1. Theseus and the Minotaur
A brave feat…
…and no more young
Athenians for feasts!

2. Characters King Minos (son of Zeus and Europa)
Queen Pasiphae (daughter of sun-god Helios)
Daedalus (an Athenian architect)
Poseidon (god of the sea)
Minotaur (a monster born to Pasiphae)
Ariadne (King Minos’ daughter)

3. More Characters Aegeus (king of Athens, father to Theseus)
Theseus (hero from Troezen)
Princess Aethra (Theseus’ mother)
Medea (sorceress who married Aegeus)
Dionysus (god of wine)
Icarus (son of Daedalus)
King of Sicily

4. City of Athens
City of Troezen
Island of Naxos
Island of Sicily
Aegean Sea
Island of Crete

5. Who is Theseus’ father? King Aegeus of Athens
Theseus must move a large rock and find the sandals and sword beneath it and bring them to his father
Some say
Poseidon is
his father…

6. What is the Minotaur? half man, half beast (bull)
The minotaur lives in a labyrinth built by Daedalus, an Athenian architect, under the palace of Cnossus on the island of Crete

7. How many boys and girls will be sacrificed to the Minotaur?
7 girls, 7 boys

8. Who does Theseus fall in love with?
Ariadne, King Minos’ daughter
Upon returning to Athens, Theseus leaves Ariadne on the island of Naxos where she marries Dionysus, the god of wine

9. Why does Aegeus kill himself?
Theseus, while hurriedly leaving Crete, forgets to hoist the white sail of victory after killing the Minotaur
King Aegeus sees
the black sail and
jumps off a cliff
to his death

10. Plot Graph Introduction:
Version #1: Medea, King Aegeus of Athens, Theseus, Princess Aethra
Version #2: King Minos of Crete, Queen Pasiphae, Daedalus, Poseidon, the Minotaur

11. Complicating Incident:
Version #1: Theseus arrives at King Aegeus’ palace with the sandals and sword; Theseus almost poisons him but realizes he is his son
Version #2: Poseidon offers a bull to Queen Pasiphae for her to sacrifice, but she wants to keep it; Poseidon is angry and punishes Pasiphae by causing her to give birth to the Minotaur

12. Rising Action, Crisis, Climax
Crisis: Theseus kills Minotaur
Crisis: Ariadne aids Theseus with ball of twine if he will marry her
Theseus offers to fight Minotaur
Theseus comes to Athens & brings sword & golden sandals
Minos demands 14 Athenians fed to Minotaur every 9 years
Son of Minos visists Athens and is killed
King Minos wages war with islands for prisoners as good
Daedalus creates labyrinth
Complicating Incident: Pasiphaie gives birth to the Minotaur