Greece
Crete
The island associated in Greek literary tradition with Minos, the Labyrinth, Ariadne, and the Minotaur.
Ancient GreekHeroic myth
Theseus and the Minotaur
Theseus enters the Cretan Labyrinth to confront the Minotaur. In the account attributed to Apollodorus, Ariadne obtains the means of escape from Daedalus and gives Theseus a thread, allowing him to return after killing the creature.
Read the entry →Ancient GreekTransformation and warning tale
Daedalus and Icarus
Ovid tells how Daedalus builds wings to escape Crete with Icarus, warns his son against extremes, and watches him fall after the Sun softens the wax.
Read the entry →Place records are discovery aids. Traditions can span regions, languages, migrations, and modern political borders.