The myth of the Minotaur: details and content

Most contemporaries are more or less familiar with the ancient Greek myths. In one case, textbooks on the history of a secondary school or a higher education institution serve as sources, while in another, studying the folklore of the distant past is a component of self-education. There is a considerable category of people to whom the study of mythology delivers spiritual satisfaction. Many know the myth of the Minotaur, who lived far in the ocean.

Minotaur on the island of Crete

One of the spectacular mythical characters is the Minotaur with a specific body structure - the head of a bull, and everything else - the trunk, arms and legs - are human. In other words, it's a kind of awful hybrid.

The monster of the island of Crete was lucky to live not somewhere, but in the Palace, which as a whole was such a complex underground labyrinth that any person who got there was doomed to get lost and disappear forever. Most of the time, the Minotaur was in the middle of a horrible room. Word of mouth passed the myth of the Minotaur. In short, people talked about what this cruel creature is.

The mention of the Minotaur in most Athenians caused a sense of fear. Residents were forced to regularly every 9 years to choose by 7 representatives of both sexes of young age and sent to the palace with labyrinths. This way it was possible to appease the monster. Why seven? This number from time immemorial in many peoples belonged to the category of magical. Apparently, the same opinion was held by the Minotaur.

But one day among the "elected" was Theseus, who was the son of King Egei, who ruled in Athens. With the appearance of this man, the myth of the Minotaur received a special ending.

Who is Theseus?

From an early age the boy was surrounded by the warmth of his mother Ephra, who at that time was the princess of Tezera. The father did not engage in the upbringing of his son due to the fact that he was far from the family hearth. Before parting with his wife, Aegeus hid under the heavy stone sandals and sword, which was to pick up the grown up Theseus. The will of Agea was fulfilled by a sixteen-year-old son. Wanting to see his father, Theseus went to Athens, on the road performing many feats.

Back in school, everyone is studying the famous myth of the Minotaur. You can read the summary below.

How did Theseus deal with the Minotaur?

So, Theseus, who was to go to the Minotaur, was determined to end once and for all with the monstrous tradition of sacrifice, the need for people to live in constant fear.

One circumstance contributed to the success of the mission. The Cretan king had Ariadne's daughter. Between her and Theseus were very strong feelings. Ariadne gave her lover a magic guiding thread so that he could navigate in the labyrinth. Due to this gift, the myth of the Minotaur ended well.

Theseus did everything as Ariadne had taught him: he tied the end of the magic thread to the front door and lowered the tangle to the floor. Following him through an intricate labyrinth, a brave warrior found the Minotaur sleeping in a den. Taking advantage of the convenient moment, he strangled the monster with his bare hands. Theseus derived from the labyrinth of the same thread, which he wound all the way in a ball.

You can only imagine the joy and relief of people who learned that the Minotaur is no longer there. The winner, apparently, felt that he could not live without a lover. Therefore, leaving the island, he kidnapped Ariadne. Destiny has disposed of it in its own way, in the way the sea bottom has taken away the girl. Probably, this happened not without the participation of Poseidon. If it were not for the intrigues of the gods, the myth of the Minotaur would end positively for the two lovers. The brief content allows to understand, how the fate of heroes has developed.

Theseus was so sad that he even forgot to change the flag on the ship - a conventional sign that informs about the victory. King Agei regarded the black flag on the swiming ship as the death of his son in a duel with the Cretan monster and rushed into the sea abyss. In memory of the tragically dead king, the sea in which the king of Athens drowned was called the Aegean.

After Theseus strangled the monster with the bull's head, none of the mortals hesitated to enter the labyrinth. So ended the famous myth of the Minotaur.

Myth, immortalized in art and people's memory

The authenticity of the history described above can, of course, be questioned. The palace, in which the Minotaur lived, though in a dilapidated form, but survived. And this is despite the historical period, which is almost four thousand years! The number of people who want to visit Crete and get acquainted with the ancient mythical sights is not decreasing.

Images of the main characters of the myth of the Minotaur are present on the canvases of paintings, they painted vases, they are presented in the form of sculptures. The impressive cost of these masterpieces of art does not hinder the demand for them. The memory of Theseus and Ariadne, thanks to which mankind has got rid of the evil monster, will live in the hearts of people for a very long time. Now you also know what events are described in the myth of the Minotaur.