The culture of Ancient Greece contains many exciting stories, unique stories and instructive legends. Truthfulness and reliability ancient legend the murder of the Minotaur has no specific written confirmation. However, the ruins of the former palace of the monster have survived, they are more than 4 thousand years old. This place is of great interest to people who want to touch the mysterious story of liberation, love and grief.
The origin of the monster
The minotaur is described as a monster over 2 m tall. He has a bull's head and a human body. He ate human meat.
The myth of the Minotaur tells that his parents are not ordinary mortals. Mother Pasiphae, daughter of Helios and queen of the island of Crete (she is often confused with Pasiphae, but she was Nereid, and these are different characters), father is a bull (according to some legends, Poseidon himself became him). Pasiphae was the wife of Minos, the son of Zeus and Europe, who fought with his brothers Radamant and Sapedon for the throne. Minos asked the gods for help, promising to present them with a generous sacrifice. Everything turned out, as Minos wanted, he confirmed his intentions and ascended to the kingdom.
Legend has it that Poseidon sent a strong bull to the king for sacrifice, which came straight out of the sea waters. But the son of Zeus did not keep his promise. The bull turned out to be very beautiful, so he decided to deceive Poseidon and changed the donated animal for an ordinary one.
However, it was impossible to deceive the gods, so Poseidon became aware of the cunning of Minos. For this he decided to punish him. inspired Pasiphae, Minos' wife, an irresistible desire for the bull. For copulation with a bull, a special design was invented, similar to a cow. From the inside, it was empty, so the girl could easily fit in it.
Pasiphae seduced the bull and after a while gave birth unusual person... The boy was named Asterius, which means "star". Initially, the child was no different from others. But as he grew, his body began to change, turning him into a monster.
Minos did not condemn his wife, because he understood that everything that happened was his fault. But he did not want to see the child either. And then Daedalus and Icarus came to his aid. He set them the task of building a structure where a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man could be kept. They created the Knossos labyrinth.
Knowing about the bloodthirstiness of the beast, the king sent those sentenced to death for any crimes to Cross. But after the inhabitants of Athens killed Androgeus, the son of the king of Crete, he demanded payment from the inhabitants of the capital in revenge. Therefore, any mention of a bull caused a feeling of fear among the inhabitants of ancient Athens. To meet the needs of the animal, you must:
- Every 9 years pay tribute.
- Choose 7 girls and 7 boys and send them to the maze. Their origin did not matter.
The story of Theseus
Theseus is the same hero who killed the Minotaur. He is one of 14 victims that were sent as a tribute to the monster. He was born and lived in the royal chambers. The young hero came from the family of Aegeus, who ruled in Athens. His mother's name was Erfa, she was Tesera's princess.
Aegeus was not involved in the upbringing of Theseus, he was constantly far from the family. For a long time, the young man lived with his mother, in her homeland. Before parting with his family and leaving for Athens, Aegeus hid his sword and sandals - it was a kind of gift to Theseus. Wanting to see his parent, a sixteen-year-old boy leaves his abode (Tezerian lands) and goes to Athens. On the way, he performs various feats.
Defeating the Minotaur
Theseus was to visit the Minotaur's dwelling, so he was determined to complete the monstrous line of human sacrifices so that people who lived in constant fear for their children could breathe freely.
One fact contributed to the success of the operation. Minos gave birth to more children, and he had a daughter, Ariadne. Seeing a young man, the girl fell in love, the feeling turned out to be mutual, so they had a strong relationship. She knew that danger awaits in the labyrinth of the son of the Athenian king, so she presented her beloved with a magic thread. She helped any traveler find the right way out. Knowing this, Ariadne gave it to Theseus so that he could navigate while inside the maze.
Theseus, did everything as the girl taught him. He took the end of the thread and tied it to the door, and to show the way he let the ball on the floor, followed him and reached the den of the beast. Entering it, he found a sleeping monster. There are 3 versions of how the young man defeated the Minotaur.
- Strangled with his bare hands.
- Killed the beast with one blow of his fist.
- He hacked to death with the sword that was left to him by his father.
Upon learning the news that the son of Aegeus killed the Minotaur and left the place of the beast's confinement, people rejoiced. The winner understood that he simply could not exist any longer without the beautiful beloved Ariadne. Therefore, leaving the island, he kidnapped the girl.
On the way, the girl dies in the depths of the sea. People admitted that this was the work of Poseidon, who in this way decided to take revenge on Theseus for killing the Minotaur. Aegeus' son was so saddened by the news of the girl's death that he forgot to change the flag from black to white. As a sign of the successful completion of the case.
As soon as King Aegeus saw the black sign, he concluded that his son had lost the fight with the monster and died. Therefore, without waiting for anyone, he rushed into the depths of the sea and drowned. In memory of this, the sea was named Aegean.
After the young man dealt with the monster, the man's foot did not step into the territory of the labyrinth. People remembered all the horror and fear caused by the Minotaur.
Rationalist versions of the myth
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| Philochorus and Eusebius | Ancient stories described a slightly different version of the appearance of the Cretan Minotaur. In their writings, they pointed out that the birth of a man with a bull's head was an allegory. According to them, the Minotaur was an ordinary person, who was originally called Taurus. His homeland is the island of Crete, where he served under King Minos. Taurus was famous for its special cruelty. Athens, were ruled by the islanders, so they had to pay tribute not only in gold, but also in people. King Minos decided to hold a competition where Taurus had to fight the strongest Athenian youths. The myth says that Theseus appeared among the young men and was able to defeat Taurus. In honor of this, the inhabitants of Athens were exempted from paying taxes. |
| Plutarch | The author pointed out that the Daedalus labyrinth, which was called Knossos, was an average prison. Every year, the Cretan king held competitions in honor of his deceased son Androgeus. The winner received the Athenian slaves in his own possession. But before that they were kept within the walls of the labyrinth. According to myths, Taurus was the first to win the competition. But he was known as a cruel and rude master. To protect his people, Theseus went to a duel with him. |
| Daemon | According to this, Taurus is a famous Cretan commander who served King Minos. He and his soldiers entered the battle with the fleet of Theseus, but was defeated. In this battle, he died at the hands of the son of Aegeus. |
Modern historians believe that the legend of the Minotaur carries a metaphor about the clash and struggle of the inhabitants of the mainland with the "peoples of the sea", who revered the bulls.
The image of the Minotaur in other works
Authors of literary works often take as a basis. She is rich in colorful and distinctive characters. The Minotaur is one of those. In literature, the image of an animal that looks like a man with a bull's head can be found in the works:
- "House of Asteria".
- "Labyrinth of the Minotaur".
- "The Divine Comedy".
- Helm of Terror. Kreatiff about Theseus and the Minotaur. "
An abandoned stone quarry on the Greek island of Crete, consisting of an intricate network of underground tunnels, may well turn out to be the legendary labyrinth of the Minotaur, the very monster with a bull's head and a human body from ancient myths. According to legends, the Minotaur was regularly brought to devour criminals. In addition, every nine years, seven Athenian youths and seven Athenian girls, sent by the Greeks as a tribute to the king, were given to him to be eaten ...
In the summer of 2009, an Anglo-Greek team of archaeologists carefully examined a quarry located near the ruins of the city of Gortyna in the south of the island. Scientists have concluded that these underground tunnels have much more reason to be called the labyrinth of the Minotaur than the Minoan palace at Knossos, located about 30 kilometers from the quarry.
Where did the Minotaur live?
For the past century - ever since archaeologists began to study Knossos - the Minotaur myth has only been firmly associated with the Palace of Knossos. Every year, about 600 thousand tourists came there, who were told by the guides that the legendary king Minos once lived in the palace. It was by his order that a labyrinth was built - a refuge for the Minotaur, the son of his wife Pasiphai and the bull.
However, historians now believe that the network of caves near Gortyna, the ancient Roman capital in Crete, has an equal chance with Knossos to be considered a contender for the title of Labyrinth. Anyway, if you take seriously the idea that the myth of the Minotaur is about a real place and a real king.
The geographer Nicholas Howarth of Oxford, who led the expedition, said that the connection between Gortyna and the Labyrinth may have been forgotten thanks to the famous theories of Sir Arthur Evans, an English archaeologist who excavated Knossos between 1900 and 1935 and developed the concept Minoan civilization.
Theseus' struggle with the Minotaur, antique ceramics. OK. 500-450 biennium BC NS.
“People come to Knossos not only to look at the remains of the ancient city excavated and rebuilt by Evan, but also in search of a connection between this place and the mythical Age of Heroes. It's a shame that most visitors to Knossos have never even heard of other possible locations for the Labyrinth, ”Howarth said.
Cave labyrinth of Gortyna
The Oxford researchers worked in conjunction with experts from the Greek Speleological Society. They discovered that black archaeologists had already visited here before them, who wanted to blow up one of the caves in the hope of finding a hidden treasure room.
The caves are a network of tunnels 4 kilometers long that pass through large caves and often end in dead-end rooms. This labyrinth has been visited by curious travelers since the Middle Ages. But when archaeologists discovered Knossos at the end of the 19th century, the caves were abandoned. During World War II, the Nazis had an ammunition depot there.
According to Nicholas Howarth, when you enter these caves near Gortyna, you immediately feel that it is dark and dangerous place where it is easy to get lost. Therefore, he is skeptical about Evans' hypothesis that the Palace of Knossos is the same Labyrinth. Undoubtedly, his considerable authority in scientific circles played a role in the stability of the version of the English archaeologist.
Third Labyrinth
In addition to Knossos and Gortyna, there is also a third possible location for the Labyrinth - cave complex within the territory of mainland Greece in Skotino. According to Howarth, based on archaeological evidence, it would be very difficult to argue that the Labyrinth ever existed. All three of the above places can claim the title of the Labyrinth. But so far the answer to the question whether the labyrinth was fiction or reality remains open.
What do I remember about my trip to Crete? Affectionate azure sea, blue sky. And, of course, the myths of Ancient Greece :)
Crete is the largest of Greek islands, its area is about 8 thousand square meters. km. It is considered one of the most popular island European resorts, located 110 kilometers from continental Europe, 175 kilometers from Asia and 300 kilometers from Africa, at the intersection of many sea routes.
In ancient times, Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization, which flourished on the island from about 2600 to 1400 BC. NS. and is considered the oldest in Europe.
There are many interesting archaeological sites on the island, and the most famous of them is the Palace of Knossos - the place where, according to legend, the Minotaur lived.
The legend of the Minotaur is one of the most famous myths of Ancient Greece.
God Poseidon, once angry at the king of Crete Minos, in order to punish him, forced his wife, Queen Pasiphae, to fall in love with a bull. From this relationship of the queen with the bull, a monster with a bull's head and a human body named Minotaur was born. Minos locked the monster in a labyrinth - a tangled dungeon in the dungeon of his palace, which Daedalus built.
In those times Athenian state paid a bloody tribute to Minos, sending seven noble youths and seven beautiful noble girls to be devoured by the Minotaur. The noble Theseus, the son of the king of Athens, Aegeus, decided to free his homeland from this terrible tribute. He sailed to Crete to Minos with the intention of killing the monster. It was agreed with Tsar Aegeus that in case of success, instead of the black mourning sail of the ship, the white sail of triumph would be raised.
Ariadne, daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, fell in love with Theseus and helped him on the condition that the prince marry her and take her with him to Athens. Ariadne gave him a ball of thread. Theseus entered the labyrinth and, unraveling the ball, got to the place where the Minotaur was, killed him, and then, winding the "thread of Ariadne" into a ball, found a way out. Together with Ariadne, Theseus went on the Athenian trire to the shores of his homeland.
However, there was so much joy from the victory over the Minotaur that Theseus forgot to lower the black sail and raise the white one. King Aegeus anxiously awaited the appearance of the ship on the rocks. Seeing in the distance a black sail, he decided that the Athenian youth had once again been sacrificed, and his beloved son died with it. Aegeus lowered his head in pity and threw himself into the sea named after him - the Aegean Sea. However, the love of Ariadne and Theseus was also not happy. There is a myth that Ariadne was taken to him by the god Dionysus in love with her.
Now Knossos - ancient city, where, according to legend, the labyrinth of the Minotaur was located, is an interesting archaeological site visited by a huge number of tourists. It is located near modern Heraklion - the capital of Crete.
In the photo - a diagram of the museum under open air- excavations of the ancient palace of Knossos.
According to Wikipedia, the first palace-temple at Knossos was built around 2000-1700 BC. e., "early palace period", on the remains of a former neolithic settlement located here. This palace was destroyed by an earthquake ca. 1700 BC NS. However, the necessary restoration work was soon carried out and another palace was built in its place, which has survived to our time, the "Novodvortsov period". This is the period 1700-1450. BC NS. - the time of the highest heyday of the Minoan civilization.
Systematic excavation of the territory ancient palace were started in 1900 by the English archaeologist Arthur Evans, who bought up the land on which the palace stood. Since the British were interested in the period up to 1450 BC. NS. (Novodvortsovy), all later layers were destroyed.
In parallel with the excavation, the ruins were being recreated in their "original form" (as Evans himself imagined). In this regard, at present, it is not always easy to separate the remains of ancient buildings from what was completed by Evans.
There are crowds of tourists everywhere, everyone wants to go inside and take a closer look.
Among the ruins of the palace, ancient frescoes have been preserved; they have now been restored by restorers.
Ancient amphorae can also be seen.
And from this ancient clay bowl, as the guide told us, they almost fed the young men and women themselves, who were sacrificed to the Minotaur. Of course, how could it be otherwise ...
Below is one of the picturesque fragments of the ruins of the Palace of Knossos.
And here are the horns of the Minotaur themselves - a symbol of the palace.
The peacock of Knossos is clearly a connoisseur of archeology. And what about his tail, I still do not understand.
Many other legends are associated with Crete. ancient greek mythology- Crete is considered the birthplace of Zeus, the legend of Daedalus and Icarus is also connected with Crete. In general, this is the place where you can touch eternity.
Well, a little more about Crete.
The administrative capital of Crete is the city of Heraklion. The population of Heraklion is about 275 thousand people, and the whole of Crete is about 620 thousand.
The island itself is stretched 260 km from west to east, with a maximum width of 60 km. Crete is washed by three seas - Cretan in the north, Libyan in the south and Ionian in the west.
Below in the photo - the Kules fortress - medieval sea fortress the city of Heraklion.
Well, and of course, finally - the sea. It will remain in the memory forever.
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My other stories are about recent trips.
Most often, only old memories remain of old myths and legends, considered to be fairy tales, which are passed down from generation to generation. But sometimes the thin line between reality and fantasy is erased, showing the world undeniable facts. Such an exception was the Knossos Labyrinth of the Minotaur on the island of Crete, the ruins of which we can contemplate to this day.
According to one of the ancient Greek myths, a huge palace with an intricate system of passages was erected on this island during the reign of King Minos. This labyrinth was built for a reason. It was within its walls that the king settled: a monster with a human body and a bull's head, which came from the unnatural love of Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, to a bull sent by Poseidon, the god of the seas.
Every seven years, Athens enslaved by Minos sent seven beautiful girls and seven young men to Crete, who were given over to be torn apart by the fierce Minotaur. Decades passed and the number of victims grew inexorably, bringing pain and suffering to the inhabitants of Athens ...
When, once again, the mourning ship with black sails was supposed to deliver a terrible tribute, the young hero Theseus decided to go with the Athenian boys and girls to put an end to this madness. There was little choice: to slay the Minotaur or perish yourself.
Aged Aegeus did not want to hear about the wild idea of his only son, but the brave Theseus was unshakable. He made a sacrifice to Apollo Delphinius himself, the patron saint of sea travel, and the oracle instructed him to choose the goddess of love Aphrodite as his patroness in this feat. Summoning Aphrodite to help and bringing her a sacrifice, the young hero went to Crete.
When the ship sailed to the ill-fated island, the Athenian boys and girls were taken to Minos. The king immediately drew attention to the athletic and beautiful young man, which was Theseus. The king's daughter, Ariadne, also noticed him, and the patroness of Theseus, Aphrodite, aroused in her heart a strong love for the young son of Aegea.
Ariadne, fascinated by Theseus, decided to help the brave young man and, so that he would not die in a gloomy labyrinth, secretly gave him a sword and a ball of thread.
When Theseus and all the doomed were taken to the entrance to the Labyrinth, he discreetly tied a thread to one of the stone columns, so that in case of victory, he would find the way back along it. Then the hero stepped into the dark and confused abode of the monster, where death could wait for him at every turn.
Theseus made his way farther and farther and finally came to the place where the Minotaur was. With a terrible roar, bowing his head with huge sharp horns, the Minotaur rushed at the brave man, and a terrible battle began. Half-beast-half-man, full of hatred for people, fiercely attacked Theseus, but he deflected his blows with his sword. Finally, the son of Aegeus grabbed the monster by the horn and thrust his sharp sword into its chest. A heartbreaking roar echoed through the maze and was lost in its depths.
This feat is often depicted on many Attic household items. For example, on a wide-necked amphora, which is kept in the Gregorian Etruscan Museum of the Vatican, located in the palace of Innocent VIII.
Having slain the Minotaur, Theseus left the dungeon along a thread, leading all the Athenian boys and girls. At the exit, Ariadne met him, rejoicing that her beloved was still alive. Those whom he saved also rejoiced - glorifying the hero and his patroness Aphrodite, they led a merry round dance.
To avoid the king's wrath, Theseus, Ariadne and the Athenians cut through the bottom of all the Cretans' ships pulled ashore, equipped a ship and set sail in full sail back to Athens.
On way back Theseus came to the coast of Naxos. When the hero and his companions were resting from wanderings, the god of wine Dionysus appeared to Theseus in a dream and told him that he must leave Ariadne on the deserted coast of Naxos, since the gods appointed her to be his wife, the god Dionysus. Theseus woke up and quickly got ready to go, full of sadness. He did not dare to disobey the will of the gods. Ariadne became the goddess, the wife of the great Dionysus. The companions of Dionysus, Ariadne, greeted loudly and praised the wife of the great god with their singing.
Theseus' ship was speeding by on its black sails, cutting the waves of the sea. The coast of Attica has already appeared in the distance. Forgotten Theseus, saddened by the loss of Ariadne, the promise given to Aegeus - to replace the black sails with white ones if he returns to Athens with a victory.
Aegeus often stood on a high rock and looked into the sea distance, looking for a white dot there - a symbol of his son's return home. When it seemed in the distance black point, father's hopes began to collapse, but he peered at the approaching ship to the last. When there was no doubt about the black sails, Aegeus, seized with despair, threw himself off the cliff into the raging sea. And after some time his lifeless body was carried to the shore by the waves.
Theseus moored to the shores of Attica and was already making grateful sacrifices to the gods, when suddenly, to his horror, he learned that he had become the involuntary cause of his father's death. With great honors, Theseus buried the body of his father, heartbroken, and after the funeral he took over power over Athens.
On this moment it is known that not only the Athenians were taken to the Labyrinth of Knossos, but also various types of criminals. According to one version, the murderers even had their eyes gouged out so that, before death, they felt on themselves all the horror of the ominous unknown reigning there. Whether the Minotaur existed or not, there was clearly something strong living in those dark corridors, feeding on human flesh ...
Video - Crete labyrinth of the Minotaur
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Most of our contemporaries are, to one degree or another, familiar with ancient Greek myths. In one case, history textbooks are used as sources. high school or a higher educational institution, in another - the study of folklore of the distant past is a component of self-education. There is a large category of people for whom the study of mythology brings spiritual satisfaction. Many people know the myth of the Minotaur, who lived far in the ocean.
Minotaur on Crete
One of the most spectacular is the Minotaur with a specific body structure - the head of a bull, and everything else - the body, arms and legs - human. In other words, it's kind of a terrible hybrid.
The monster of the island of Crete was lucky to live not somewhere, but in the Palace, which as a whole was such a complex underground labyrinth that anyone who got there was doomed to get lost and disappear there forever. The Minotaur spent most of the time in the center of the eerie room. The myth of the Minotaur was passed from mouth to mouth. Briefly people talked about what a cruel creature it is.
The mention of the Minotaur aroused fear in most Athenians. Residents were forced to regularly every 9 years choose 7 young people of both sexes and send them to the palace with labyrinths. In this way, it was possible to appease the monster. Why exactly seven? This number from time immemorial for many peoples belonged to the category of magic. Apparently, the Minotaur was of the same opinion.
But one day theseus turned out to be among the "chosen ones", who was the son of King Aegeus, who ruled in Athens. With the appearance of this man, the myth of the Minotaur received a special ending.
Who is Theseus?
From an early age, the boy was surrounded by the warmth of his mother Efra, who at that time was Tesera's princess. The father did not raise his son due to the fact that he was far from the family hearth. Before parting with his wife, Aegeus hid sandals and a sword under a heavy stone, which the matured Theseus had to take away. Aegea's will was fulfilled by his sixteen-year-old son. Wanting to see his father, Theseus went to Athens, accomplishing many feats along the way.
Even at school, everyone is studying the famous myth of the Minotaur. You can read a summary below.
How did Theseus dealt with the Minotaur?
So, Theseus, who was to go to the Minotaur, was determined to put an end to the monstrous tradition of sacrifice, the need for people to live in constant fear once and for all.
One circumstance contributed to the success of the mission. The Cretan king had a daughter, Ariadne. Very strong feelings developed between her and Theseus. Ariadne gave her lover a magic guiding thread so that he could navigate the maze. Thanks to such a gift, the myth of the Minotaur ended well.
Theseus did everything as Ariadne taught him: he tied the end of the magic thread to the front door and dropped a ball on the floor. Following him through an intricate maze, a brave warrior found the Minotaur sleeping in a den. Seizing the opportunity, he strangled the monster with his bare hands. From the labyrinth Theseus brought out the same thread, which he reeled all the way into a ball.
One can only imagine the joy and relief of people who learned that the Minotaur is no longer there. The winner, apparently, felt that he could not live without his beloved. Therefore, leaving the island, he kidnapped Ariadne. Fate decreed in its own way, on the way the deep sea took the girl. Probably, this did not happen without the participation of Poseidon. If it were not for the intrigues of the gods, then the myth of the Minotaur would have ended positively for two lovers. The summary allows you to understand how the fate of the heroes developed.
Theseus was so saddened that he even forgot to change the flag on the ship - a conventional sign announcing victory. King Aegeus regarded the black flag on the approaching ship as the death of his son in a duel with the Cretan monster and threw himself into the depths of the sea. In memory of the tragically killed in which the king of Athens drowned, they called it Aegean.
After Theseus strangled the monster with the head of a bull, none of the mortals dared to enter the labyrinth. And so the famous myth of the Minotaur ended.
A myth immortalized in the art and memory of the people
The authenticity of the story described above can, of course, be questioned. The palace in which the Minotaur lived, although in a dilapidated form, was preserved. And this despite the historical period of almost four thousand years! The number of those wishing to visit Crete and get acquainted with the ancient mythical sights is not decreasing.
Images of the main characters of the myth of the Minotaur are present on canvases, vases are painted with them, and they are presented in the form of sculptures. The impressive value of these masterpieces of art does not hinder the demand for them. The memory of Theseus and Ariadne, thanks to whom mankind got rid of the evil monster, will live in the hearts of people for a very long time. Now you know what events are described in the myth of the Minotaur.
