greek myth: the minotaur & the labyrinth
The myth itself is recorded by ancient writers including Diodorus Sicilus, Hyginus, Ovid and mentioned by both Plato and Euripides throughout their own works.1
Each of these authors follows the same basic plot line while emphasizing certain parts of it according to how they saw it.
- Diodorus Sicilus: He was a Greek historian from Sicily who lived during the first century B.C. He was famous for writing the Bibliotheca historica or The Library of History. This work is composed of forty short books concerning different areas of the world. The first book contains legends.
- Hyginus: Information about him is uncertain but it is believed that he lived during the first century AD and knew Ovid. His work is very valued due to its drawing upon old Greek dramas that have been lost to historians today.
- Publius Ovidius Naso (Ovid): Ovid was a Roman writer who lived from 43 BC to 17 CE. His famous Metamorphoses is a retelling of ancient Greek and Roman myths.
Each of these authors follows the same basic plot line while emphasizing certain parts of it according to how they saw it.
The Rape of Europa
- It all began with a woman named Europa. Europa was the daughter of Agenor, the Phoenician king. Zeus appeared to her as a white bull and seduced her; she became pregnant with three sons. These three were named Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthys. The most famous of these would be Minos - future king of the Cretans. Europa, after her experience with Zeus, married Asterius, king of Crete. Minos succeeded him as the ruler.
King Minos of Crete
Before Minos became the ruler of Crete, there was a dispute between he and his brothers. When Asterius died, each of them wanted to be king. Minos prayed to Poseidon and the god sent him the a great bull from the sea. Pictured here on the right is a vase depicting the Cretan bull. Also associated with bull is the Greek hero Hercules; he is the one painted on the vase.
In ancient Greece, it was proper to offer grand sacrifices to the gods in order to show thanks. Minos decided to sacrifice an ordinary bull instead of the one Poseidon sent so, Poseidon cursed his wife, Pasiphae, to become in love with the bull. 3 |
The Minotaur & The Labyrinth
Pasiphae hired the craftsman Daedalus to construct her a wooden cow in which she could hide in order to satisfy her love for the bull. She hid inside the bull and the result was the birth of the minotaur who had the body of a man and head of a bull. The monster itself was a Minotaur but was also named Asterios.4 In order to hide him from society, Minos hired Daedalus to construct the labyrinth. "So, Minos, moved to cover his disgrace, resolved to hide the monster in a prison, and he built with intricate design, by Daedalus contrived, an architect of wonderful ability, and famous. This he planned of mazey wanderings that deceived the eyes, and labyrinthic passages involved." 5 The publication of the Minotaur as his wife's son would have brought disgrace to Minos and to the island of Crete. Their negligence to give a Greek god a proper sacrifice would have also probably been highlighted. The labyrinth was effective at imprisoning the Minotaur due to its several and confusing passages. So, the Minotaur was famously placed in the labyrinth by King Minos. Minos himself is historically renown for his powerful navy. He was known to have conquered different city-states around him. According to Plato, "The legend was that Minos defeated the Athenians in war and compelled them to send a regular tribute of seven youths and seven maidens to be devoured by the Minotaur in the Cretan labyrinth." 6 Minos required that Athens send him seven young boys and seven young girls in order to satisfy the Minotaur. According to Ovid, this happened three times a year for nine years. Escape was virtually impossible as the labyrinth confused all who came into it. It was also said that Daedalus himself could not have found himself through the maze. So, both the Minotaur and the sacrificial victims were trapped inside. |
In the map shown below, both Athens and Crete are marked. Minos' palace is said to have been near Heraklion (or Irakleion in Greek on the map). One can see that the ferry ride for the fourteen victims would have been approximately 200 miles or so.
Theseus and the Minotaur
Theseus was the young prince of Athens during the time of Minos. He would have grown up most of his life seeing this slaughter happening to his people. It would have especially affected him as a prince who has a level of obligation to his people.
Theseus volunteers to be part of the sacrifice group headed to Crete. He plans to kill the Minotaur and does so with the help of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos (and half-sister to the Minotaur). Ariadne falls in love with Theseus and gives him a thread to carry throughout the labyrinth in order to keep track of the path. Theseus carries the string and kills the Minotaur while the beast is sleeping.
This ends the terror of the Minotaur upon Athens. The myth continues with the life of Theseus when he returns to Athens after leaving Ariadne stranded on an island. 7
Theseus was the young prince of Athens during the time of Minos. He would have grown up most of his life seeing this slaughter happening to his people. It would have especially affected him as a prince who has a level of obligation to his people.
Theseus volunteers to be part of the sacrifice group headed to Crete. He plans to kill the Minotaur and does so with the help of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos (and half-sister to the Minotaur). Ariadne falls in love with Theseus and gives him a thread to carry throughout the labyrinth in order to keep track of the path. Theseus carries the string and kills the Minotaur while the beast is sleeping.
This ends the terror of the Minotaur upon Athens. The myth continues with the life of Theseus when he returns to Athens after leaving Ariadne stranded on an island. 7
SOURCES:
- Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore. New York: Greyhouse Publishing Inc., 2013. Print. 252.
- Day, Malcolm. 100 Characters from Classical Mythology. New York: Quarto Inc., 2007. Print. 96.
- Day, Malcolm. Print. 98.
- Hansen, William F. Handbook of Classical Mythology. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed April 8, 2015). 240.
- Euripides. "Euripides, Hippolytus David Kovacs, Ed." Euripides, Hippolytus, Line 1462. Trans. David Kovacs. Tufts University, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
- Plato. "Plato, Minos." Perseus.Tufts.edu. Trans. W.R.M Lamb. Tufts University, 1925. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
- Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore. 254.