The legend of the minotaur is brief. The legend of the palace of Knossos and the labyrinth of the minotaur. Knossos palace in ancient Greek mythology

Address: Greece, Crete, near Heraklion
Date of construction: 1700 BC e.
Coordinates: 35°17"52.7"N 25°09"46.5"E

Content:

Short description

Not far from the modern city of Heraklion, which is located on the legendary island of Crete, are the ruins of the most famous and popular among tourists monument of ancient Greek architecture Knossos Palace.

Despite the inexorable course of time, numerous earthquakes, robberies and wars, through the efforts of archaeologists, the ruins of a giant building, which is quite often mentioned in myths and legends, were born. Excavations of the Palace of Knossos and restoration work began at the dawn of the twentieth century, they were led by the most famous archaeologist of those days, Arthur Evans.

It is thanks to this man that modern travelers can see the place where, with the help of the thread of Ariadne, the great Greek hero and ruler of Athens, Theseus, was able to defeat the Minotaur and not get lost in a huge labyrinth.

Knossos Palace - History

The reason for its destruction was a strong earthquake, which, in addition to the "early" Knossos palace, wiped out almost all the buildings from the island. Immediately after the natural disaster, the ancient Greeks got back to work and built a new, just the same gigantic palace, the ruins of which were discovered by Arthur Evans at the beginning of the 20th century.

The construction of a new palace fell on the heyday of the city of Knossos and the Minoan civilization. The Minoan civilization is perhaps one of the most mysterious and poorly understood. Even in our time, scientists cannot reliably say what the word “minos” itself means. Some say that this is the "royal throne" and "power" in Crete, while others say that this is the name of the man who ruled the city of Knossos during its heyday, and built the Palace of Knossos. Alas, the city of Knossos and its magnificent palace were again destroyed by another earthquake, which, most likely, caused a tsunami that covered the whole of Crete. A detailed study of the ruins of the Knossos Palace led to the conclusion that the main cause of the death of the city was a fire that spread to all buildings. Interestingly, the cause of the fire is unknown.

A version is considered more likely, according to which the inhabitants of Knossos themselves burned their native city or knew about the impending disaster. This version, which is found in modern history textbooks, is supported by the fact that no skeletons of people and domestic animals were found during excavations on the territory of ancient Knossos. The townspeople probably knew about the fire and moved to the coast in advance. Some historians, relying on artifacts found in Palestine, similar in form to artifacts found in Crete, make a rather bold statement: the first inhabitants who inhabited Knossos were Atlanteans. This version is rather controversial, although the very construction of a huge palace, which is about the same age as that of the Egyptian pyramids, speaks in favor of it. Most likely, this mystery of history will not be solved in the near future, only with the advent of new technologies that make it possible to study the depths of the sea in more detail and what is hidden under centuries-old layers, historians will finally give affirmative answers to the questions: “Did Atlantis exist?” and "Where did the ancient Atlanteans live?".

Knossos palace in ancient Greek mythology

The palace of Knossos is inextricably linked with one of the most popular ancient Greek myths, which tells of a giant bloodthirsty bull man - the Minotaur. This monster, which once every nine years devoured seven beautiful girls and boys, lived in a huge labyrinth. In fairness, it should be noted that this myth appeared when the ruins of the Knossos palace were already buried under a layer of earth. Theseus, who ruled Athens, was able to kill the Minotaur in a fierce battle, and since then the inhabitants of the nearby islands and cities have ceased to send their young inhabitants to Crete.

The famous thread of Ariadne helped Theseus to find the way out of the labyrinth, which was supposedly located near the Palace of Knossos (or directly below it). From what sources the ancient Greeks, who passed down the myth of Theseus, the Minotaur and Ariadne from generation to generation, knew about the existence of the Palace of Knossos and the Minoan civilization, still remains a mystery. Before excavations, Arthur Evans relied solely on the reliability of this myth and, as time has shown, he was absolutely right, or maybe there is some truth in the myth of the monster ....

Queen's Hall

Knossos Palace - the greatest monument of architecture

It is safe to say that the Palace of Knossos, near which numerous groups of archaeologists can still be found today, is one of the most interesting sights of modern Greece. Tourists wandering among the ruins quite often have the feeling that they are faced with something fantastic and inexplicable. Perhaps it appears after reading the myth of the Minotaur, or perhaps the atmosphere itself, which is characteristic of the mysterious Crete, puts a person into a state somewhat similar to meditation. Crete and the ruins of the Palace of Knossos are quite often mentioned in tourist brochures. It is an unforgivable mistake not to visit this building, which was once one of the most majestic and, according to enthusiasts, was the palace of the Atlanteans.

Nowadays, the palace is a huge number of buildings that are located near the courtyard. Of particular interest is the fact that they are all designed by ancient architects at different levels. Each level was connected by an impressive staircase or corridor. Some rooms are located deep underground, it is not possible to explain the meaning of such a building and the purpose of the building. Why not the legendary labyrinth of Daedalus? Columns were used as supports for the floors of the palace. Archaeologists claim that The palace of Knossos was the home of the ancient king, his wife and retinue. In addition, there was a theater in the Knossos Palace, in which about six hundred people could watch the fight of two angry bulls (!)

Throne room

Surprisingly, among the ruins, experts found, perhaps, the oldest sewage system on our planet, as well as a water supply system. Due to the fact that for a long time the Palace of Knossos was buried underground and was inaccessible to robbers, unique frescoes depicting mythical creatures have been preserved in it. Among the ruins, priceless exhibits made of gold and expensive stones were excavated from the ground. It is also interesting that almost all artifacts found on the territory of ancient Knossos depict a bull. By the way, another image that is quite often found on the walls of the building, shards and vessels is a double ax. In Greek, this weapon sounds like "Labrys". Most linguists believe that it is from this name that the word "labyrinth" comes from. Isn't this another confirmation of the veracity of the myth of the Minotaur?

Palace frescoes

Despite numerous discoveries, scientists still have not been able to explain which religion was the main one in the ancient and once influential city, and the Palace of Knossos is a kind of labyrinth, one might even say a rebus, which cannot be solved even in our age of technological progress. .

A traveler who decides to see with his own eyes the Palace of Knossos - a place with which so many legends, myths and secrets are associated, should know that the entrance to its territory is paid. The price of an entrance ticket by the standards of the European Union is symbolic, and is only 6 euros. The open-air palace-museum is open from 8 am to 6 pm daily. On the days that are recognized as the national holidays of Greece, you can get to the Palace of Knossos absolutely free.

Knossos Palace on the map

Palace of Knossos - the place where the mythical Minotaur lived?...

Knossos Palace - History

According to historians, a huge temple in the city of Knossos was erected two thousand years before the advent of our era. Archaeological excavations show that in its place there used to be a settlement of ancient people. By the way, the temple, built thanks to great efforts, lasted only about three hundred years. The reason for its destruction was a strong earthquake, which, in addition to the "early" Knossos palace, wiped out almost all the buildings from the island. Immediately after the natural disaster, the ancient Greeks got back to work and built a new, just the same gigantic palace, the ruins of which were discovered by Arthur Evans at the beginning of the 20th century.

The construction of a new palace fell on the heyday of the city of Knossos and the Minoan civilization.

The Minoan civilization is perhaps one of the most mysterious and poorly understood. Even in our time, scientists cannot reliably say what the word “minos” itself means. Some say that this is the "royal throne" and "power" in Crete, while others say that this is the name of the man who ruled the city of Knossos during its heyday, and built the Palace of Knossos. Alas, the city of Knossos and its magnificent palace were again destroyed by another earthquake, which, most likely, caused a tsunami that covered the whole of Crete. A detailed study of the ruins of the Knossos Palace led to the conclusion that the main cause of the death of the city was a fire that spread to all buildings. Interestingly, the cause of the fire is unknown.

Some historians, relying on artifacts found in Palestine, similar in form to artifacts found in Crete, make a rather bold statement: the first inhabitants who inhabited Knossos were Atlanteans. This version is rather controversial, although the very construction of a huge palace, which is about the same age as that of the Egyptian pyramids, speaks in favor of it. Most likely, this mystery of history will not be solved in the near future, only with the advent of new technologies that make it possible to study the depths of the sea in more detail and what is hidden under centuries-old layers, historians will finally give affirmative answers to the questions: “Did Atlantis exist?” and "Where did the ancient Atlanteans live?".

Knossos palace in ancient Greek mythology

The palace of Knossos is inextricably linked with one of the most popular ancient Greek myths, which tells of a giant bloodthirsty bull-man - the Minotaur. This monster, which once every nine years devoured seven beautiful girls and boys, lived in a huge labyrinth. In fairness, it should be noted that this myth appeared when the ruins of the Knossos palace were already buried under a layer of earth. Theseus, who ruled Athens, was able to kill the Minotaur in a fierce battle, and since then the inhabitants of the nearby islands and cities have ceased to send their young inhabitants to Crete.

Knossos Palace - the greatest monument of architecture

Among the ruins, priceless exhibits made of gold and expensive stones were excavated from the ground. It is also interesting that almost all artifacts found on the territory of ancient Knossos depict a bull. By the way, another image that is quite often found on the walls of the building, shards and vessels is a double ax. In Greek, this weapon sounds like "Labrys". Most linguists believe that it is from this name that the word "labyrinth" comes from. Isn't this another confirmation of the veracity of the myth of the Minotaur?

The open-air palace-museum is open from 8 am to 6 pm daily. On the days that are recognized as the national holidays of Greece, you can get to the Palace of Knossos absolutely free. Free admission is also available for young people under the age of eighteen. True, as throughout Greece, boys and girls who are allowed ticketless access to historical and architectural monuments must live in one of the countries that are members of the European Union.

Minotaur this is a terrible bloodthirsty monster that has a body from a man, but inherited a head and tail from a bull. Such a monster ate exclusively human bodies, and he needed food in considerable quantities. He lived in a labyrinth from which it was absolutely impossible for an ordinary person who got there to get out.

As is the case with many powerful creatures of the wild, the origin of the minotaur is closely connected with the history of the ancient gods. In those distant times, the island of Crete was ruled by King Asterion. It so happened that he took Europa as his wife, who had three sons born from her union with Zeus himself. The children were named Minos, Sapedon and Rhadamanthus.

The moment came when the ruler died, and he did not have time to bequeath the throne to one of the offspring. As usual in such situations, the struggle for the throne between the brothers began.

It was Minos who had the advantage, since even his name meant "king". In addition, he called on all the gods for help and boasted of their support. Minos promised to make a generous sacrifice to the gods. And then one fine day, Poseidon himself sent him a magnificent bull from the sea. Now no one could doubt the victory of the future king. Two less fortunate brothers were expelled from the island of Crete.

But Minos did not keep his promise to Poseidon, but sacrificed the most ordinary bull from the herd, leaving himself a divine gift. For this, the lord of the seas and oceans was seriously angry with the negligent king and decided to punish him.

Appearance of the Minotaur

Kara was sophisticated. Poseidon instilled in the wife of the guilty king, Pasiphae, love for the bull. Going crazy with perverted passion, the woman was looking for a way to reunite with the object of her desires. Two masters helped her in this: Daedalus and Icarus. Inside a wooden frame covered with the skin of a real cow, Pasiphae seduced a powerful bull. From this unnatural vicious connection, the queen brought offspring.

The child, a boy whom the queen named Asterius, of course, was not quite normal. When he grew up a little, his head became bullish, horns grew and a tail appeared. He became a creepy monster who had to be fed something, but ordinary human food did not suit him. He was tormented by a thirst for blood, the meat of people.

minotaur labyrinth

King Minos realized that this was his punishment for breaking the promise given to Poseidon. Therefore, he did not judge his wife, but something had to be done with the predatory freak. With the help of the same Daedalus and Icarus, an unimaginably tangled one was built, where the bull-man, named by the Minotaur, was imprisoned.

As food, people were sent to him, mostly sentenced criminals who could not get out of the cunning confusion of roads and remained there to be eaten by the monster. Subsequently, wanting to avenge the death of his only son Androgeus, King Minos demanded an annual payment from the Athenians, in the form of seven girls and seven guys. They became victims of the labyrinth and the Minotaur.

Who killed the minotaur

According to legend, only in the third batch of unfortunates sent to the island was a daredevil named Theseus. The half-sister of the Minotaur, named Ariadne, fell in love with this handsome and brave young man. Realizing that he, having gone into the labyrinth, would certainly be doomed to death, she decided to find a way to save him. The girl handed young Theseus a ball of thread, one end of which the guy tied near the entrance. He managed not only to get out of the trap, but also to defeat the Minotaur in the fight. Some sources say that the future king of Athens won with his bare hands, with a fist. Others mention the sword of Aegeus. However, in any case, the monster was defeated. And thanks to the thread leading to the exit, all the surviving prisoners of the labyrinth, led by Theseus, left their sophisticated prison.

There is no other culture on Earth that has given mankind so many myths and legends as the Greek one. Every educated person still remembers the stories of Daedalus and Icarus, the seven labors of Hercules, Prometheus, who gave people fire ... And it is no secret to anyone what the name of the island with the labyrinth of the Minotaur is.

These legends will not touch someone, but a lively interest in Greek mythology will settle in someone's heart, which will then develop into a sincere love for this ancient proud country. Then the Olympic gods will become understandable and dear, the indestructible law of hospitality will reign in the house, and the heart will irresistibly rush to where modern European civilization was born.

Athens has played a huge role in world history for thousands of years. And now, in 2015, the fate of Europe largely depends on their decision. But there are places in Greece that are not so politicized, where time seems to flow more slowly, and life, like many centuries ago, is measured and peaceful. They are no less interesting in historical terms, and it seems that the gods themselves guard this land.

Crete. Cradle of the gods

It was on this island that Rhea hid the newborn Zeus from the bloodthirsty Kronos, who was fed with her milk by the mythical goat Amalthea in the Dictean cave. Here, according to the beliefs of the Cretans, who doubt the immortality of the Thunderer, is his grave.

The most visited attraction of this magnificent island is the Palace of Knossos. In its dungeons, Daedalus built a labyrinth in which King Minos hid the Minotaur for many years - a bloodthirsty monster with a human body and a powerful bull's head.

Ancient Greek myths. Theseus and Ariadne

The Minotaur became a sophisticated punishment sent by Poseidon to the Minoan ruler for refusing to sacrifice a beautiful animal to the gods. The wife of Minos, the beautiful Pasithea, was inflamed with love for the bull, which, according to various legends, was sent to earth either by Poseidon or by Zeus himself. The bloodthirsty Minotaur became the fruit of their criminal passion.

The monster demanded regular human sacrifices. Every seven years, seven of the most beautiful Athenian boys and girls were delivered to the island with the labyrinth of the Minotaur. According to one version, they became the prey of a monster, according to another, they died a natural death from thirst and hunger, wandering desperately through the labyrinth and not finding a way out.

This injustice lasted for many years, until the Athenian hero Theseus arrived as one of the victims in the labyrinth of the Minotaur, who managed to defeat the bloodthirsty monster and free the country from the bloodthirsty tyrant. The sister of the Minotaur helped him to carry out this feat, giving Theseus a guiding thread that helped the hero to confidently find a way out and leave the labyrinth. Her name has long become a household name and is known almost more than the monster itself. The myth "Labyrinth of the Minotaur" made Ariadne the patroness of travelers. Her invisible threads will always show the right path and will not let hope go out.

Theories of Philochora and Eusebius

The myth of the monster, whose refuge is the island with the labyrinth of the Minotaur, is very picturesque, but the real past is much more prosaic. Even the ancient Greek historian Philochor told that the labyrinth was an ordinary prison. King Minos liked to arrange sports competitions, in which young Athenian boys, who were kept in prison until the right time, were exhibited as a prize. In most competitions, the Minoan commander named Taurus won, who then subtly mocked the captive youths.

Eusebius shares Philochor's version. As a teacher of Minos, Taurus won all the sports competitions held by Minos, receiving young strong guys as a reward. This continued until the meeting with Theseus, who managed to defeat the warrior. Plato, in his treatises, voices the version that Taurus did not take the life of his captives, and they left the Cretan labyrinth of the Minotaur safe and sound.

Modern interpretation

There are many versions about the meaning of the content of this myth. Modern researchers are of the opinion that the labyrinth of the Minotaur is a legend that tells about the interaction and merging of Indo-European structures and cultures of the peoples of the sea, in which the ancient Hellenic civilization turned out to be the strongest.

Knossos palace

Those who have ever seen the Palace of Knossos with their own eyes will immediately recognize that if the labyrinth of the Minotaur ever existed in Crete, Knossos was its most likely location. The surviving walls of the palace, its rooms and passages in the most incredible way form plexuses, finding a way out of which seems to be completely impossible. All premises are built, from the point of view of a modern person, in chaos and disorder, and meanwhile, scientists recognize the presence of a certain system in the building. The Minoans did not always strictly follow the laws of architecture, creating structures that seemed impossible to build.

Now only the ruins, under which, perhaps, the labyrinth of the Minotaur is buried, remind of its former grandeur. Photos only partially convey the globality and thoughtfulness that the buildings of ancient civilizations were famous for.

The Palace of Knossos is located just five kilometers from modern Heraklion, and the area that it once occupied, measuring 75 hectares, is truly amazing in its size. In those distant times, more than 12 thousand people permanently lived in the palace - the same number inhabited Heraklion.

Legend of Atlantis

The ruins that currently excite the imagination of tourists are the ruins of the second palace. The very first was tentatively erected in 2000 BC. e. And about 1700 BC. e. a devastating earthquake hit the island, almost completely leveling the palace to the ground. However, in its place, the Minoans rebuilt an equally beautiful structure, and to this day it attracts millions of tourists like a magnet.

But the new Palace of Knossos was not destined to please its inhabitants for a long time. Not later than 1500 BC. e. The volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini caused a strong earthquake and a high tsunami, which led to the repeated destruction of the majestic structure.

What water failed, fire did. A fire in 1450 BC completely destroyed the palace. The reason for it is still unknown to this day. It is noteworthy that other significant monuments of the Minoan culture in Phaistos and Zakros were completely erased from the surface of the earth in the same way.

Most likely, humanity will never reliably know what led to the death of the Minoan civilization. As a result of numerous excavations carried out on the territory of the palace complex, no remains of people and animals were found. For some unknown reason, the inhabitants of Knossos left their homes. Where they went is also a mystery. All available theories are nothing more than the guesswork of scientists. Some of the researchers associate Crete with the myth of the disappeared Atlantis, but there is still no confirmation of this theory, nor its refutation.

Traces of past greatness

And in the place of the palace and in later periods, people always lived. However, the palace buildings were not completely destroyed and plundered. Perhaps the peasants were held back by fear of the mythical Minotaur, who once lived in the labyrinth of the palace. Therefore, when in 1878 the archaeologist Kalokerinos conducted the first excavations, he was surprised to find not only the well-preserved premises of the palace, but also many unique artifacts that looked as if they had not lain in the ground for millennia. But large-scale excavations of the palace began only in 1900, when the surrounding lands were bought by Arthur Evans, who forever entered the history of Crete.

The main architectural monument of Crete

The visit to the palace starts from the West Entrance. Many centuries ago, the main entrance to the palace was located here. Three huge pits immediately catch the eye, the purpose of which is still controversial among scientists. They believe that they were intended to store grain, others see them as a place for sacrifices and remember the labyrinth of the Minotaur.

Photos of these pits, however, look completely ordinary and do not cause sacred awe.

After passing the "Road of Processions", decorated with frescoes depicting young people making offerings to one of the goddesses, you can get to the Central Court, paved with huge slabs. It was here that various solemn ceremonies were held and mysterious rituals were performed.

The South House, which most likely belonged to the high priest, is perfectly preserved. Majestically look at the descendants of the Southern Propylaea, which housed the cult rooms of the palace. Climbing the stairs, you can see the Greek Temple - a building erected much later than the entire complex.

On the upper floor of the palace there is a three-columned sanctuary, a little further - a treasury that gave mankind many unique artifacts, and then a sanctuary with two and six columns. Giant pithoi - vessels for storing grain and olive oil as tall as a man, make an indelible impression on tourists. Wool, fabrics and other things especially valuable in those days were stored here.

The Fresco Hall and the Throne Room enjoy the most attention from tourists. Like millennia ago, the stone throne, in front of which there is a bowl for ablutions, attracts everyone's attention. Imagination draws how the priests, taking their places on the stone benches, heeded every word of their master. During the excavations, the famous Arthur Evans discovered a terrible mess in the Throne Room, uncharacteristic of other rooms, which gave him reason to believe that something terrible and tragic had happened in the hall ...

In the eastern wing, according to one version, there were living quarters of the royal family, megarons of the king and queen. To the west - the queen's bathroom and beauty room, a school and a craftsmen's workshop.

Stocks of provisions were stored in a warehouse in giant pithoi. The ancient builders did not forget about the perfectly functioning sewage system, its fragments still give an excellent idea of the perfection of the Minoan civilization. The area of the theater allowed the inhabitants of Knossos to gather for a performance and enjoy the wonderful performance.

Ablution pools are found throughout the palace complex, and later scientists began to doubt the truth of their purpose. However, even today they appear in guidebooks under this name.

Where is the monster's home hidden?

Curious tourists will not receive a reliable answer to only one question - where is the labyrinth of the Minotaur? Indeed, many tourists tend to Knossos, guided by an ancient myth and hoping to touch the legend.

But not a single person on the planet will say for sure what is the labyrinth of the Minotaur - myth or reality? Like any theory, this one also has its supporters and opponents. The red bull of the Western Bastion is clearly a reference to an old legend. Its adherents are not at all embarrassed by the fact that the last palace of Knossos was completed much later than the legend about this mysterious creature appeared. And despite the fact that the development of modern science allows you to see deep underground, the place where the labyrinth of the Minotaur is safely hidden in the depths has never been discovered. There is an opinion that it is formed by numerous caves in the mountains near Gortyna, their narrow dark corridors and incomprehensible branches make up a complex system of passages, from which it is almost impossible to get out. Stories are passed from mouth to mouth about the lucky ones who allegedly saw unusual, unlike creatures in these caves.

Indirectly, the reality of the labyrinth is indicated by coins that were minted in the ancient city of Knossos and depict precisely this intricate structure.

Opponents of fairy theories deny the existence of the labyrinth of Daedalus, as the labyrinth of the Minotaur is called after its creator, and argue that the intricate layout of the Knossos palace, which can confuse anyone, is the real labyrinth. Other scientists share the opinion that the mysterious structure is just a double ax "labrys", which is the main weapon of the Minoans.

spiritual labyrinth

In many cultures, the labyrinth has a sacred meaning. You can move forward and find yourself in a dead end, take a step and find a way out, or vice versa, wander for a long time in the dark and forever wallow in problems and doubts. And then the inner Minotaur will destroy all the good and good that is in every person.

The labyrinth is the embodiment of the complexity of the eternal struggle with the dark forces, and the way out of it is evidence of the victory of good over evil.

Some researchers of the Minoan culture are inclined to the version that the legend of the labyrinth of the Minotaur is an encrypted message to the descendants, telling about the clash of two cultures - the Indo-European and the civilization of the peoples of the sea, worshiping the bull. The destruction of the Minotaur, half-bull, half-man, indicates the victory of the ancient civilization over the alien tribes.

But be that as it may, every year tens of thousands of tourists come to the island of Crete in the hope of finding a mysterious labyrinth. After it could not be found in Knossos, the geography of their searches expanded significantly and now covers the entire island.

In Greek legends, the Minotaur was a terrible monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. This creature lived in a huge palace with many intricate corridors - the Labyrinth, on the island of Crete. King Minos ruled Crete. He was rich and powerful, but his life was overshadowed by terrible grief - the son of Minos, Androgey, was killed by the Athenians. For this, Minos demanded an ominous tribute from the inhabitants of Athens. Every nine years they had to send seven boys and seven girls to Crete. There they were locked in the Labyrinth, and the cruel Minotaur dealt with them.

The Greek hero Theseus arrived in Athens just at the moment when the ship with black mourning sails was leaving for Crete. The whole city was immersed in deep sorrow for the young victims of the Minotaur. Courageous Theseus decided to fight this monster. He vowed to free the young Athenians or perish with them. Theseus' father - old Aegeus - tried to dissuade his son from this dangerous undertaking, but Theseus was adamant. He promised his father that in the event of a successful victory over the Minotaur, he would return to Athens under white sails.

The ship safely approached the coast of Crete, and the young Athenians were taken to Minos. The daughter of the king - the beautiful Ariadne - fell in love with Theseus at first sight and decided to help him defeat the Minotaur. On the eve of the battle, she gave Theseus a sharp sword and a ball of thread. When Theseus, along with other young men and women, was taken to the Labyrinth, he tied the end of the ball at the entrance. Wandering through the numerous corridors of the Labyrinth, Theseus gradually unwound the ball. And finally, out of the darkness came the roar of the Minotaur. Bending his head with huge sharp horns, he rushed at Theseus. A fierce battle ensued. The Minotaur was strong and full of rage, but Theseus still managed to defeat him.

Having killed the monster, Theseus left the Labyrinth with a thread of a ball that Ariadne gave him and led all the young Athenians out. Fearing the wrath of Minos, Theseus quickly equipped the ship and set off on his return journey. Ariadne, in love, followed him. However, during the journey, the god Dionysus appeared to the sleeping Theseus. He said that the gods appointed Ariadne to be his wife, and ordered Theseus to leave his beloved on the shore. Theseus did not dare to disobey Dionysus and continued on his way without Ariadne. Finally, the native shores appeared in the distance. But the excited Theseus forgot the promise given to his father - to replace the black sails with white ones. While waiting for his son, Aegeus peered into the sea distance, standing on a high rock. When he saw the black sails on the ship, in desperation he threw himself from a cliff into the water and died. Since then, the sea in which Aegeus found his death has been called the Aegean.

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