Before Theseus is born, his father, King Aegeus, places a sword and a pair of sandals under a boulder for Theseus to lift and retrieve when he is older and stronger. When Theseus comes of age, he lifts the boulder and then goes to his father to claim himself as the king's son. After meeting his father, Theseus decides that he must prove to himself that he is worthy of being the heir to the throne (Hamilton 209). A true hero is someone who courageously and humbly embarks on an adventure to help his community despite the dangers, has faith in others and himself, and thinks before moving forward with a plan. Since Theseus is strong, noble, humble and intelligent, he can be considered a true hero. Theseus shows true heroism when he courageously offers to save his city, trusts in others and his own strength, and remains humble throughout his life. Theseus shows courage when he offers to go to the Minotaur's cave which makes him a true hero. When the Athenians ask the young men to go to the cave of the Minotaur, Theseus immediately volunteers, and the Athenians admire his nobility and courage for this act (Hamilton 212). Theseus knows for a fact that the Minotaur has killed many people in the past, and there is a great possibility that he could slaughter him too. Since Theseus is brave, he still continues to offer to go to the Minotaur's cave. The Athenians “loved him for his goodness and admired him for his nobility…” (212). Being noble can also lead to being proud. Having pride can sometimes be bad, but without pride, Theseus would not have been able to volunteer his life. When Theseus arrives at the cave, he “walked bravely through the labyrinth in search of the Minotaur” (212). Bold is another word for courageous. Theseus bravely walks towards the occasion of... middle of paper... and showing the people around him how to be humble is the greatest characteristic in a true hero which seems to be Theseus. Because Theseus is courageous, has faith in others and his own abilities, and is humble during the Minotaur hunt and for the rest of his career, Theseus displays the traits of a true hero. His courage when he volunteers to be a victim of the Minotaur shows the quality of a hero, so he can be an inspiration and an example to others. Because he has faith in the people around him and in himself, he is a genuine person who people can look up to. Humility is the hardest trait in a person, but it is one of the easiest traits to see in someone else. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus remains humble. This leads to Theseus being a great leader for the city, Athens. A great hero must be a great leader. Works Cited Mythology by Edith Hamilton