The Minotaur and Theseus Flashcards
Minotaur
half bull half man
Pasiphae
The mother of the minotaur
Why did Pasiphae fall in love with the white bull?
Because King Minos tried to trick Poseidon, so Poseidon made her fall in love with the bull
How did Pasiphae become pregnant with the minotaur?
She had Daedalus make a hollow cow for her to be in
How did King Minos anger Poseidon?
When Minos asked for a sacrifice to secure his royalty, Poseidon sent a white bull out of the water. Minos thought the bull was too pretty to sacrifice, so he sacrificed a different animal.
Where does the story of King Minos and Pasiphae take place?
They are the king and queen of Crete.
Why does King Minos attack Athens?
Because he blames the death of his son, Androgeos, on the Athenians.
Who is Ariadne?
The daughter of King Minos and Pasiphae who falls in love with Theseus at first sight. She then helps Theseus escape the labrynth.
Who made the labyrinth? For what purpose?
Daedalus made the labyrinth because King Minos wanted to contain the Minotaur that he is so ashamed of.
Because of the long war, the king of Athens says that he will do anything to stop the carnage. What does Minos want?
7 virgins and 7 youths every 9 years to sacrifice to the Minotaur. He puts them in the labyrinth.
Who is Theseus’ mother?
Aethra
What does Theseus have to do in order to claim his birthright?
When he is ready Aethra needs to lead him to a stone in the woods. If he can lift the stone and get the sandals and sword that Aegeus left there, he can come be the prince.
Why is Daedalus expelled from Athens?
His nephew, Peredix, said that he was more well known and a better inventor than Daedalus - Daedalus kills him. If someone kills a family member in ancient Greece, they must leave.
What two times does the Heracles myth connect with Theseus, the Minotaur, and Minos?
- Heracles visits Theseus’ home when he is seven. He has the lion skin on. When he throws it over a chair, the children run scared, but Theseus grabs a sword to fight the lion.
- Heracles captured a bull and brought it to Eurystheus in his seventh labor. Minos’s son Androgeos is challenged to go get that bull when he beats all of the Athenians in the games. When he dies, Minos wages war on Athens.
How many labors does Theseus have? Why does he do them?
six. He does them because rather than going to Athens by ship, he chooses to go by land (the long way) and encounters the challenges along the way.
