Theseus and the Minotaur

by Graeme Davis, José Daniel Cabrera Peña (Illustrator)

Overview

Graeme Davis draws upon the classic sources to retell the great myths and legends of Theseus, the founder-king of Athens, and backs this narrative with a factual examination of the myth, its variations, and its development over time. Replete with both classical and modern illustrations, this book is a concise exploration of one of the most enduring myths of Ancient Greece.

Even before Theseus descended into the labyrinth to face the Minotaur, he was already a famous hero and a veteran of many battles. The son of a man, a woman, and the god Poseidon, he'd journey far across Ancient Greece, fighting numerous monsters including the Periphetes 'the clubber', the Crymmyon Sow, and the insane demigod, Procrustes 'the stretcher'. He also survived several assassination attempts, including one by Medea, the famous witch-wife of Jason.

Despite these adventures, it was on Crete that Theseus faced his greatest challenge. Taking the place of a sacrificial tribute to the king of Crete, Theseus used his wits and charm to convince the princess Ariadne and the famous inventor Daedalus to help him defeat the dreaded Minotaur, a hideous combination of man and bull that lived in a labrythine dungeon.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472804051
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/18/2014
Series:	Osprey Publishing Myths and Legends Series , #12
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Graeme Davis became hooked on myth and folklore after seeing Ray Harryhausen's Jason and the Argonauts on his parents' black-and-white TV. He studied archaeology (with an unofficial minor on Dungeons & Dragons) at England's Durham University before going to Games Workshop to help develop Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and other games. He has written extensively for tabletop roleplaying games and contributed to over 40 electronic games as a writer and game designer. He loves historical and historical-fantasy settings and knows a worrying amount about monsters. He blogs at graemedavis.wordpress.com, tweets at @GraemeJDavis, and has a Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/Graeme-Davis-276379857250

Table of Contents

Introduction
Sources
Theseus and the Metaphor
The Age of Theseus

Thesus' Early Life
The Journey to Athens
Arrival in Athens
Alternate Versions
The Growth of Athens

Theseus and the Minotaur -The Myth
The Birth of the Minotaur
The Death of Androgeus
The Tribute
The Challenge of Minos
Into the Layrinth
The Escape from Crete
The Return to Athens

Minos, The Labyrinth, and the Minotaur -The History
King Minos
The Cretan Bull
The Labyrinth
Mazes and Monsters

Theseus in Crete -Variations, History, and Interpretation
The Death of the Minotaur
Ariadne
The Crane-Dance of Delos
Other Traditions

King of Athens

Theseus' Other Adventures
Theseus and Pirithous
Lapiths and the Centaurrs
Helen and Persephone
Theseus and the Amazons
Phaedra and Hippolytus
Theseus in Other Myths

The Legend Grows
The Ancient World
Movies and Televisions
Games
The Minotaur Brand

Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography