With the intention of humiliating King Minos of Crete, God of all Gods, Zeus sent a bull to seduce his wife, Queen Pasiphae. From his union Queen Pasiphae gave birth to the Minotaur a terrifying creature half-man half bull. Ashamed of his son, but fearful of the god's wrath, Minos hid the monster in a labyrinth constructed by the genius Daedalus at the Minoan Palace of Knossos. The labyrinth was such a complex construction that once inside no man could ever find his way out alive.
Androgeus, son of Minos went to Athens to participate to the Panathenaic Games in order to battle the bull that impregnated his mother Pasiphae. Overpowered by the beast the young youth was slain. In his wrath Minos demanded Aegeus the king of Athens to send seven men and women every year to be sacrificed to the Minotaur or else Crete would wage war on the Athenians. As the third year of sacrifices dawned, Theseus, son of Aegeus, decided to be one of the seven young men that would go to Crete, in order to kill the Minotaur and end the human sacrifices to the monster. King Aegeus tried to make him change his mind but Theseus was determined to slay the Minotaur.
Theseus Promised his father that he could be sure of his triumph when his ship could be seen on the horizon sporting white sails, however, should he be killed then the ship would return with black sails. On arrival in Crete Theseus proudly announced to King Minos of his intention. Minos wanting to be rid of the creature accepted the wager but knew that even if he succeeded so complicated was the labyrinth, Theseus would be imprisoned forever. However, when Princess Ariadne, daughter of Minos met the brave youth she fell madly in love and could not bear to see him perish although she cared very much for the beast as regardless of his brutality he was her brother. She gave Theseus a spindle of thread which he has to unravel as he made his way into the depths of labyrinth, if he was able to slay the beast within he would be able to retrace his steps back to safety.
With this cunning plan Theseus entered the labyrinth and battled the mighty Minotaur and finally slayed the beast and led the other Athenians to safety. However, when Theseus returned from his voyage so over whelmed was he by his triumph he forgot to change the sails of his ship, and on seeing that black sails his father believed him dead flung himself into the sea in sorrow.
These are some of my Screen prints for the same story.
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