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

Origin story

There are several interpretations of the Minotaur image and its possible origin. Historian Vladimir Borukhovich points to 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 murder of the Minotaur symbolizes the elimination of the Moloch cult.

The ancient Greek philosopher interprets the myth rationally and believes that the memory of a person who once really existed was embodied in the image of the Minotaur. Allegedly, King Minos had a fierce chief of the guards named Taurus, and he took part in the battles that they arranged in the Labyrinth with the captives for entertainment for the sake of entertainment. Later, this Taurus was killed by the Athenian Theseus during a battle in the harbor.

The English writer Mary Reno 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 "bull dance" - a type of sacrifice, which existed on the island of Crete, was transformed into a myth. On the Cretan frescoes, you can allegedly see images of the "bull dance".

In Greek mythology, there are many characters in the external appearance of which human and animal features are combined. The minotaur is sometimes confused with the centaur, but these 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 "sits" on a human body. Another bestial character is a faun. A man with goat legs, horns and a beard, patron saint of shepherds and pastoralists.

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 specially made for this purpose. From this unnatural union, the Minotaur was born.

The monstrous son of Pasiphae showed the character of a beast and looked little like a man. The Minotaur lived in the Labyrinth built for him, and preferred people for dinner. The Minotaur was given criminals. Once every nine years, a ship came to Crete from Athens, which carried fourteen boys and girls on board. Athens thus paid tribute to Crete. These young people were thrown to be torn apart by 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 end the payments of the monstrous tribute and deal with the Minotaur. Minos's daughter fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of thread. The Athenian hero tied the end of the thread at the entrance and unwound the ball while making his way through the labyrinth, and then along this thread Ariadne went back along with the rescued tribesmen. In the labyrinth, Theseus managed to kill the Minotaur with his bare hands or, according to another version, with a sword.

Screen 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, the enemy of heroes - without replicas and 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 for this Sinbad will have to face the monster Minotaur, which guards the labyrinth of Minos.

In the same 2011, the American fantasy thriller "War of the Gods: Immortals" was released. The film is based on the ancient Greek myths about Theseus and the Minotaur and about the Wars of the Titans. Mythological plots in the script have undergone significant changes. For starters, 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. This king in one of the episodes sends a monstrous Minotaur against Theseus, whom 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. In the plot, Athens is replaced by a certain settlement, the inhabitants of which killed the heir to the Cretan king and are now doomed to pay tribute with young men and women who are sacrificed to the Minotaur.

Theo is the son of an elder of this settlement and is in a privileged position in relation to the rest of the young people. The hero does not threaten to "fall under the distribution", the father protects the hero. Theo, however, himself secretly sneaks onto the ship, which is taking another batch of victims to the Minotaur, because Theo's fiancée got into the previous batch. The hero wants to fight the Minotaur and return the bride while she is still alive.

An animated incarnation of the Minotaur can be seen in the Soviet animated film Labyrinth. The Feats 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 of creature with a human body and a bull's head. They are in the service of the White Witch. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) features the minotaur Otmin, played by Shane Rangi. Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) also feature characters from the Minotaur people. All of these minor characters, although they represent "different" minotaurs, are played by the same actor.

Quotes

"I will build a labyrinth in which I can get lost with those who want to find me - who said this and what about?"

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

In ancient Greek literature, the legend of the Minotaur is one of the most famous and popular stories. This is the name of a bloodthirsty monster with a bull's head and a human body. Whether the events described above took place is unknown. But the ruins of the Palace, where the Minotaur lived, have survived. The main heroes of the myth are depicted in numerous paintings, in the form of sculptures, depicted on vases, and literary works are dedicated to them. In Crete, there are coins depicting the construction of the dwelling of a man-monster. The myth of the Minotaur and his abode is a testament to the veneration of bulls on the island and the intricate architecture of Cretan palaces.

Minos's misdeed

According to ancient mythology, Asterion was one of the kings of the island of Crete. He married a charming woman, beautiful Europe. Even before her marriage to Asterion, she was kidnapped by the mighty Zeus, one of the gods of Ancient Greece. As a result of the connection with Zeus, Europe became the mother of three beautiful youths: Minos, Radamant and Sapedon. Asterion had no children and he adopted the sons of Europa and Zeus. It so happened that the king died without having time to leave a will, which of the 3 sons will become the ruler of the island.

In the struggle for the right to take a place on the throne, Minos had an advantage, since the meaning of his name was "king". He was supposed to be the next ruler of the island of Crete, but the task of taking the throne was not so easy. He needed to prove his right to his brothers.

Minos was confident in the support of the gods and said: with the help of prayers, he can persuade the inhabitants of Olympus to do whatever he wishes.

Once again, making a sacrifice to the lord of the seas to Poseidon, Minos prayed that a bull would come out of the depths of the sea. The ruler promised to give the animal to Poseidon as a sacrifice. In response, Poseidon created a gorgeous huge white handsome bull. After this incident, Minos took his place on the throne. Until now, no one dared to challenge the gods, the more powerful Poseidon, the ruler of all seas. The brothers of Minos were expelled from the island of Crete.

Everything would have been fine, but the king broke his oath to Poseidon. The animal was unusually beautiful, he took pity on him and sacrificed another, the most ordinary bull from his herd. Poseidon, noticing the substitution, became angry with the ruler and sent a curse on his wife Pasiphae: she was possessed by an irresistible passion for the sea animal he had created.

Pasiphae and the bull

Queen Pasiphae, being in the passion that gripped her, could not understand in any way how to reunite with the animal. She turned to the famous Athenian architect and inventor Daedalus for help. He heeded the queen's requests.

A talented inventor made a wooden cow, empty inside. Outside, Daedalus covered it with real hide, and hid the wheels in the hooves of the cow so that he could move it. When the cow was completely ready, he helped Pasiphae get inside his invention and took the cow to the meadow where the handsome bull was.

As a result of the relationship of the queen with the animal, after the allotted time, her son was born. It was an unusual child with the body of a man and the head of a bull. The queen gave him the name Asterius and, while he was little, took care of him. The birth of a man with an animal guise served as a punishment for King Minos. He knew that he came from "unusual" parents: his wife and an animal that he did not want to sacrifice.

Asterius grew up and soon turned into a terrible and terrible monster, which was not suitable for ordinary food, he wanted the blood and meat of people. Minos, in consultation with the Delphic oracle, ordered the architect Daedalus to start building a complex labyrinth as a dwelling for Asteria. The maze was unusual: anyone who got there could not return. The minotaur lived in it for the rest of its life.

Tribute to the monster

Minos knew about Asteria's bloodlust and made sure that people who served him with food were regularly brought to him. These were criminals who were sentenced to death. A person trapped in a labyrinth could not find a way out, and a monster ate him.

At the same time, sports competitions were held in Athens. The son of Minos took part in them, his name was Androgey. He became the winner, after which he soon died. There are 2 versions of how Androgey died.

1. The inhabitants of Athens decided to kill, because they envied his victories in the competition.
2. The king of Athens did not like the fact that Androgeus defeated, and he sent him to fight with the animal, which until now no one has been able to defeat. In this duel, Androgey laid down his head.

The ruler of the island of Crete, Minos, upon learning of the death of his son, fell into a rage. Androgeus was his only heir who was of human origin. He persecuted the inhabitants of Athens until they gave in to his demand to pay tribute every 9 years: to send 7 girls and 7 guys to Crete as food for the Minotaur.

The most beautiful young people were chosen as victims. As a result of the murder of Androgeus, Athena suffered a terrible plague. King Aegeus turned to the Delphic oracle for advice, and he said: the only thing that can save them is a tribute to King Minos. The inhabitants of Athens were forced to agree.

Defeating the monster

Every 9 years, a ship departed from Athens with black sails fluttering. On it, girls and boys went to a terrible monster. Having learned about the Minotaur and the fate prepared for the victims, Theseus, the son of the ruler of Athens, decided to fight with the terrible creature that brought so much grief to the Athenians. Theseus convinced his father that he would replace one of the young men and go to the monster's lair. If he succeeds in winning, then on the ship, upon returning, white sails will be raised. In case of failure, the sails on the ship will remain black.

Upon the arrival of the ship on the island, the girls and boys were sent to Minos. The ruler's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of thread before he entered the maze. The young man tied the end of the thread to the doors at the entrance. The magic ball, falling to the ground, became a guide for Theseus. He led him to a monster that looked really terrible.

There are several options for how Theseus won:

• one of the sources says - he was so strong that he killed the monster with a blow of his fist;
• in another version, it is said that Theseus were helped to win the victory by the sword of his father Aegeus;
• the mythological creature was strangled in a dream.

Theseus became the one who killed the Minotaur. Taking with him the young men destined for the monster, he led them out, reeling the thread back into a ball. Theseus was the first who managed to get out of the labyrinth. Ariadne was waiting for him near the exit and was very glad that he could return alive.

Return of Theseus

Theseus, the rescued Athenians and Ariadne boarded a ship and sailed to Athens. Before their departure, they spoiled all the ships that were on the shore, because they feared being chased.

Theseus, along with his companions on the way home, stopped on the banks of Naxos. Falling asleep, he saw the god of wine Dionysus. He said that Ariadne was destined to be his wife and should stay. Waking up, sad Theseus immediately continued on his way, leaving Ariadne on the banks of Naxos. He did not dare to contradict the will of the gods. Dionysus married Ariadne.

Tessei's ship quickly cut through the waves and rushed home in full sail. The young man was so saddened by the loss of his beloved that he completely forgot about his promise to his father. His ship was returning under black sails.

Aegeus stood on a black high rock. He gazed into the sea in anticipation of the return of the heir. A ship appeared on the horizon. The king was delighted at first, but soon he was able to clearly see the color of the sails - black. According to the agreement, the color of the sails testified to the death of Tesseus, and Aegeus rushed from the cliff into the depths of the sea out of grief. Soon the waves carried his body, devoid of life, to the seaside. The Aegean Sea was named after him.

Having moored to the shore, Theseus went to sacrifice in gratitude to the gods. Then he found out that he caused the death of his father, because he forgot to replace the sails with white ones. Having buried his father, Theseus became the new ruler of Athens.

The myth about the Minotaur with the head of a bull, living in a labyrinth and devouring people, and about the brave Theseus, who defeated the monster and emerged unscathed from the labyrinth with the help of Ariadne's thread.

The meaning of the name Minotaur

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a monster with the body of a man, 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. In connection with 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 send boys and girls to be devoured by the monster every year. The Athenian hero Theseus managed to kill him.

The word Minotaur consists of the ancient Greek name "Minos" and the noun "bull". Thus, it means "the bull of Minos". The real name of the Minotaur was Asteria, from the ancient Greek "Asterion", which means the constellation of the bull Taurus.

King Minos and the bull from the sea

King Minos was one of three sons from the union of the god Zeus and Europe. Zeus took different forms: a snake, a bull, an eagle, a swan. When he was in the form of a bull, he seduced Europe. Asterion, the king of Crete, took Europa as a 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 the sons to reign on the throne: Minos, Sarpedon or Radamant. The name Minos actually means a king, and he was destined to become the king of Crete. But Minos's ascent to power was difficult, as he needed to get ahead of his brothers rivals. Minos claimed that he was chosen by the gods to rule and has 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 ruled 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 was to judge the dead and determine their placement in hell on the basis of merit in 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 the 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 the bull.

Pasiphae and the birth of the Minotaur

The queen of Crete Pasiphae, suffering from passion for the bull, turned to the master Daedalus and his son Icarus for help. Daedalus built a wooden cow for her, 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 the meadow where the bull was grazing. There she united with a bull, and from this union was born the Minotaur, a man with the head and tail of a bull. The queen named him Asterius (from the constellation of the bull Taurus). As the boy began to grow, horns grew on his head and his face turned into a bull's face. Seeing this, Minos realized that he was punished by the gods through the fate of his wife, but he left Pasiphae, and Daedalus and Icarus made 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 him from people. He ordered Daedalus and Icarus to build a huge labyrinth, put his son in it and named it Minotaur.

Death of Androgeus and tribute to the Athenians

While the labyrinth was being built, Minos learned that their son with Pasiphae, 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 persecute them until they agreed to pay tribute for the death of their son. Minos demanded that the Athenians send seven girls and seven young men annually as tribute, who will be sent to the labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur. Some sources say that the most beautiful men and only virgin girls were selected. The murder of Androgeus sent a brutal plague to Athens. After consulting the Delphic oracle, the Athenian king Aegeus learned that only by sending tribute to Minos to Crete, it was possible to save Athens. Then the Athenians agreed.

Death of the Minotaur

The son of King Aegeus, Theseus, voluntarily asked for the third batch of tribute. He assured his father and all Athens that he would kill the Minotaur. The young man promised that on the way home he would raise white sails if he won, 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 to tell her how to get out of the labyrinth. Following Daedalus's instructions, she handed Theseus a ball of long thread before he entered the maze. Theseus tied the end of Ariadne's thread to the front door and went into the maze. He found the Minotaur in the far corner and defeated him in battle. According to some versions, he killed with a fist, according to others, with the sword of Aegea. Thanks to the gift of Ariadne, Theseus and the rest of the victims were able to get out of the labyrinth. Theseus simply followed Ariadne's thread until he came out to the door. Fearing the wrath of Minos, Theseus, along with other Athenians, Ariadne and Phaedra, quickly sailed to Athens.

Way back home

Theseus on the way home left Ariadne on the island of Naxos. The god Dionysus made Theseus abandon Ariadne, as 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' father, King Aegeus, seeing black sails from afar, killed himself from grief, jumping from a cliff into the sea. Theseus became the new Athenian king, and named the Aegean Sea after his father.

Images of myth in art

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

Aegeus happily proclaimed Theseus his son and heir. The contented Athenian people greeted Theseus, the glorious victor of the robbers. As soon as Theseus appeared on the street, he was greeted with cheers, 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. Joy has disappeared, fun has disappeared. As if an ominous black cloud had moved over the great city. Perplexed, Theseus turned to old Aegeus:

What happened to the Athenians, father? It is as if a commemoration is being held in the city for someone.

Aegeus bowed his gray head sadly and replied:

Troubled days are coming, my son. It is high 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 young men 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 a half-man, half-bull. The Minotaur feeds on people - and it devours those whom we are forced to send to Crete ... One of these days in Athens, lots will be cast as to which of the boys and girls will have to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. Theseus' heart boiled.

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

Old Aegeus grabbed his son by the hand:

No, Theseus! You are the king's son. This law does not concern you. Don't leave me, the son I just found! I am old, I have not long left to live. Who will be my heir if I die?

Precisely because I am your son, I must go with other young men, - Theseus answered firmly. “I must kill the monster in order to save 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 fail 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 was not discouraged. 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 Crete was already raising its sad black sails, Aegeus said to his son:

Theseus, my dear Theseus! Do you see this big rock above the sea? Every day, from morning to evening, I will stand on it, waiting for your return. And if you manage to return home as a winner, order to replace these black sails on 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, embraced him for the last time, and the ship set off on a long journey.

This path has always been mournful. And only this time the sobs of the doomed were not heard on the ship, because Theseus instilled in them the 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 at the bow of the ship. And then he noticed an amazing shining figure at the edge of the sea. It was not a man, the figure was extremely large. It seemed that it was all made of metal - it shone so dazzlingly in the sun.

What is this figure? Theseus asked the helmsman.

it giant Taloe- answered the helmsman. - Day and night he guards the coast of Crete, bypassing it around. This is not a human being. The underground god himself Hephaestus 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 Taloye 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 taking a tribute to the Minotaur, - answered the helmsman.

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

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

We will accept death, ”he said to the king,“ but I will not tolerate insults. Poseidon fell in love with 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 deep waves and disappeared into the abyss.

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

But the brave youth 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, which shone in the darkness of the deep sea with a blue radiance.

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

Well, Minos will receive proof of our mercy to you, - said Poseidon and ordered the maid to bring Theseus Minos' ring. - And for your courage I will give you a reward: the fulfillment of your three desires. Be reasonable and ponder your desires sensibly, so that they are for your happiness, and not for grief.

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

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

All right, - said Minos, smiling ominously. - You are the tallest. You are Poseidon's favorite. The minotaur will enjoy you first. Hey people! Take the sword away from him and throw it into the Labyrinth tonight!

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

My first wish: save me from the Labyrinth! The will of the gods is often done by people. So it was this time. The courage, courage and beauty of a golden-haired youth with bold, clear eyes captured the daughter of King Minos Ariadne... She knew that there was nothing to think about to beg her father to spare someone. And so she decided to help Theseus herself.

As soon as night fell to the ground, Ariadne came to the dungeon where Theseus was. She made the guards drink wine, took the keys from them, the sleepy ones, and opened the dungeon doors. Theseus raised his head.

Will you lead me to the Minotaur? - he asked.

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

Theseus drew himself up proudly.

Never and never! he said fervently. - 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, forks and turns, where a person could wander endlessly and could never find a way back. And all those transitions and turns led him in the end 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 do not find a way out, still no one else will have to look for it, because
I will kill the Minotaur.

Then take this ball of silk thread, ”said Ariadne. - Tie the end of the thread at the entrance. Do not 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 the path in the tangled Labyrinth - all paths led to the monster. Theseus quickly ran towards the Minotaur. Here he heard a menacing growl, from which the stone walls trembled. It was the Minotaur who growled when he heard the footsteps of a man. And only one thing Theseus did not forget - he was holding tightly to a ball of silk threads, the end of which was in Ariadne's hand.

He did not count the turns and ramifications. He didn't count how much time had passed. But soon a sharp turn brought him to a large area. Something huge, awkwardly tossed and turned there. It was the Minotaur.

A giant monster, whose body was a 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 flickering in his tense hand.

With a wild roar, the Minotaur swooped down on him. But at the last second Theseus deftly jumped aside.

The minotaur from the acceleration hit the wall with its horns, and its horns half stuck into the stone, stuck in it. The minotaur roared and wheezed, trying to pull the horns out. But Theseus no longer waited. With all his might, he struck the monster's neck with his sword, severing it with a single blow. Drenched in black blood, the torso fell to the ground. And the bull's head remained near the wall with its horns stuck into the stone ...

A silk thread, Ariadne's thread, twitched slightly in Theseus' hand. She reminded the young man to hurry. Casting one last glance at the motionless body of the monster, Theseus ran back. A silk thread led him to the exit, where Ariadne was waiting for him.

Here she is, pale and frightened, for she 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, he showed them a bloody sword and ran along with everyone to the ship. And Ariadne also joined them, because she was afraid of the wrath of her father, King Minos.

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