Download Theseus and the Minotaur

Theseus and the Minotaur
Part 1
Year 5
Meet some of our ancient Greek
families…
A representative from King Minos’
palace came to the village with some
happy news…
A royal baby was to be born!
Whole families travelled up the
mountain to the palace to offer gifts.
Some met with danger on the way…
But eventually they arrived with their
gifts.
They were met with terrible news –
the baby was half human and half bull.
Lots of suggestions were made, but
eventually the king decided to place
the baby at the centre of a dark maze.
The king of Athens was tired of being
beaten by King Minos in battle. He
offered to send 7 Athenian boys and 7
Athenian girls to be eaten by the
minotaur every 9 years if Crete would
stop invading Athens.
This is how Athenian parents felt every
time children were selected to travel
to Crete:
Children selected a piece of paper that
would decide their fate…
They opened them with shaking
hands…
A minotaur symbol was not good
news!
Sorrowfully, the chosen children said
goodbye to their families.
Some parents spoke to the king and
said it was unfair that his son had not
taken part in the selection process.
He was unsympathetic.
The King’s son, Theseus, came to him
with a plan. He wanted to travel to
Crete and slay the minotaur.
To be continued…