Omicronfalcon
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Can someone explain the greek myth of the minotaur?
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Myth of minotaur
- Thread starter Omicronfalcon
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Tethys333
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Story taken from the books of Apollodorus
Minos, king of Crete, wishing to assert his right to the throne, begged Poseidon to send him a divine sign: a white bull that he would sacrifice in his honor. The god granted him the animal, but Minos, fascinated by its extraordinary beauty, decided to keep it and offered another bull as a sacrifice. Angered by the deception, Poseidon drove Queen Pasiphae, Minos' wife, mad, causing her to burn with love for the animal. With the help of the ingenious Daedalus, who built her a hollow wooden cow covered with leather, Pasiphae managed to unite with the bull. From this union against nature was born a monstrous creature, with the body of a man and the head of a bull: the Minotaur, who was named Asterion.
As it grew, the Minotaur became increasingly fierce and untamable, and Minos, following the oracle, ordered Daedalus to build an impregnable prison. The architect then designed the Labyrinth, a huge underground structure made up of intricate corridors and deceptive turns, from which no one would ever be able to escape once inside.
Into this dark, dead-end labyrinth was locked the Minotaur, who fed on human flesh. After the death of Androgeus, son of Minos, who was killed in Athens during the Panhellenic Games, Minos waged war on the city and, once victorious, imposed as tribute that every nine years seven Athenian youths and seven Athenian maidens be sent to him to be thrown into the Labyrinth to feed the monster.
When the third cycle of the tribute arrived, the Athenian prince Theseus volunteered to face the creature. When he landed in Crete, Ariadne, daughter of Minos, fell in love with him and, moved by compassion, decided to help him. On the advice of Daedalus, she handed Theseus a ball of thread that he was to tie to the entrance of the Labyrinth and unravel along the way. Delving into the meandering prison, Theseus found the Minotaur in the heart of the Labyrinth and killed it with his fists. Then, following Ariadne's thread, he managed to get out of the prison. Together with Ariadne and the other rescued youths, Theseus escaped from Crete.
Meanwhile, Minos, furious at Daedalus' betrayal, locked him up in the Labyrinth together with his son Icarus. But the architect, who knew every secret of the structure, made two pairs of wings out of feathers and wax, and escaped in flight with his son. However, Icarus, flying too high, came close to the sun, which melted the wax: he fell into the sea, which has been named after him ever since.
explanation and teachings:
The myth of the Minotaur first and foremost symbolizes the conflict between the rational and instinctive parts of human beings: the Minotaur represents bestiality, the irrational and destructive impulses that reside within us, while the labyrinth is the complexity of the mind and life, full of difficulties and deceptions. Entering the labyrinth means facing these inner fears and darkness. The thread of Ariadne, on the other hand, symbolizes the guidance, knowledge or awareness needed not to get lost and to emerge victorious from inner challenges. In addition, the myth reflects the respect one must have for the divine and natural order-Minos' arrogance and disobedience lead to the birth of the monster and suffering, teaching that exceeding certain limits has serious consequences. Finally, the story shows the importance of courage, intelligence and help from others to overcome one's “monsters” and find one's way through the complexities of life.
Minos, king of Crete, wishing to assert his right to the throne, begged Poseidon to send him a divine sign: a white bull that he would sacrifice in his honor. The god granted him the animal, but Minos, fascinated by its extraordinary beauty, decided to keep it and offered another bull as a sacrifice. Angered by the deception, Poseidon drove Queen Pasiphae, Minos' wife, mad, causing her to burn with love for the animal. With the help of the ingenious Daedalus, who built her a hollow wooden cow covered with leather, Pasiphae managed to unite with the bull. From this union against nature was born a monstrous creature, with the body of a man and the head of a bull: the Minotaur, who was named Asterion.
As it grew, the Minotaur became increasingly fierce and untamable, and Minos, following the oracle, ordered Daedalus to build an impregnable prison. The architect then designed the Labyrinth, a huge underground structure made up of intricate corridors and deceptive turns, from which no one would ever be able to escape once inside.
Into this dark, dead-end labyrinth was locked the Minotaur, who fed on human flesh. After the death of Androgeus, son of Minos, who was killed in Athens during the Panhellenic Games, Minos waged war on the city and, once victorious, imposed as tribute that every nine years seven Athenian youths and seven Athenian maidens be sent to him to be thrown into the Labyrinth to feed the monster.
When the third cycle of the tribute arrived, the Athenian prince Theseus volunteered to face the creature. When he landed in Crete, Ariadne, daughter of Minos, fell in love with him and, moved by compassion, decided to help him. On the advice of Daedalus, she handed Theseus a ball of thread that he was to tie to the entrance of the Labyrinth and unravel along the way. Delving into the meandering prison, Theseus found the Minotaur in the heart of the Labyrinth and killed it with his fists. Then, following Ariadne's thread, he managed to get out of the prison. Together with Ariadne and the other rescued youths, Theseus escaped from Crete.
Meanwhile, Minos, furious at Daedalus' betrayal, locked him up in the Labyrinth together with his son Icarus. But the architect, who knew every secret of the structure, made two pairs of wings out of feathers and wax, and escaped in flight with his son. However, Icarus, flying too high, came close to the sun, which melted the wax: he fell into the sea, which has been named after him ever since.
explanation and teachings:
The myth of the Minotaur first and foremost symbolizes the conflict between the rational and instinctive parts of human beings: the Minotaur represents bestiality, the irrational and destructive impulses that reside within us, while the labyrinth is the complexity of the mind and life, full of difficulties and deceptions. Entering the labyrinth means facing these inner fears and darkness. The thread of Ariadne, on the other hand, symbolizes the guidance, knowledge or awareness needed not to get lost and to emerge victorious from inner challenges. In addition, the myth reflects the respect one must have for the divine and natural order-Minos' arrogance and disobedience lead to the birth of the monster and suffering, teaching that exceeding certain limits has serious consequences. Finally, the story shows the importance of courage, intelligence and help from others to overcome one's “monsters” and find one's way through the complexities of life.
Omicronfalcon
New member
- Joined
- May 9, 2025
- Messages
- 7
Thank you Tethys333!
Tethys333
Active member
you're welcome!
