The labyrinth was constructed by Daedalus, whose father was Eupalamus, son of Metion, and whose mother was Alcippe for he was an excellent architect and the first inventor of images. Now the Minotaur was confined in a labyrinth, in which he who entered could not find his way out for many a winding turn shut off the secret outward way. And Minos ordered them to send seven youths and the same number of damsels without weapons to be fodder for the Minotaur. So they sent to Minos and left it to him to claim satisfaction. But when this was of no avail, they inquired of the oracle how they could be delivered and the god answered them that they should give Minos whatever satisfaction he might choose. And the city being visited with a famine and a pestilence, the Athenians at first, in obedience to an ancient oracle, slaughtered the daughters of Hyacinth, to wit, Antheis, Aegleis, Lytaea, and Orthaea, on the grave of Geraestus, the Cyclops now Hyacinth, the father of the damsels, had come from Lacedaemon and dwelt in Athens. But not long afterwards, being master of the sea, he attacked Athens with a fleet When the war lingered on and he could not take Athens, he prayed to Zeus that he might be avenged on the Athenians. For example, both Medea and Ariadne have been identified as former goddesses, perhaps of the Bronze Age, that time and the Greek imagination have slowly transformed into mortal princesses.īut this is not the only likeness between Jason and Theseus. Many other since then have noted the similarity between the stories of the two heroes and their wives. Jason to Medea in Apollonius, Argonautica III. So to thee too shall be thanks from the gods, if thou wilt save so mighty an array of chieftains. But she, when Minos had lulled his wrath to rest, went aboard the ship with him and left her fatherland and her even the immortal gods loved, and, as a sign in mid-sky, a crown of stars, which men call Ariadne's crown, rolls along all night among the heavenly constellations. In days past the maiden Ariadne, daughter of Minos, with kindly intent rescued Theseus from grim contests - the maiden whom Pasiphae daughter of Helios bare.

(This was a neat trick considering in most versions Medea is Theseus' step-mother.) Apollonius of Rhodes went so far as to have Jason tell Medea that story of Theseus and Ariadne as foreshadowing for their own relationship. The similarities between Ariadne's love for and aid to Theseus and Medea's love for an aid to Jason stood out even in Antiquity.

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur is among the best known Greek myths: How the hero, by the aid of Ariadne, navigated the Labyrinth and killed the Minotaur.

Theseus timelane