5. C ERCYON AND THE B IRTH OF W RESTLING At the temple of Demeter and Korefn2 at Eleusis, Theseus paused to offer sacrifices and prayers of thanks for his survival thus far. When he set out again on his journey, the coastline began to curl sharply south. For the worthy and indigent there were still plenty of gifts in his satchel, but his mind was now more occupied with how his father would react when they met than with the threat of brigands and outlaws. Theseus was just thinking of finding a place to bivouac and sleep for the night when two tall thin men appeared on either side, seemingly out of nowhere, with their knives pointed at his throat. A third figure then stepped out in front of him. Theseus had never seen someone so big. He would have dwarfed even Periphetes, the first of his adversaries on this journey. Theseus knew perfectly ordinary people who were shorter than this man was broad. ‘Who gave you permission to enter my kingdom?’ the giant roared. ‘Excuse me?’ ‘I am Cercyon, king of this realm. You enter without permission.’ ‘Well, how very wrong of me. Please accept my apologies.’ ‘I offer strangers a fight without weapons. If you win, this kingdom is yours.’ ‘And if I lose?’ ‘Then you die.’ Theseus looked round. ‘Not much of a kingdom, is it? I mean, compared with Corinth, say.’ ‘Do you accept the challenge?’ ‘Oh yes, I accept.’ ‘Then remove your sword and your clothes.’ ‘Excuse me?’ ‘This is a fight without weapons. Only arms and fists, and legs and feet. Pure fighting.’ Theseus looked at the giant, who had cast off his cloak and other articles of clothing and now stood naked before him. Maybe this was all some elaborate courting ritual. Being embraced by such a huge musclebound man in an act of love was as horrible a prospect as being embraced by him in an act of combat. The tall thin guards with their knives at his throat were not going to go away, and with no other options open to him, Theseus laid down his sword and club with a sigh and stepped out of his tunic. ‘I can crush bones in one hug,’ said Cercyon. ‘Really?’ said Theseus. ‘Your mother must be very proud of you. Tell me …’ he added, leaping nimbly to one side as Cercyon came forward in a rush, ‘if I win, will your men really submit to me?’ ‘If you win,’ chuckled Cercyon, beckoning Theseus forward, ‘they will serve you to the end of their days and you will be their king. Come to me, come to me!’ Theseus ducked between Cercyon’s legs and felt the giant’s balls brushing the top of his head. ‘Revolting,’ he said to himself. ‘But they do present a good target.’ ‘Will you keep still!’ exclaimed Cercyon, infuriated by Theseus’s starts and sideways jumps. ‘You don’t fight like a man, you dance like a girl.’ Slowly Cercyon began to tire. He was too strong for Theseus to allow himself to engage, for it would only take one great bear-hug and his ribs would crack. But the giant’s lunges and swipes were slowing. Every time he made a move, Theseus found a way to turn his strength against him, tiring him further. The next time he ducked between Cercyon’s legs, he leapt onto the giant’s scrotum and hung there, twisting it round and round. Cercyon howled in agony. ‘Stop it! You can’t do that, it’s cheating!’ With one last vicious tug, Theseus dropped to the ground. ‘I’ll get you, I’ll get you!’ thundered Cercyon. He’s lost his temper, Theseus thought to himself. I’ve got him now. Cercyon stamped and lurched forwards, blind to anything but revenge. Theseus nipped at his ankles, snapped at his balls, jumped on his toes, laughed and teased and raced around him until Cercyon was more like an enraged bull than any kind of artful fighter. At last Theseus lured him to a row of jagged rocks and tripped him. Cercyon fell face down on the sharp rocks and Theseus jumped up and down on him like a child bouncing on a bed. The giant’s blood spurted up in a fountain and fell in crimson drops as Cercyon shuddered and gave up his last breath.fn3 Theseus turned to see the two thin guards kneeling on the ground in front of him. ‘Sire!’ ‘Majesty!’ ‘Oh, stop it,’ said Theseus, panting from his exertions. ‘Go away. You’re free. Quick, go! Before I do to you what I did to your king.’ As he watched them scampering down the hillside, Theseus donned his tunic and gathered up his possessions.fn4