A character from ancient Greek mythology, a monster with a human body and a bull's head. Born to Pasiphae, the wife of the Cretan king, after she entered into an intimate relationship with a bull. King Minos settled the monster in the Knossos labyrinth. The Minotaur was fed with human flesh, sending him into the labyrinth of criminals. Once every nine years, a party of young men and women from Athens also came and were given over to be torn to pieces by the monster. Killed by the son of the Athenian king. The name "Minotaur" means "bull of Minos".

Origin story

There are several interpretations of the image of the Minotaur and its possible origin. Historian Vladimir Borukhovich points out the similarity of the Minotaur with the gods of Ancient Egypt, who were also depicted as people with animal heads. Another similar version says that the image of the Minotaur in Ancient Greece is a variation on the theme of the Phoenician deity named Moloch, who also looked like a bull and a man in one body. Children were sacrificed to this deity. The killing of the Minotaur symbolizes the liquidation of the cult of Moloch.

The ancient Greek philosopher interprets the myth rationalistically and believes that the image of the Minotaur embodied the memory of a man who once truly existed. Allegedly, King Minos had a fierce chief of guard named Taurus, and he took part in the battles that took place in the Labyrinth with prisoners for fun. This Taurus was later killed by the Athenian Theseus during a battle in the harbor.

English writer Mary Renault created the novel “Theseus” based on the myths of Ancient Greece. In this literary version of the history of the appearance of the image of the Minotaur, the tradition of the “bull dance”, a type of sacrifice, that actually existed on the island of Crete was transformed into a myth. On Cretan frescoes you can allegedly see images of a “bull dance”.

In Greek mythology there are many characters whose appearance combines human and animal features. The minotaur is sometimes confused with the centaur, but they are different characters. A centaur is a creature with a human torso that “grows” from the body of a horse, a mythologized image of a rider. The Minotaur has a bull's head "sitting" on a human body. Another animal-like character is a faun. A man with goat legs, horns and a beard, the patron saint of shepherds and cattle breeders.

Legend of the Minotaur

The god of the seas (or, alternatively, the thunderer) sent a white bull to the king of the island of Crete, Minos, so that the king would sacrifice it to the gods. Minos liked the bull so much that the king felt sorry for killing the luxurious animal. An ordinary bull was sacrificed. The gods took revenge on Minos: the king’s wife, Pasiphae, was inflamed with passion for the bull and lay down with the beast. To attract the attention of the bull, the queen lay down in a wooden cow, which was made specifically for this purpose. From this unnatural union the Minotaur was born.

The monstrous son of Pasiphae demonstrated the character of a beast and looked little like a man. The Minotaur lived in the Labyrinth, built for him, and preferred people for lunch. Criminals were handed over to the Minotaur. Once every nine years, a ship from Athens came to Crete, carrying fourteen boys and girls on board. Athens paid tribute to Crete in this way. These young people were thrown to the mercy of the Minotaur.

One day, the son of the Athenian king Theseus arrived with a group of young people from Athens. The young man decided to put an end to the payment of the monstrous tribute and deal with the Minotaur. The daughter of Minos fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of thread. The Athenian hero tied the end of a thread at the entrance and unwound the ball as he made his way through the labyrinth, and then followed Ariadne’s thread back out with his rescued fellow tribesmen. In the labyrinth, Theseus managed to kill the Minotaur with his bare hands or, according to another version, with a sword.

Film adaptations

The image of the Minotaur appears in films and cartoons based on Greek myths, but the character usually appears there in the guise of a monster, an enemy of the heroes - without lines or a meaningful role in the plot.

In the adventure film "Sinbad and the Minotaur", released in 2011 in Australia, King Minos turns into the pirate captain Minos, who keeps an unprecedented treasure - the head of the Colossus of Rhodes, cast from pure gold. The main character wants to get this treasure, but to do this, Sinbad will have to face the monster Minotaur, which guards the labyrinth of Minos.

Also in 2011, the American fantasy action film War of the Gods: Immortals was released. The film is based on the ancient Greek myths about Theseus and the Minotaur and the Wars of the Titans. The mythological themes in the script have undergone major changes. To begin with, the main character Theseus in the film is not the son of the Athenian king, but a simple peasant youth. The hero confronts the despotic king Hyperion. In one of the episodes, this king sends the monstrous Minotaur against Theseus, which the hero defeats.

In 2006, the horror film “Minotaur” was released with an English actor in the role of Theo, the main character who takes the place of Theseus in the script. Athens in the plot is replaced by a certain settlement, the inhabitants of which killed the heir of the Cretan king and are now doomed to pay tribute to the young men and women who are sacrificed to the Minotaur.

Theo is the son of the elder of this settlement and is in a privileged position in relation to other young people. The hero is not in danger of being “distributed”; the father takes care of the hero. Theo, however, secretly sneaks onto the ship, which is carrying the next batch of victims to the Minotaur, because Theo’s fiancee was included in the previous batch. The hero wants to fight the Minotaur and return the bride while she is still alive.

The animated incarnation of the Minotaur can be seen in the Soviet animated film “Labyrinth. The Labors of Theseus", published in 1971.

Minotaurs as a people are present in the books and films of the Chronicles of Narnia series. It is a humanoid-type creature with a human body and a bull's head. They are in the service of the White Witch. The film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) features the minotaur Otmin, played by actor Shane Rangi. Prince Caspian (2008) and The Treader of the Dawn Treader (2010) also feature minotaur characters. All of these minor characters, although they represent “different” minotaurs, are played by the same actor.

Quotes

“I’ll build a labyrinth in which I can get lost with anyone who wants to find me - who said that and what about?”

(, "Helm of Terror: Creatiff of Theseus and the Minotaur")

An abandoned stone quarry on the Greek island of Crete, consisting of an intricate network of underground tunnels, may well turn out to be the legendary labyrinth of the Minotaur, the same monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man from ancient myths. According to legends, criminals were regularly brought to the Minotaur to devour. In addition, every nine years, seven Athenian youths and seven Athenian girls, sent by the Greeks as tribute to the king, were given to him to be devoured...

In the summer of 2009, an Anglo-Greek team of archaeologists carefully examined a quarry located near the ruins of the city of Gortyn in the south of the island. Scientists have concluded that these underground tunnels have much more reason to be called the labyrinth of the Minotaur than the Minoan palace at Knossos, located about 30 kilometers from the quarry.

Where did the Minotaur live?

For the last century - since archaeologists began to study Knossos - the myth of the Minotaur has been firmly associated only with the Palace of Knossos. Every year about 600 thousand tourists came there, to whom the guides told that the legendary King Minos once lived in the palace. It was on his orders that the labyrinth was built - a refuge for the Minotaur, the son of his wife Pasiphae and the bull.

However, historians now believe that the network of caves near Gortyna, the ancient Roman capital on Crete, has an equal chance with Knossos to be considered a contender for the title of Labyrinth. At least if we take seriously the idea that the myth of the Minotaur is about a real place and a real king.

Geographer Nicholas Howarth of Oxford, who led the expedition, said the connection between Gortyna and the Labyrinth may have been forgotten thanks to the famous theories of Sir Arthur Evans, the English archaeologist who excavated Knossos between 1900 and 1935 and developed the concept of the Minoan civilization.

Theseus's fight with the Minotaur, antique ceramics. OK. 500-450 BC e.

“People come to Knossos not only to see the remains of the ancient city excavated and restored by Evan, but also in search of the connection of this place with the mythical Age of Heroes. It is a shame that most visitors to Knossos have never even heard of other possible locations for the Labyrinth,” Howarth said.

Cave labyrinth of Gortyna

Researchers from Oxford worked together with specialists from the Hellenic Speleological Society. They discovered that black archaeologists had already been here before them, who wanted to blow up one of the caves in the hope of finding a hidden treasure room.

The caves are a 4-kilometer-long network of tunnels that run through large caverns and often end in dead-end rooms. Curious travelers have come to this labyrinth since the Middle Ages. But when archaeologists discovered Knossos at the end of the 19th century, the caves were abandoned. During World War II, the Nazis had an ammunition depot there.

According to Nicholas Howarth, when you enter these caves at Gortyna, you immediately feel that this is a dark and dangerous place where it is easy to get lost. Therefore, he is skeptical of Evans' hypothesis that the Palace of Knossos is the same Labyrinth. His considerable authority in scientific circles undoubtedly played a role in the stability of the English archaeologist’s version.

Third Labyrinth

In addition to Knossos and Gortyna, there is also a third possible location of the Labyrinth - a cave complex on the territory of mainland Greece in Skotino. According to Howarth, based on archaeological evidence, it would be very difficult to argue that the Labyrinth ever existed. All three of the above places can lay claim to the title of Labyrinth. But for now, the answer to the question: was the labyrinth fiction or reality remains open.

The culture of Ancient Greece contains many fascinating stories, unique stories and instructive legends. The truthfulness and reliability of the ancient legend about the murder of the Minotaur does not have specific written confirmation. However, the ruins of the monster’s former palace have been preserved; they are more than 4 thousand years old. This place is of great interest to people who want to touch the mysterious story of liberation, love and grief.

Origin of the monster

The Minotaur is described as a monster more than 2 m tall. It has the head of a bull and a human body. He ate human flesh.

The myth of the Minotaur tells that his parents are not ordinary mortals. Mother Pasiphae, daughter of Helios and queen of the island of Crete (she is often confused with Pasithea, but she was a Nereid, and these are different characters), father is a bull (according to some legends, Poseidon himself became it). Pasiphae was the wife of Minos, son of Zeus and Europa, who fought with his brothers Rhadamanthus and Sapedon for the throne. Minos asked the gods for help, promising to present them with a generous sacrifice in return. Everything worked out as Minos wished, he confirmed his intentions and ascended to the kingdom.

Legend has it that Poseidon sent the king a strong bull to sacrifice, which came straight out of the sea waters. But the son of Zeus did not keep his promise. The bull turned out to be very beautiful, so he decided to trick Poseidon and replaced the donated animal with an ordinary one.

However, it was impossible to deceive the gods, so Poseidon became aware of Minos' cunning. For this he decided to punish him. inspired Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, with an irresistible desire for the bull. For copulation with a bull, a special design similar to a cow was invented. It was empty from the inside, so the girl could easily fit in it.

Pasiphae seduced the bull and after a while gave birth to an unusual man. The boy was named Asterius, which means “starry.” Initially, the child was no different from others. But as he grew, his body began to change, turning him into a monster.

Minos did not condemn his wife, because he understood that everything that happened was his fault. But he didn’t want to see the child either. And then Daedalus and Icarus came to his aid. He set them the task of building a structure where they could contain a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man. They created the Knossos labyrinth.

Knowing the bloodthirstiness of the beast, the king sent those sentenced to death for any crimes to Cross. But after the inhabitants of Athens killed Androgeus, the son of the king of Crete, he demanded payment from the inhabitants of the capital in revenge. Therefore, any mention of a bull caused a feeling of fear among the inhabitants of ancient Athens. To meet the needs of the animal, it is necessary:

1. Pay tribute every 9 years.
2. Choose 7 girls and 7 boys and send them into the labyrinth. Their origin did not play any role.

The Story of Theseus

Theseus is the same hero who killed the Minotaur. He is one of 14 victims who were sent as tribute to the monster. He was born and lived in the royal chambers. The young hero came from the family of Aegeus, who ruled in Athens. His mother's name was Erfa, she was the princess of Tezera.

Aegeus was not involved in raising Theseus; he was constantly away from his family. For a long time the young man lived with his mother in her homeland. Before leaving his family and leaving for Athens, Aegeus hid the sword and sandals - it was a kind of gift to Theseus. Wanting to see his parent, a sixteen-year-old young man leaves his monastery (Tezera lands) and goes to Athens. Along the way he performs various feats.

Defeating the Minotaur

Theseus had to visit the home of the Minotaur, so he was determined to complete the monstrous string of human sacrifices so that people who lived in constant fear for their children could breathe freely.

One fact contributed to the success of the operation. Minos gave birth to more children, and he had a daughter, Ariadne. Seeing the young man, the girl fell in love, the feeling turned out to be mutual, so they began a strong relationship. She knew that danger awaited the son of the Athenian king in the labyrinth, so she gave her beloved a magic thread. She helped any traveler find the right way out. Knowing this, Ariadne gave it to Theseus so that he could navigate while inside the labyrinth.

Theseus did everything as the girl taught him. He took the end of the thread and tied it to the door, and to indicate the way, he let the ball fall to the floor, followed it and reached the beast’s lair. Entering it, he found a sleeping monster. There are 3 versions of how the young man defeated the Minotaur.

1. Strangled him with his bare hands.
2. Killed the beast with one blow of his fist.
3. He killed him with a sword that was left to him by his father.

Having learned the news that the son of Aegeus had killed the Minotaur and emerged from the place where the beast was imprisoned, people rejoiced. The winner understood that he simply could no longer exist without his beautiful beloved Ariadne. Therefore, leaving the island, he kidnapped the girl.

On the way, the girl dies in the depths of the sea. People assumed that this was the work of Poseidon, who in this way decided to take revenge on Theseus for the murder of the Minotaur. The son of Aegeus was so saddened by the news of the girl’s death that he forgot to change the flag from black to white. As a sign of successful completion of the case.

As soon as King Aegeus saw the black sign, he concluded that his son had lost the fight with the monster and died. Therefore, without waiting for anyone, he rushed into the depths of the sea and drowned. In memory of this, the sea was named Aegean.

After the young man dealt with the monster, no man set foot in the labyrinth. People remembered all the horror and fear caused by the Minotaur.

Rationalistic versions of the myth

Author	Content
Philochorus and Eusebius	Ancient stories described a slightly different version of the appearance of the Cretan Minotaur. In their writings they indicated that the birth of a man with a bull's head was an allegory. According to them, the Minotaur was an ordinary person, whose original name was Taurus. His homeland is the island of Crete, where he served under King Minos. Taurus was famous for its particular cruelty. Athens was under the rule of the islanders, so they had to pay tribute not only in gold, but also in people. King Minos decided to hold a competition where Taurus had to fight with the strongest Athenian youths. The myth says that Theseus also appeared among the young men and was able to defeat Taurus. In honor of this, the inhabitants of Athens were exempt from paying taxes.
Plutarch	The author pointed out that the labyrinth of Daedalus, which was called Knossos, was an average prison. Every year the Cretan king held competitions in honor of his deceased son Androgeus. The winner received Athenian slaves into his own possession. But before that they were kept within the walls of the labyrinth. According to myths, Taurus was the first to win the competition. But he was known to be a cruel and rude master. To protect his people, Theseus went out to duel with him.
Daemon	According to this, Taurus is a famous Cretan commander who served King Minos. He and his warriors entered into battle with Theseus's fleet, but were defeated. In this battle he died at the hands of the son of Aegeus.

Modern historians believe that the legend of the Minotaur carries a metaphor about the clash and struggle of the inhabitants of the mainland with the “peoples of the sea”, who revered bulls.

The image of the Minotaur in other works

Authors of literary works often take as a basis. It is rich in colorful and original characters. The Minotaur is one of those. In literature, the image of a beast that looks like a man with the head of a bull can be found in the works:

• "House of Asteria"
• "Labyrinth of the Minotaur."
• "The Divine Comedy".
• "Helm of Terror. Creatiff about Theseus and the Minotaur."

The myth of the bull-headed Minotaur, who lives in a labyrinth and devours people, and of the brave Theseus, who defeated the monster and emerged unharmed from the labyrinth with the help of Ariadne’s thread.

Meaning of the name Minotaur

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a monster with the body of a man and the head and tail of a bull. The Minotaur was the fruit of the love of the Cretan queen Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, and a bull sent by Poseidon himself. Due to the terrible appearance of the Minotaur, King Minos ordered the master Daedalus and his son Icarus to build a huge labyrinth in which the monster would hide from people. The Minotaur lived in a labyrinth, and the Athenians, as a ransom for the murdered son of Minos, had to annually send young men and women to be devoured by the monster. The Athenian hero Theseus managed to kill him.

The word Minotaur is made up of the ancient Greek name "Minos" and the noun "bull". Thus it means "bull of Minos." The Minotaur's real name was Asterius, from the ancient Greek "Asterion", meaning the bull constellation Taurus.

King Minos and the bull from the sea

King Minos was one of three sons from the union of the god Zeus and Europa. Zeus took on different forms: snake, bull, eagle, swan. When he was in the form of a bull, he seduced Europe. Asterion, the king of Crete, took Europa as his wife along with the sons of Zeus and raised the boys as his own. When Asterion died, he did not have time to bequeath which of his sons should reign on the throne: Minos, Sarpedon or Rhadamanthus. The name Minos actually means king, and he was destined to become the king of Crete. But Minos' rise to power was difficult, as he had to get ahead of his brothers' rivals. Minos claimed that he was chosen by the gods to rule and had their support. He boasted that he could prove it and prayed to the gods. One fine day, Minos prayed and promised that he would sacrifice a bull. Poseidon sent him a magnificent bull from the sea, which confirmed Minos' claim to kingship. No one dared to challenge the favor of the gods, and especially the mighty Poseidon, who rules all the seas. Minos expelled his brothers from Crete and took the throne. The three brothers united again in the afterlife, becoming judges in Hell. Their task became to judge the dead and determine their placement in hell based on their merits during life.

King Minos did not fulfill his promise to sacrifice the bull sent by Poseidon to the gods, but sacrificed an ordinary bull. He kept the majestic bull with him. For his arrogance, Poseidon punished him by instilling in the wife of King Minos Pasiphae a passion for a bull that came out of the sea. According to another version, Poseidon, outraged by the arrogance and disrespect of Minos, went to Aphrodite, and she cursed Pasiphae, rewarding her with a passion for a bull.

Pasiphae and the birth of the Minotaur

Queen Pasiphae of Crete, suffering from a passion for a bull, turned to the master Daedalus and his son Icarus for help. Daedalus built her a wooden cow, which he covered with the skin of a real cow, and attached wheels to it. Queen Pasiphae climbed inside a wooden cow and was taken to a meadow where the bull was grazing. There she united with a bull, and from this union the Minotaur, a man with the head and tail of a bull, was born. The queen named him Asterius (from the constellation of the bull Taurus). As the boy began to grow up, horns grew on his head and his face turned into a bull's muzzle. Seeing this, Minos realized that he was punished by the gods through the fate of his wife, but he left Pasiphae, and made Daedalus and Icarus slaves for their help to the queen. When Asterius grew up, Pasiphae was no longer able to feed him; he needed another source of food, since he was neither a man nor a beast. He started eating people. On the advice of the oracle, King Minos had to hide it from people. He ordered Daedalus and Icarus to build a huge labyrinth, placed his son in it and named him the Minotaur.

Death of Androgeus and tribute from the Athenians

While the labyrinth was being built, Minos learned that his and Pasiphae’s son, Androgeus, had been killed by the Athenians. Minos blamed the Athenians for the death of his only son and the destruction of his family line. He began to pursue them until they agreed to pay tribute for the death of their son. Minos demanded that the Athenians annually send seven girls and seven boys as tribute, who would be sent into the labyrinth to be devoured by the Minotaur. Some sources say that the most beautiful men and only virgin girls were selected. The murder of Androgeus sent a cruel plague to Athens. After consulting the Delphic Oracle, the Athenian king Aegeus learned that only by sending tribute to Minos to Crete could Athens be saved. Then the Athenians agreed.

Death of the Minotaur

The son of King Aegean, Theseus, voluntarily asked for the third batch of tribute. He assured his father and all of Athens that he would kill the Minotaur. The young man promised that on the way home he would raise white sails if he became the winner, and if the monster killed him, the crew would return under black sails. When Theseus arrived in Crete, he immediately attracted the attention of the Minotaur's half-sister Ariadne, daughter of King Minos and Phaedra. Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and rushed to Daedalus so that he could tell her how to get out of the labyrinth. Following Daedalus' instructions, she handed Theseus a ball of long thread before he entered the labyrinth. Theseus tied the end of Ariadne's thread to the front door and went into the labyrinth. He found the Minotaur in the far corner and defeated him in battle. According to some versions, he killed him with his fist, according to others, with the sword of Aegeus. Thanks to Ariadne's gift, Theseus and the other victims were able to escape from the labyrinth. Theseus simply followed Ariadne's thread until he came to the door. Fearing the wrath of Minos, Theseus, along with other Athenians, Ariadne and Phaedra, quickly sailed to Athens.

The way home

Theseus left Ariadne on the island of Naxos on his way home. The god Dionysus forced Theseus to abandon Ariadne because he liked her. As a result, Ariadne became the wife of Dionysus, and Theseus sailed home, and, saddened, forgot to change the sails to white. Theseus's father, King Aegeus, seeing the black sails from afar, killed himself out of grief by jumping from a cliff into the sea. Theseus became the new king of Athens, and named the Aegean Sea after his father.

Depictions of myth in art

The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur was widely reflected in images on ancient ceramics. Most scenes show Theseus fighting the Minotaur. The myth itself embodied the struggle between human and non-human, natural and unnatural. There are Cretan coins whose reverse side depicts the construction of a labyrinth. The myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur testifies to the veneration of bulls in Crete and the architectural complexity of Cretan palaces.

Aegeus joyfully proclaimed Theseus his son and heir. The satisfied Athenian people greeted Theseus, the glorious conqueror of the robbers. As soon as Theseus appeared on the street, he was greeted with shouts of welcome, because everyone liked the golden-haired young man with a bold look, who was so famous for his exploits.

However, after a few days, Theseus noticed that all the people in Athens immediately became sad. The joy has disappeared, the fun has disappeared. It was as if an ominous black cloud was approaching the great city. The puzzled Theseus turned to old Aegeus:

What happened to the Athenians, father? It’s as if a wake is being celebrated in the city for someone.

Aegeus sadly bowed his gray head and answered:

Hard days are coming, my son. It’s time for you to know that several years ago Athens was defeated by the troops of King Minos, who reigns on the island of Crete. And the victorious Cretans imposed a heavy tribute on us. Every year Athens must send seven of the best boys and seven of the most beautiful girls to the island of Crete, where a terrible creature lives in the intricacies of the Labyrinth - Minotaur. This is half man and half bull. The Minotaur feeds on people - it is he who devours those whom we are forced to send to Crete... One of these days in Athens they will cast lots as to which of the young men and women will have to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. Theseus's heart boiled.

Okay, my father! - he said. - This year will be different. Let the Athenians appoint only six young men. I will be the seventh!

Old Aegeus grabbed his son by the hand:

No, Theseus! You are the king's son. This law doesn't apply to you. Don't leave me, son I just found! I'm old, I don't have long to live. Who will be my heir if I die?

It is precisely because I am your son that I must go along with the other young men,” Theseus answered firmly. “I must kill the monster in order to free the Athenians from this terrible duty.”

The Minotaur will tear you apart and devour you, like everyone else!

No! Your sword is with me, father. And my hand will not betray me!

No matter how much Aegeus begged his son not to leave him, Theseus firmly decided to leave among the doomed boys and girls. He did not lose heart. On the contrary, he encouraged his comrades, who considered themselves almost dead. And only old Aegeus still looked sadly at his son, whom he no longer hoped to see again. And on the day of departure, when the ship on which the boys and girls were to go to the island of Crete was already raising its sad black sails, Aegeus said to his son:

Theseus, my dear Theseus! Do you see this big rock over the sea? Every day, from morning to evening, I will stand on it, waiting for your return. And if you manage to return home victorious, order these to be replaced black sails to white. I will see them from afar - and my old heart will light up with a new desire to live with you and for you, my son!

Theseus promised to fulfill his father's wish, hugged him for the last time, and the ship set off on its long journey.

This path has always been sorrowful. And only this time the sobs of the doomed were not heard on the ship, because Theseus instilled in them hope of victory over the Minotaur, although no one could imagine how they would be able to escape.

The ship sailed for a whole week. Theseus peered into the distant horizon, standing on the bow of the ship. And then he noticed an amazing shiny figure at the edge of the sea. It was not a person; the figure was extremely large. It seemed that it was all made of metal - it sparkled so dazzlingly under the sun's rays.

What kind of figure is this? - Theseus asked the helmsman.

This giant Taloe, - answered the helmsman. - Day and night he guards the shores of the island of Crete, walking around it. This is not a person. The underground god Hephaestus himself forged it from copper and presented it to King Minos. No one can approach the island of Crete or leave the island without being noticed by Taloe, who never sleeps.

The ship was getting closer and closer to the island. But even before the ship landed on the shore, the giant Taloe was already near him, threateningly raising his copper club.

Who are you and where are you from? - he asked in a thunderous metallic voice.

We are from Athens. “We are bringing tribute to the Minotaur,” answered the helmsman.

“Come on in,” the giant roared and walked away, crushing rocks with his heavy feet.

Armed warriors met the doomed and brought them to King Minos, who always on the shore personally examined the young men and women from Athens to see if they were worthy of becoming food for the Minotaur. Minos looked at Theseus and his comrades with cold, cruel eyes, because for him they were not people, but living food for the Minotaur. But with the beautiful daughter of an Athenian nobleman, Minos allowed himself an immodest joke. Theseus could not resist.

We will accept death,” he told the king, “but I will not tolerate insults.” Poseidon loved me from the cradle.

If the lord of the sea loves you, he will help you get this ring of mine from its depths.

With these words, Minos threw his ring into the sea.

Theseus, without hesitation, rushed into the deep waves and disappeared into the abyss.

The girls and boys clasped their hands, and Minos laughed with satisfaction.

But the brave young man did not die in the waves. A huge, good-natured dolphin swam up to him, invited him to sit on his broad back and, with the speed of the wind, brought him to the palace, glowing with a blue radiance in the darkness of the sea depths.

Theseus entered the luxurious palaces. There, Poseidon and his wife Amphitrite sat on blue thrones. The young man stated his request.

Well, Minos will receive proof of our mercy towards you,” Poseidon said and ordered the servant to bring Minos’ ring to Theseus. “And for your courage I will give you a reward: the fulfillment of your three desires.” Be reasonable and think over your desires sensibly so that they will bring you happiness and not sorrow.

The same dolphin rushed Theseus to the shore, where Minos was still meticulously examining the Athenian boys and girls.

When Theseus came out of the sea to them, cries of joy filled the shore. And only Minos was gloomy, accepting his ring from Theseus.

“Okay,” said Minos, smiling ominously. “You are the tallest.” You are Poseidon's favorite. The Minotaur will enjoy you first. Hey people! Take the sword from him and throw him into the Labyrinth tonight!

Before Theseus had time to look back, several dozen soldiers grabbed him, took his sword and took him to prison. The young man was left alone. Now nothing, obviously, could help him, unarmed... Suddenly he remembered that Poseidon had granted him three wishes. He fervently appealed to the ruler of the seas:

My first wish: save me from the Labyrinth! The will of the gods is often carried out by people. So it was this time. The courage, bravery and beauty of the golden-haired youth with bold, clear eyes captivated the daughter of King Minos Ariadne. She knew that there was no point in even thinking about begging her father to spare anyone. And so she decided to help Theseus herself.

As soon as night fell on the ground, Ariadne came to the dungeon where Theseus was. She gave the guards some wine, took the keys from them, who were sleepy, and opened the doors of the dungeon. Theseus raised his head.

Won't you lead me to the Minotaur? - he asked.

No, I came to save you,” answered Ariadne. - Come after me. I will lead you, Theseus, to the sea. Your ship is there. Get on it and run away from here.

Theseus straightened up proudly.

Never and never! - he said hotly. - I will not leave my comrades alone! I won't leave here until I kill the Minotaur!

This is exactly the answer I expected from you, Theseus,” said Ariadne. - Here is your sword. Follow me, I will show you the way to the monster.

Quietly, carefully, they left the dungeon. Next to it began the high walls of the Labyrinth - a huge structure with thousands of passages and passages, branches and turns, where a person could wander endlessly and could never find a way back. And all those transitions and turns led him eventually to the very middle of the Labyrinth, where the Minotaur lived.

With the golden key that Ariadne took from her father, she opened a small door in the wall.

Go, Theseus, and may the gods help you! - said Ariadne. - But how will you find your way back?

“I don’t know,” Theseus admitted honestly. - But even if I don’t find a way out, no one else will have to look for it anyway, because
I will kill the Minotaur.

“In that case, take this ball of silk thread,” said Ariadne. - Tie the end of the thread at the entrance. Don’t let go of the ball, just let it unwind freely. And this thread will lead you back later. Go, Theseus, I will wait for you!

Taking the ball in his left hand and the sword in his right, Theseus rushed forward. There was no point in trying to choose a path in the confusing Labyrinth - all paths led to the monster. Theseus quickly ran towards the Minotaur. Then he heard a threatening growl, from which the stone walls trembled. Then the Minotaur growled, hearing the steps of a man. And Theseus did not forget about one thing - he tightly held a ball of silk thread, the end of which was in Ariadne’s hand.

He didn't count the turns and branches. He didn't count how much time had passed. But soon a sharp turn led him to a large square. Something huge, clumsy was tossing and turning there. It was the Minotaur.

A giant monster, whose body was human, and the head and shoulders of a fierce bull, rushed towards the young man to instantly pierce him with sharp horns. Theseus did not run away. He stood, waiting, only the sword trembled in his tense hand.

The Minotaur flew at him with a wild roar. But at the last second, Theseus deftly jumped to the side.

The Minotaur hit the wall with its horns, and its horns stuck halfway into the stone and got stuck in it. The Minotaur roared and wheezed, trying to pull out its horns. But Theseus no longer waited. He struck the monster's neck with all his might, cutting it off with a single blow. Covered in black blood, the body fell to the ground. And the bull's head remained near the wall with its horns stuck into the stone...

The silk thread, Ariadne's thread, twitched slightly in Theseus's hand. She reminded the young man that he should hurry. Taking one last look at the motionless body of the monster, Theseus ran back. The silk thread led him to the exit, where Ariadne was waiting for him.

There she was, pale and frightened, for she had heard the terrible roar of the monster.

Theseus did not have time to thank Ariadne. Together with her, he rushed to the dungeon where the Athenians were. The guards were still asleep. Theseus woke up his companions, instead of explaining, showed them a bloody sword and ran with everyone to the ship. And Ariadne also joined them, because she was afraid of the wrath of her father, King Minos.

Theseus ordered the sails to be raised. The ship set sail from the shore and rushed the happy youth back to Athens.