Theseus and the Minotaur
Θησεύς καὶ Μινώταυρος
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.
The story connects Athens and Crete through tribute, kingship, and escape. Its best-known device—the thread—makes Ariadne’s knowledge essential to Theseus’s success rather than merely decorative to the hero’s feat.
Ancient witnesses differ on details, including the tribute and Theseus’s encounter with the Minotaur. The summary follows the Bibliotheca and flags the wider tradition through a second ancient witness.
Optional reflection
Remember this story?
From theseus and the minotaur
What allows Theseus to retrace his route through the Labyrinth?
Follow the thread
Connected lore
Curated relationships invite comparison without implying that distinct traditions are the same.
Sources & citations
Apollodorus, Epitome 1.7–10, trans. J. G. Frazer, Loeb Classical Library 121 (1921).
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Plutarch, Theseus 19, trans. Bernadotte Perrin, Loeb Classical Library 46 (1914).
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