The Theme of secrecy
Throughout the text, the reader realizes that Aegeus loves having affairs with multiple women, and he does everything possible to ensure that his dealings are enigmatic. The love affair between Aegeus and Aethra is secretive. When Aegeus impregnate Aethra, he commands her to keep it a secret, and he gives instructions on how he should receive his anticipated son. Theseus is born out of this secretive love affair between Aegeus and Aethra. Aethra keeps her promise of remaining silent about the affair. The author writes, "Aegeus afterward, knowing her whom he had lain with to be Pittheus's daughter, and suspecting her to be with child by him, left a sword and a pair of shoes, hiding them under a great stone that had a hollow in it exactly fitting them; and went away making her only privy to it, and commanded her, she brought forth a son who, when he came to a man's estate, should be able to lift the stone and take and take away what he had left there, she should send him away to him with those things with all secrecy, and with injections to him as much as possible to conceal his journey from everyone…."
The History of Rome
The city of Rome is named after lady Roma to honor her immense contribution to its development. The start of the city dates back to the earliest centuries when women were under the leadership of Lady Roma, who burnt all the ships when they reached Rome. Considering the efforts of lady Roma, men decided to name the capital of Italy, Rome. The author writes, "With which act the men at first were angry, but afterward, of necessity, seating themselves near platinum, where things in a short while succeeded far better than they could hope, in that they found the country very good, and the people courteous, they not only did lady Roma other honors but also added this, of calling after her name the city which she had been the occasion of their founding."
Tyranny and Populism
The kings of Rome and Greece were never true leaders because they put their self-interests first. Romulus and Theseus never practiced true governorship. These two leaders wanted to gain popularity and lead with autocracy. The reader also realizes that the author mentions many other rulers who never lived up to their promises. The author writes, "Both Theseus and Romulus were by nature meant for governors; neither lived up to the true character of a king, but fell off, and ran, the one into popularity, the other into tyranny, falling both into the same fault out of different passions." The author describes the ancient leaders as demagogues and despots because they never prioritized their subjects' interests.
