Theseus and the Minotaur | Ancient Greek Mythology Stories |

Summary

In ancient Greece, King Minos of Crete demands a yearly tribute of seven boys and seven girls from Athens to feed the terrifying Minotaur. Prince Theseus volunteers to end the terror and, with the help of Princess Ariadne, slays the beast using a sword and a ball of string to navigate the labyrinth. Afterward, Theseus promises to take Ariadne to Athens, but he abandons her on a remote island during their journey. The story highlights heroism, betrayal, and the consequences of Theseus’s selfish actions.

Takeaways

• 😀 King Minos was a powerful and cruel ruler who built a giant labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature.
• 😀 Minos forced the Athenians to send seven boys and seven girls as a tribute every year to be sacrificed to the Minotaur.
• 😀 The King of Athens had no choice but to comply with Minos’s demands, causing immense suffering to his people.
• 😀 Prince Theseus, son of the King of Athens, was deeply saddened by the annual sacrifices and decided to put an end to the terror.
• 😀 Theseus volunteered to take the place of one of the tributes and sailed with the other children to Crete, determined to kill the Minotaur.
• 😀 Upon arriving in Crete, Theseus caught the attention of Princess Ariadne, who immediately fell in love with him and decided to help him.
• 😀 Ariadne secretly gave Theseus a sword and a ball of string to navigate the maze and slay the Minotaur.
• 😀 Following Ariadne’s advice, Theseus successfully found and killed the Minotaur, using the sword she gave him.
• 😀 After slaying the Minotaur, Theseus followed the string back through the maze and escaped with the other children.
• 😀 Theseus promised to take Ariadne with him to Athens, but he betrayed her by abandoning her on an island during their journey back.
• 😀 Ariadne was left alone on the island, heartbroken, as Theseus sailed away without a second thought.

Q & A

What was King Minos known for?

King Minos was known for being very powerful and evil. He built a giant maze called the Labyrinth and kept a terrifying creature, the Minotaur, at its center.

What was the Minotaur, and why was it significant in the story?

The Minotaur was a monstrous creature, half man and half bull. It was kept by King Minos at the center of the Labyrinth and was used to intimidate Athens, with young Athenians sacrificed to it annually.

Why did King Minos attack Athens?

King Minos attacked Athens because he sought revenge for the death of his son, Androgeus. To avoid further attacks, the King of Athens had no choice but to agree to Minos's cruel deal.

What was the deal King Minos made with the King of Athens?

King Minos demanded that the King of Athens send seven boys and seven girls every year to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. In return, he promised to stop attacking Athens.

What role did Prince Theseus play in the story?

Prince Theseus took it upon himself to end the suffering of the Athenian children. He volunteered to go to Crete as one of the children sent to the Minotaur and promised to kill the creature.

How did Princess Ariadne help Prince Theseus?

Princess Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and decided to help him. She gave him a sword to fight the Minotaur and a ball of string to navigate the Labyrinth, advising him to tie one end at the entrance and unroll it as he went through.

What happened when Theseus entered the Labyrinth?

Theseus entered the Labyrinth and fought the Minotaur. After a great battle, he succeeded in killing the monster, then used the string to navigate back out.

What promise did Theseus make to Ariadne?

Theseus promised Ariadne that he would take her back to Athens after escaping Crete, in gratitude for her help.

What did Theseus do to Ariadne after they escaped Crete?

After escaping Crete, Theseus and the children of Athens sailed away. They stopped at an island where Ariadne fell asleep on the beach. Theseus silently sailed away, leaving her behind, as he was no longer interested in her.

Why did Theseus leave Ariadne on the island?

Theseus left Ariadne on the island because he did not find her attractive and wanted to rid himself of her. He took advantage of her sleep to sail away without her.