so fraught with danger that no man had ever dared try it King Pithus of treason was very glad to see Egeus

for they had been boys together and he welcomed him to a city and did all that he could to make his visit a pleasant one. So day after day there was feasting and merriment and music in the marble halls of old treason and the two kings spent many a happy hour in talking of the deeds of their youth and of the mighty heroes whom both had known.

and when the time came for the ship to sail back to Athens Igeus was not ready to go He said he would stay a little longer in treason For that the elders of the city would manage things well at home And so the ship returned without him But Ageus tarried Not so much for the reds and enjoyment which he was having in the home of his old friend, as for the sake of

Eithra, his old friend's daughter, for Eithra was as fair as a summer morning, and she was the joy and pride of treason, and Egeus was never so happy as when in her presence. So it happened that some time after the ship had sailed, there was a wedding in the halls of King Pitus, but it was kept a secret, for Egeus feared that his nephews, if they heard of it, would be very angry, and would send men to treason to do him harm.

Months after months passed by, and still Egeus lingered with his bride and trusted his elders to see to the affairs of Athens. Then one morning, when the gardens of treason were full of roses and the heather was green on the hills,

a babe was born to Ithra, a boy with a fair face and strong arms, and eyes as sharp, and as bright as the mountain eagles. And now Egeus was Mawoth to return home than he had been before, and he went up on the mountain, which overlooks treason, and prayed to Athena, the queen of the air, to give him wisdom and show him what to do.

Even while he prayed, there came a sheep. into the harbour, bringing a letter to a genius and alarming news from Athens. Come home without delay. These were words of the letter which the elders had sent. Come home quickly, or Athens will be lost. A great king from beyond the sea, Minos of Crete, is on the way with ships and a host of fighting men, and he declares that he will carry sword and fire within our walls, and will slay our young men, and make our children his slaves.

Come and savers. It is the call of duty, said Igeus, and with the heavy heart, he made ready to go at once across the sea to the help of his people, but he could not take Ethra and her babe, for the fear of the lordless nephews, who would have slain them both? Best of wives, he said, when the hour for parting had come, listen to me,

for I shall never see your father's halls, nor dear old treason, nor perhaps your own fair face again. Do you remember the old plain tree which stands on the mountain side and the great flat stone which lies a little way beyond it? And which no man but myself

has ever been able to lift? Under the stone I've hidden my sword and the sandals which I brought from Athens There they shall lie Until our child is strong enough To lift the stone

And take them For his own Care for him Ithra Until that time And then And not till then He may tell him

Of his father and bid him seek me in Athens. Then Igeus kissed his wife and the babe, and went on board the ship. The sailors shouted, the oars were dipped into the waves, and the white sail were spread to the breeze, and Ethra, from her palace window,

saw the vessel speed away over the sea, over the blue waters towards Eugenia and the distant attic shore. Part two. Sword and sandals. Year after year went by, and yet no word reached Eithra from her husband on the other side of the sea. Often and often she would climb the mountain above treason and sit there, all day, looking over the blue waters and the purple hills of Eugena, to the dim, distant shore beyond. Now and then, she could see a white-winged ship sailing in the offing.

But men said that it was a Cretan vessel, and very likely, was filled with fierce Cretan warriors. bound upon some cruel errand of war. Then it was rumoured that King Minos had seized upon all the ships of Athens and had burned a part of the city and had forced the people to pay him a most grievous tribute. But further than this, there was no news. In the meantime, Eithra's babe had grown to be a tall, red-cheeked lad, strong as a mountain lion, and she named him, Theseus.

On the day that he was 15 years old, he went up with her to the top of the mountain, and with her looked out over the sea. Ah, if only your father would come, she sighed. "'My father?' said Theseus. "'Who is my father? "'And why are you always watching and waiting "'and wishing that he would come? "'Tell me about him.' "'And she answered,

"'My child, "'do you see the great flat stone which lies there, "'half buried in the ground "'and covered with moss and trailing ivy? Do you think you can lift it? I will try, Mother, said Theseus, and he dug his fingers into the ground beside it, and grasped its uneven edges, and tugged and lifted and strained, until his breath came hard and his arms ate,

and his body was covered with sweat, but the stone was not moved at all, At last he said, This task is too hard for me Until I have grown stronger. But why do you wish me to lift it? When you were strong enough to lift it, answered I will tell you about your father. After that, the boy went out every day

and practiced at running, leaping, throwing, and lifting, and every day he rolled some stone out of its place. At first he could move only a little weight, and those who saw him laughed as he pulled and puffed and grew red in the face, but he never gave up until he had lifted it, and little by little, he grew stronger, and his muscles became like iron bands, and his limbs were like mighty levers for strength. Then on his next birthday, he went on the mountain with his mother, and again tried to lift the great stone, but it remained fast in its place, and was not moved. I am not yet strong enough, mother, he said.

said, have patience, my son, said Ithra. So he went on again with his running and leaping and throwing and lifting, and he practiced wrestling, and also tamed the wild horses of the plain, and hunted the lions among the mountains, and his strength and swiftness and skill. were the wonder of all men, and old treason was filled with tales of the deeds of the boy Theseus. Yet when he tried again, on his seventeenth birthday, he could not move the great flat stone that lay near the plain tree on the mountainside. Have patience, my son, again said Ether.

but this time the tears were standing in her eyes. So he went back again to his exercising, and he learned to wield the sword and the battle-axe, and to throw tremendous weights, and to carry tremendous burdens. A men said that since the days of Hercules, there was never so great strength in one. body. Then, when he was a year older, he climbed the mountain yet another time with his mother,

and he stooped and took hold of the stone, and it yielded to his touch, and though, when he had lifted it quite out of the ground, he found, underneath it, a sword of bronze and sandals of gold, and these he gave to his mother. Tell me now about my father, he said. Etheran knew that the time had come, for which she had waited so long, and she buckled the sword to his belt and fastened to the sandals upon his feet. Then she told him who his father was. and why he had left them in treason.

And how he had said that when the lad was strong enough to lift the great stone, he must take the sword and sandals and go and seek him in Athens. Theseus was glad when he heard this, and his proud eyes flashed with his. eagerness. As he said, I am ready, mother, I will set out for Athens this very day. Then they walked down the mountain together, and told King Pitus what had happened, and showed in the sword and the sandals.

But the old man shook his head sadly, and tried to dissuade Theseusian. from going. How can you go to Athens in these lawless times? He said, the sea is full of pirates. In fact, no ship from treason

has sailed across the Cironic Sea since your kingly father went home to the help of his people 18 years ago. Then finding that this only made Theseus the more determined, he said, But if you must go, I will have a new ship built for you,

staunch and stout and fast sailing, and fifty of the bravest young men in treason shall go with you and mayhap, with fair winds and fearless hearts, you shall escape the pirates and reach Athens in safety. Which is the most perilous way? asked Theseus, to go by ship, or to make the journey on foot round the great bend of land. The seaway is full of enough peril. said his grandfarmor,

but the landway is beset with dangers tenfold greater. Even if there were good roads and no hindrances, the journey round the shore is a long one and would require many days. But there are rugged mountains to climb and wide marshes to cross and dark forests to go through. There is hardly a footpath

in all that wild region, not any place to find rest or shelter, and the woods are full of wild beasts, and dreadful dragons lurk in the marshes, and many cruel rubber giants dwell in the mountains. Well, said Theseus, If there are more perils by a land than by sea, then I shall go by a land, and I go at once.

But you will at least take fifty young men, your companions with you, said King Pitouse. Not one shall go with me, said Theseus. And he stood up and played with his sword hilt. and laughed at a thought of fear. Then, when there was nothing more to say, he kissed his mother and made his grandfather goodbye, and went out of treason towards the trackless coastland,

which lay to the west and north, and with the blessings and tears of the king and Ethra, they followed him to the city gates. and watched him, until this tall fall was lost to the sight among the trees, which bordered the shore of the sea.