Download Daedalus, Minos, Ariadne, and Theseus

The Labyrinth
(an eclectic retelling)
The characters Daedalus, Minos, Ariadne, and Theseus feature prominently in ancient Greek mythology, and
there exist many versions of each of their stories. This retelling weaves them together from several different stories,
with my hope to join them in a way that is engaging and cohesive, while maintaining the essential qualities of each
character.
Daedalus
Daedalus lived in the city-state kingdom of Athens, named after the Athenian people's revered goddess
Athena, goddess of intelligence and wisdom. Athena graced Daedalus with a sharp intellect and a vivid creativity.
He matured into an unrivaled artisan and a visionary inventor. Because of this, Daedalus earned the highest respect
and admiration of the Athenian people, as well as people in many other neighboring kingdoms, where Daedalus'
creations were legendary.
Daedalus' sister asked that he take his young nephew, Talos, who showed a similar creativity and
intelligence, into his care and be his mentor. While walking on the beach one day, Talos saw the bony remains of a
fish sticking up through the sand. As he ran his hand over the sharp points, he imagined a tool that could be used for
cutting. After making his first invention, the Athenian people praised Talos, remarking that he would one day be the
greatest inventor with Daedalus as his teacher.
Little by little, Daedalus began to resent his nephew. One day, Daedalus asked his nephew to join him for a
walk along the cliffs of the acropolis near Athena's temple. It was one of Daedalus' favorite places where he
planned out many of his ideas. As the two walked, Daedalus lead his nephew to the cliff's edge, then encouraged
him to look out into the vast sky and imagine how people might one day have the ability to fly. Lost in his
imagination, Talos didn't notice when Daedalus moved behind him, then pushed him over the edge. Talos fell to his
death on the rocks far below. But Daedalus' crime did not go unnoticed. Athena had seen what he'd done and
cursed him, warning Daedalus that he would pay for the life he had taken. Fearing that the citizens of Athens would
punish him for his crime, Daedalus fled in a boat and sailed to the island kingdom of Crete, ruled by Minos.
When Daedalus arrived at Minos' palace-fortress, Knossos, Minos eagerly welcomed him into his kingdom,
knowing of Daedalus' legendary skills. Minos made Daedalus one of his closest advisors and the chief architect of
the Minoan war machine.
Over the years, Daedalus grew wealthy and powerful in Crete, and, with his weapons of war, Minos slowly
dominated the many neighboring city-state kingdoms, forcing them under his rule. Though each city-state retained
its own king, the kings were all subservient to Minos. Each city-state had to pay a yearly tribute in its resources,
goods, and wealth, and the Minoan people became exceedingly prosperous, especially Minos.
After many years enjoying great wealth and fame, Daedalus had a son, whom he named Icarus. With the
birth of his son, though, something changed in Daedalus. With each day, something in Daedalus' life became more
valuable to him than himself—his son.
Minos
One of three sons born to Asterion, king of Crete, Minos imagined a life of greatness for himself. When
Asterion died, Minos prayed to the sea god Poseidon to favor him as the sole ruler of Crete. Minos vowed to give
Poseidon anything he asked for in return for his help. Poseidon helped Minos, reminding him that one day Poseidon
would require his payment. Minos drove his brothers from the island kingdom and established his palace fortress at
Knossos. He married the beautiful woman Pasiphae. Their first born child was a son, whom they named
Androgeus. Later, they would have a second child, a daughter named Ariadne.
Initially a good king, Minos—with Poseidon's favor—helped improve the lives of his people. As the
kingdom thrived, Minos grew dissatisfied, wanting ever to improve the Minoans' wealth and power. Over time, the
island could no longer support the lifestyles of its people. With Daedalus' inventions, Minos developed a powerful
navy and, still with Poseidon's favor, dominated his neighbors' lands. Though the yearly tributes each city-state had
to pay greatly enhanced the lives of Minos and the people in his kingdom, the loss of these resulted in severe
hardships for the people outside of Crete.
One of Minos' greatest passions, aside from ruling over others and amassing great wealth, was breeding and
raising bulls, which became legendary for their size and strength. Perhaps a reflection of his own power, Minos'
bulls became a personal symbol and validation for his own greatness and belief in his right to rule.
Minos' other great passion was for his son, Androgeus, whom Minos envisioned becoming a powerful king
like himself, taking the throne when Minos would take his final breath. As Androgeus grew, with Minos' nurturing
and guidance, he became extraordinarily strong, large, and agile—much like his father's prized bulls. Even at a
young age, Androgeus was an unrivaled athlete. His son and his bulls became the only things Minos truly cared
about, aside from his power.
Minos and Pasiphae, with their wealth and status, became enamored with themselves and convinced of
their innate superiority.
Asterius
One day, Minos' prized bull fathered a unique, pure white bull. Minos valued this bull over all of his other
possessions. Knowing this, Poseidon appeared to receive his tribute and asked Minos to give him the white bull in
gratitude for his years of favor. Minos became desperate. He couldn't bear to give up the white bull. Believing he
could outsmart Poseidon, Minos painted another bull white and gave it to the god. Poseidon brought it into the sea
with him. In his underwater realm, however, the paint eventually faded. When Poseidon realized he had been
deceived, he secretly planned Minos' demise.
Pasiphae also earned the enmity and wrath of the gods by comparing her beauty and charm to Aphrodite—
even believing she herself should be worshipped like a goddess by the people under Crete's dominion.
Poseidon and Aphrodite devised a plan to punish them both. Poseidon dried up Minos' seed, making him
impotent. Aphrodite caused Pasiphae to have an insatiable lust for the white bull.
As her lust intensified, Pasiphae begged Daedalus to help her, so he invented an artificial cow that Pasiphae
could crawl inside of. Then, he coated the artificial cow with the scent of a real cow ready for mating. The white
bull mounted the fake cow and impregnated Pasiphae. Nine months later, Pasiphae gave birth to a son, but he was a
hideous monster with a human's body and a bull's head. With a final twist to their punishment, Aphrodite made
Minos and Pasiphae love this child, whom they named Asterius. Despite their love for the child, however, Minos
and Pasiphae were determined to conceal their shame and scandal.
Unable to destroy the monstrous child, Minos and Pasiphae again asked Daedalus for help. Daedalus
constructed a maze-like trap, the Labyrinth, beneath the palace—extending from the existing dungeon. The
Labyrinth was so intricate even Daedalus had difficulty navigating it once it was completed. With ascending and
descending passageways, all who entered quickly became disoriented and lost. The design, however, funneled all
who entered ever towards the center. The center would become the home for Asterius once he was fully grown.
To rid himself of the evidence of the scandal, Minos had the white bull abandoned on the shores near
Athens. Abandoned, the bull became wild and crazed, consumed with fear and anger. It terrorized the countryside.
Minos, Androgeus, and Aegeus
The king of Athens, Aegeus, could not find anyone capable of capturing or killing the wild white bull.
When Athens hosted its athletic games, the Pan-Athenian Games, many great competitors from all over the region
attended. Androgeus, one of the many competitors, quickly emerged as the unrivaled champion. Androgeus
bragged that there was nothing he couldn't accomplish. Aegeus, hoping he had found a solution to his city's misery,
challenged Androgeus to rid his kingdom of the wild white bull. Aegeus promised Androgeus not only great fame,
but also a great financial reward. Androgeus accepted the challenge, but the bull killed Androgeus, impaling him
with its sharp horns and trampling him with its powerful legs.
When Minos learned of his son's death, he threatened to send his entire navy to raze Athens to the ground
and kill all of its citizens. To save the city, Aegeus pledged to send seven young men and seven young women
every seven years to be the personal, life-long servants of Minos. Minos accepted this, and the first tribute of
servants were sent immediately. When the first servants arrived, Ariadne was still a young girl and Asterius was not
quite fully grown. But Asterius grew quickly and had an insatiable appetite.
Once Asterius was brought into and left in the labyrinth, he had to be fed. Guards would send goats and
cows into the Labyrinth to feed Asterius. But, in his inconsolable grief and rage at the loss of his son, Minos would
also drive one of the young Athenian servants into the maze every six months to momentarily satisfy his lust for
revenge.
Eventually, rumors began to spread that Minos had a monster—half man and half bull—in his dungeon that
he fed human sacrifices. The monster became known as the Minotaur, the Bull of Minos.
As Minos became more and more powerful, he also became more and more paranoid. Fearing that people
might learn the truth of his family's shame, Minos had Daedalus locked in a tower prison of his palace. His son,
Icarus, was imprisoned with him. Minos treated them well, still benefiting from Daedalus' counsel, and kept
Daedalus working for him with the ever real threat that he would kill Icarus if Daedalus didn't cooperate.
Aegeus and Theseus
Seven years passed, and still Aegeus could not rid Athens of the wild white bull. It was again time to send
another tribute of seven young men and seven young women in payment to Minos. Through all of this time, the
young son of Aegeus, Theseus, grew up under the harsh rule of the Minoan king. He could see the hardships his
people endured, paying not only their yearly tribute in goods, but also watching as, every seven years, fourteen
young people would leave and never be able to return home.
After six more years, Aegeus' son, Theseus, had grown to be a strong and brave young man, filled with
anger at the Minoan people and their king. The rumors of the Minotaur and the murders of the Athenian servants
intensified, fueling Theseus' urgent desire to do something.
Against his father's wishes, Theseus set out to rid his people of the white bull's terror. With Athena's divine
favor, Theseus had the idea of using a red cloth to distract the bull when it charged him. When the bull charged him,
Theseus caused the bull to impale its horns through the cloth, covering its head and blinding it. Unable to see, the
bull ran desperately around and around until it collapsed with fatigue. Theseus then tied up the bull and brought it to
his people. The people of Athens, in their joy and gratitude, hailed Theseus as their champion.
As the day for the next tribute to Minos drew near, Theseus told his father he would be among the chosen
sacrifices to Minos. Aegeus begged his son not to go, but Theseus would not be dissuaded. Knowing he couldn't
change Theseus' mind, Aegeus then begged Theseus to return home alive.
The ship that transported the Athenians to Minos would traditionally fly a black flag when it returned to
port, signifying the loss of the Athenians' sons and daughters. Theseus promised to rid his kingdom of the Minoan
monster and return, and he promised his father he would fly a white flag to mark his triumph.
Ariadne, Asterius, and Theseus
Now a young woman, Ariadne had grown into an intelligent and compassionate person. Over the years,
she had come to see how selfish her parents were and to feel shame and despair, both for the fate of the young
people of Athens and for the deterioration of the moral core of her own people. She also pitied Daedalus, whom she
had seen grow into a loving father, but especially Icarus, whom she viewed as an innocent child. When she could,
she brought them books, games, and food to make their imprisonment more bearable. Daedalus would also ask her
for specific items from time to time. His favorite things to collect were feathers from the sea birds that lived on the
island, and Ariadne collected these whenever she walked along the shores of her land.
Though she was horrified by the killing committed by her half-brother, Asterius, she pitied him too,
thinking of him more as an exploited animal unable to control its fate. Still, she felt a great guilt for the deaths her
family caused.
When the ship transporting the Athenian servants arrived, the people of Crete would gather to watch the
fourteen young men and women paraded to the palace. For many of the citizens of Crete, this was a day to revel in
their superiority over the Athenians, in their domination over the other city-state kingdoms. But for Ariadne, this
was always a day that filled her with sorrow and remorse. As Ariadne watched the procession in despair, she gazed
at Theseus. She could see in his face and in his walk a sense of purpose and a desire to live, unlike the others who
seemed resigned to their fate. She knew she had to act. To do nothing was as bad as doing the killing herself.
When the Athenians were brought to their separate rooms and locked in, Ariadne visited Theseus. As the
daughter of the king and queen, Ariadne had great privileges and power. While alone with Theseus, Ariadne
revealed all she knew of the fate awaiting the young Athenians. She told Theseus she would do anything she could
to save him. She then told him she was in love with him. Theseus promised that, if Ariadne helped him and the
others to escape, he would take her with him. But, she had to help him kill the Minotaur. Though it tore at her soul,
Ariadne knew that Asterius, her brother, couldn't be allowed to go on killing. Ariadne promised to help and would
return when she had a plan.
As quickly as she could, Ariadne went to Daedalus in his prison room in the tower. She told him of
Theseus and her desire to stop the killing. Daedalus told her he would help, but she had to bring him something one
last time. He asked her to bring him candles and flint to spark a fire. When she returned with these, Daedalus told
her how to make it to the center of the Labyrinth and find the way back out. To do this, he instructed her to place
two things inside the Labyrinth, just outside of the gaze of the guards when they would bring Theseus to the
entrance of the maze. The first was a ball of thread. Daedalus instructed Ariadne to have Theseus tie one end near
the entrance of the Labyrinth, then unwind it as he walked in, always heading down and straight when he had a
choice. The second was a sword. Though Asterius was inhumanly strong, he wasn't used to attacking victims who
were both trained and armed to fight back. Ariadne thanked Daedalus for his advice, then asked him how she could
help him and Icarus too. Daedalus smiled at her and said, "You already have. Now escape with the man you love
and never look back. Your father will never forgive you. You will never be able to come back to your home. You
will need to get to a ship quickly and escape before your father finds out. Once he does, he won't let anyone leave
the island until finds the Athenians. A ship is your only hope."
With Daedalus' words echoing in her mind, Ariadne rushed to put her plan into action. First, she had to
hide the thread and the sword near the entrance to the Labyrinth. When this was done, she returned to Theseus'
room and told him her plan. Now, she just needed to convince her father, Minos, to send Theseus into the
Labyrinth. She knew if Minos learned Theseus' identity, her father's need for vengeance would drive him to act that
night.
The Labyrinth
When Minos discovered that the son of the man whom Minos held responsible for his own son's death was
one of the fourteen tributes, Minos erupted in a joyous rage. Minos would now make Aegeus feel the unbearable
loss he himself experienced fourteen years ago. Minos summoned his guards and marched to Theseus' cell. When
he saw Theseus, Minos immediately sensed the young man's confidence and sense of hope. "How perfect," Minos
thought to himself, knowing what awaited the young prince in the heart of his Labyrinth. Minos instructed his
guards to take Theseus to the maze. Minos himself would visit it later, giving the young man enough time to meet
his fate at the hands of his own adopted son, Asterius. For, though the Minotaur would kill any who Minos sent into
his lair, Asterius loved Minos like he was his own father. Often, Minos would spend time with Asterius in the
Labyrinth, and Minos especially loved to reward his son when the two could gloat over the butchered remains of
their victims. With Minos, Asterius was gentle as a loving child.
After leaving sight of the guards, Theseus retrieved the thread and the sword. Remembering Ariadne's
instructions, he quickly but silently traced his way towards the center of the maze.
Ariadne knew she had to act quickly. Minos' guards were ever vigilant. There was nothing they feared
more than the wrath of their king, not even the rumored monster in the maze. Ariadne approached them with a drink
to refresh them while they guarded the Labyrinth. This was not unusual. Ariadne was loved for her kindness and
her generosity. The guards eagerly accepted Ariadne's offering. Within minutes, the two guards slumped to the
floor, drugged into a state of heavy, peaceful sleep.
As Theseus crept closer and closer to the center of the maze, he could hear the heavy breath of the
Minotaur. Suddenly, Theseus found himself in a large cavern. Scattered across the floor were piles of bones,
clearly the remains of goats or other livestock. In the midst of these remains, Theseus could see a human skull, and
then another. His worst fears were confirmed. This had been the fate of his people. Slaughtered like animals.
There, in the middle of the cavern, crouched the Minotaur, gnawing the bone of a calf he had killed the day before.
Asterius caught the scent of Theseus, and, ever hungry, he stood upright and charged the young prince.
Quietly and quickly, Ariadne made her way to each of the Athenian's cells. One by one, she released them
and escorted them as inconspicuously as she could to the palace gate. The guards there also dozed in their druginduced sleep. With Ariadne's directions, each prisoner made it to the awaiting Athenian ship.
The Minotaur was enormous. Even hunched over, he towered over the waiting prince. Theseus braced
himself for the Minotaur's charge. When the beast was upon him, Theseus thrust his sword in and up through the
Minotaur's bared chest. A howl of agony filled the cavern, so deeply buried beneath the palace that no one ever
heard it besides Theseus. The beast's cries shattered the young prince's heart. He looked into Asterius' eyes, racing
and wide with fear like the cow's Theseus remembered seeing slaughtered before the harvest feast. Theseus pulled
the sword from Asterius' body. Asterius' breaths, labored and wheezing, shook his crumpled body. The breaths
slowed, softened, and then Asterius lay silent, his eyes no longer darting, his body still. Theseus dropped his sword
and ran from the cavern, rolling up the thread as he ascended to the mouth of the maze. Asterius—the Minotaur,
the horror of the Athenian people, the child of Minos' and Pasiphae's selfishness—was dead.
Home
When Theseus emerged from the Labyrinth, he saw Ariadne pacing back and forth. Her face lit up when
she saw him. As she reached to embrace him, Theseus grabbed her hand and pulled her down the corridor. "We
have to hurry." With the cover of night, the two ran unseen through the city streets all the way to the harbor. Just as
they boarded the Athenian ship, Minos made his way towards the Labyrinth.
When he saw the guards passed out on the floor, Minos' heart skipped a beat. He rushed into the maze.
Minos knew the way in and out even better than Daedalus—this was the home of the only son he had left. When he
found Asterius' lifeless body, Minos fell to his knees and cradled Asterius' head in his lap. The sound of Minos'
cries filled the cavern.
The Athenian ship sailed through the darkness. After many hours, Theseus had the ship land on a small
island. Everyone, exhausted from their escape, lay in a deep sleep. Theseus carefully picked up Ariadne and,
without waking her, lay her sleeping body on the beach. Even after all of her help, when Theseus looked upon
Ariadne, all he could see was a Minoan. All he could feel was anger. He quickly re-boarded the ship, then
continued sailing for his home.
When she awoke with the light on the new day, Ariadne found herself alone in the sand, the waves crashing
against the beach. Her home, forever lost to her. Her heart became a void of a single question… why?
Aegeus waited anxiously on the cliffs overlooking the Athenian port, searching for a sign of his son's
return. As the sun rose in the sky, Aegeus could make out a ship in the distance.
Theseus beamed in his triumph. The Minotaur was dead. No longer would he stand by and let his people
be taken as the slaves of the Minoan king. He would take up arms and rally his people to fight against their Minoan
oppressors. Theseus imagined the celebrations that would take place when they reached home. He imagined a new
day for his people. He could just make out the city in the distance as the ship approached the shore.
As the ship came closer, Aegeus could finally see it in clearer focus. He looked to the flag flying from the
mast. It was the black flag. Aegeus knew his son was dead. His heart died in his chest. Aegeus fell from the cliffs,
broken on the rocks far below.
Daedalus and Icarus
Not long after being imprisoned by Minos, Daedalus decided he and his son had to escape. Otherwise, this
tower prison would become their tomb. Long ago, he had come up with an idea, what he thought of as his greatest
idea. It seemed like it was from another life. He could barely remember anything from that time. Even the years of
excess and indulgence at the palace of Knossos seemed like a blur. Now, all that was vivid in his mind was his life
with Icarus. That had become his entire world.
For years, he had been working on his greatest invention. Not only was it great just in itself, but it was
great because of what it would do—it would save his son's life. With the items Ariadne brought him, he would be
able to achieve the impossible. He would create another way to leave the island. The water was the one way
everyone had to travel to leave Crete. But no one could survive the swim to the mainland. And Minos made sure
every ship was approved to leave before it was released. The water was not an option for him and for his son. So
Daedalus decided he and his son would leave another way; they would leave by air.
Every chance she got, Ariadne would bring Daedalus the bird feathers she collected around the island. It
always seemed to her that his eyes would fill with hope, just for an instant, when she gave him the feathers.
Daedalus knew he owed Ariadne his life because she was making it possible for him to save the life of his
son. Without her and the materials she provided him with, he knew he would only have had an idea. He had
finished one set of wings months before, and with these he and Icarus practiced how to use them. It was the only
kind of practice they would ever have, and it would have to be good enough. When they leapt from the window of
the tower, they would have to hope Daedalus' idea worked not just in theory.
When Ariadne had come to him that last desperate night, Daedalus knew this would be his and his son's
best chance to escape. If Ariadne succeeded in freeing the Athenians, Daedalus and Icarus would have one, narrow
window of opportunity when Minos and his guards would be distracted. Their eyes would be focused on the
ground, on the sea—not the sky.
With the wax and the flint Ariadne brought him, Daedalus finished the second set of wings. When the sky
was light enough for them to see, Daedalus and Icarus would take flight.
For hours before dawn, the palace was a frenzy of movement and shouting as guards searched desperately
for the missing Athenians. As the sky finally filled with light, Daedalus fitted his son with a set of wings, then
attached the second set to himself.
Daedalus stood on the ledge of the window. If the wings failed, he would die, and Minos would probably
kill Icarus in his rage. Daedalus leapt out into nothing. He was flying; the wings worked. Soon, Icarus leapt out
and flew beside him. They quickly headed for the ocean, heading towards the mainland.
"Remember, my son, you must not fly too close to the water. The foam from the waves will soak the
feathers and make them too heavy for the frame. And don't fly too close to the sun. The heat will soften the wax
and make the whole wing fall apart."
The two flew for hours, gliding effortlessly with the magnificent wings Daedalus built. Although Icarus
followed his father's directions at first, he little by little grew bored and curious. He dropped back a little from his
father. But Daedalus was so focused straight ahead that he didn't see Icarus getting further and further behind him.
When he was a safe distance behind, Icarus began to experiment with his wings. At first, he would just make little
dives and twists. The rush he got was indescribable. He grew more and more confident, and more and more daring.
Soon, he was making huge dives. Now, he wanted to make a full loop. He knew he would have to get high enough
to build up the right amount of speed to complete the loop. He soared higher and higher.
As the two flew, Daedalus looked ahead and could see the shore. They had made it. "Son, we're almost
there…" As Daedalus looked around for his son, he noticed him flying up and up. "Icarus, no!" He tried to get his
son's attention, but he could already see a few feathers breaking away from the others. As Icarus began his dive, he
could feel the frame suddenly shaking,. The feathers were all falling off. Icarus screamed for his father as he
plunged towards the sea. As he hit the surface, the impact broke his young body. Daedalus desperately flew to
reach his boy, but his lifeless body was already sinking beneath the waves.
Daedalus cried out. As his son sank into the depths, he remembered Athena's words.