Sciron

The brigand of the cliffs on the Megarid coast, on the narrow track between Megara and Attica where the road runs under sheer rock at the edge of the sea. He forced travellers to wash his feet, and while they stooped kicked them over the cliff into the water, where an enormous turtle (chelone) devoured them. Theseus pretended to comply, then caught him by the legs and threw him down into the sea by his own method. The Megarians themselves rejected this story — they made Sciron a just king of Megara, son-in-law of Pandion, killed by Theseus in the wars between Athens and Megara, and the Athenian brigand-tale an Athenian slander.

Associated Places