Sounion, Greece. This is the Temple of Poseidon. I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled here a few times. My first introduction to Sounion was with my friend Yioryis who reminded me of the story in Greek Mythology of King Aegeus and his son Theseus.
A treaty had been agreed with King Minos of Greece after his son was killed in a contest with Aegeus. The treaty required that at regular intervals seven men and seven women would travel to Crete to be sacrificed to the Minotaur.
Theseus, son of Aegeus volunteered to travel to Crete as one of the fourteen tributes. His plan though, was to slay the Minotaur and put and end to the sacrifices. Before he set sail for Crete he agreed with his father that upon his return that if he had been successful in his quest he would lower the black sail and raise the white sails as a sign of victory. If the sails remained black then that would mean he had failed his quest.
But after his success in slaying the Minotaur he forgot to raise the white sails upon his return. Aegeus, seeing the black sails was so grief stricken believing his only son had perished then threw himself from the precipice at Cape Sounion to his death in the sea below. Since this time the sea has been known as the Aegean.
There’s also an inscription on the inside of the Temple from Lord Byron who in the 1800’s had traveled to Athens and Sounion that I have seen on my first trip just a few years ago. I have a blog post about it at http://www.travelswithjim.com/cape-sounion/
On another trip here I arrived by sailboat. And on this trip I was remembering how we got to the taverna for our meal. . . Standing at the temple now I can actually retrace our steps in the brilliant sunshine this afternoon.
Come along with me as I circumnavigate the world. There are so many places to see and experience. It may seem odd to travel to a place more than once. But for me each experience brings a new perspective and appreciation.
