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. It is unknown whether the events described above occurred. But the ruins of the Palace in which the Minotaur lived have been preserved. The main characters 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 structure of the man-monster's dwelling. The myth of the Minotaur and his abode is evidence of the veneration of bulls on the island and the complex architecture of Cretan palaces.

Misdemeanor of Minos

According to ancient mythology, Asterion was one of the kings on the island of Crete. He married a charming woman, the 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 her connection with Zeus, Europe became the mother of three beautiful young men: Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sapedon. Asterion had no children and adopted the sons of Europa and Zeus. It just so happened that the king died without having time to leave a will, which of his 3 sons would become the ruler of the island.

In the struggle for the right to take a place on the throne, Minos had an advantage, because the meaning of his name was “king”. He was supposed to become 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 could persuade the inhabitants of Olympus to do whatever he wished.

Once again, making a sacrifice to the ruler of the seas, Poseidon, Minos prayed that a bull would emerge from the depths of the sea. The ruler promised to give the animal to Poseidon as a sacrifice. In response, Poseidon created a magnificent huge white handsome bull. After this incident, Minos took his place on the throne. Until now, no one had dared to challenge the gods, especially the mighty Poseidon, ruler of all the seas. The Minos brothers 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 it 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 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. On the outside, Daedalus covered it with real skin, and hid wheels in the cow’s hooves so that he could move it. When the cow was completely ready, he helped Pasiphae climb inside his invention and took the cow to the meadow where the handsome bull was.

As a result of the queen’s connection with the animal, after the allotted time, she had a son. 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 took care of him while he was little. The birth of a man with an animal form 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 and soon turned into a creepy and terrible monster, which was not suitable for ordinary food, he wanted the blood and meat of people. Minos, after consulting with the Delphic oracle, ordered the architect Daedalus to start building a complex labyrinth as a home for Asterius. The labyrinth was unusual: anyone who went there could not return. The Minotaur lived inside him for the rest of his life.

Tribute to the Monster

Minos knew about Asterius's bloodthirstiness and made sure that people were regularly brought to him to serve as food. These were criminals who were sentenced to death. A man trapped in a labyrinth could not find a way out and was eaten by a monster.

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

1. The people of Athens decided to kill him because they were jealous of his victories in competitions.
2. The king of Athens did not like the fact that Androgeus won, and he sent him to fight with an animal that no one had yet 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 boys to the island of Crete as food for the Minotaur.

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

Defeating the Monster

Every 9 years, a ship with black sails fluttering left Athens. Girls and boys went on it to the 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 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 manages to win, then upon his return the ship will raise white sails. If it fails, the sails on the ship will remain black.

Upon the ship's arrival 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 labyrinth. 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 truly terrible.

There are several options for how Theseus won:

• one of the sources says that he was so strong that he killed the monster with a blow of his fist;
• another version says that Theseus was helped to win by the sword of his father Aegeus;
• the mythological creature was strangled in his sleep.

Theseus was the one who killed the Minotaur. Taking with him the young people destined for the monster, he led them out, winding the thread back into a ball. Theseus was the first to escape the labyrinth. Ariadne was waiting for him near the exit and was very happy that he was able to return alive.

Return of Theseus

Theseus, the rescued Athenians and Ariadne boarded a ship and sailed to Athens. Before their departure, they damaged all the ships standing on the shore, because they were afraid of pursuit.

Theseus, along with his companions, stopped on the shore of Naxos on the way to their homeland. Plunging into sleep, 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 shore of Naxos. He did not dare to contradict the will of the gods. Dionysus married Ariadne.

Tesseus's ship quickly cut through the waves and rushed home with all sails. 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 high black rock. He peered 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 indicated the death of Tesseus, and Aegeus, out of grief, threw himself from the cliff into the depths of the sea. Soon the waves carried his body, devoid of life, to the sea coast. The Aegean Sea was named after him.

Having landed on the shore, Theseus went to make a sacrifice in gratitude to the gods. After which he learned 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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.