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Escaping the Labyrinth 2

Discover the rich tapestry of Greek mythology intertwined with the labyrinth, Minotaur, and the enigmatic Minoan culture of ancient Crete, featuring powerful symbols, palaces, and heroic tales. Tracing the influence of bulls, gods, legends, and the heroic journeys of figures like Theseus. Uncover the secrets of Knossos, the divine rites, and the intriguing Knossos throne room to delve into the captivating world of Minoan civilization and its lasting impact on Greek lore.

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Escaping the Labyrinth 2

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  1. Escaping the Labyrinth 2 Greek Mythology Fri 10-31-08

  2. Labyrinth / Minotaur Mycenaean tablet from Pylos / Minotaur, John Fred Watts 1885

  3. Crete and the bull • The insistent bull motif in Cretan myths reflects the ancient importance of bulls in Cretan religion • The sacred / religious importance of bulls on Crete goes back to Bronze Age civilization (“Minoan”) 2700-1500 BC • The preeminence and power of Crete in Greek myth also no doubt reflects the early power and importance of Minoan Crete

  4. Minos’ Crete • Early Greeks called Crete “hundred-citied” (hekatompolis) • Believed Minos to be early king, lawgiver, with great naval power • Baby Zeus was hidden and nursed in a cave on Crete’s Mt. Ida

  5. Crete

  6. Crete

  7. Crete

  8. Minoan Crete • Bronze Age civilization flourished 2700-1500s B.C. • Sir Arthur Evans purchased land and began excavations of palace at Knossos in 1900 • Palace seemed maze-like, so he named culture after Minos • Found written tablets : Linear A and B • Linear B is early form of Greek • Linear A is still undeciphered

  9. Minoan Crete • Sea-faring mercantile culture – trade networks with Greece, Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Spain • Minoan culture unique but influenced by Egypt and other civilizations to east • Trivia: saffron crocus appears to come from Crete, cultivated and harvested for trade by Minoans

  10. Minoan Crete • Minoans were not Greek • Spoke and wrote a different, unknown language (we call it Minoan or Eteocretan) • Cretan palaces were sacked and destroyed by Mycenaeans from Greece in 1500s B.C. • Mycenaean culture dominated thereafter until its rapid decline in 1200s B.C.

  11. Minoan Crete religion • Mountains and caves were divine cult sites • No temples • Nearly all figurines are feminine • Sacred symbols : double-headed axe (labrys), bulls, pillars, serpents, sun-disk, trees • Bull-jumping for sport / religious ritual (?)

  12. Knossos

  13. Knossos

  14. “Snake goddess” of Knossos 1500 BC

  15. Bronze labrys2nd millennium B.C.

  16. Stone Rhyton (libation vessel) Knossos 1500 BC

  17. Knossos : Bull leaping (1500 BC)

  18. Bustling Port : Fresco, Thera

  19. Knossos throne room

  20. Minoan ladies

  21. Scene Change : Athens • Medea fled Corinth to Athens, married King Aigeus, father of Theseus • Aigeus was son of Pandion II (an early king of Athens) • Erichthonius – Pandion – Erechtheus – Cecrops – Pandion - Aigeus • [Pandion II had warred with Labdacus of Thebes] • Long before, he had gone to Delphi to find out how he could have children

  22. Aigeus • The oracle had said: • “Don’t untie the mouth of the wineskin until you reach Athens’ peaks again” • Baffled by this oracle, Aigeus traveled • Reaching Troizen he stayed with Pittheus, son of Pelops • Pittheus, a wise man, figured out the oracle (with it’s blatant sexual meaning) • Got Aigeus drunk and put him to bed with his daughter Aithra

  23. Aigeus • When he left Troizen, he placed his sandals and a sword under a stone, with instructions to send him their son when he could remove the stone and retrieve them • Aithra has a son, Theseus • A variant provides Theseus with divine paternity: • Aigeus was too drunk to perform, but that same night Poseidon slept with Aithra

  24. Theseus • Theseus is the hero of Attica and Athens, just as Jason is hero of Iolcos, and Heracles of Tiryns and Thebes • When he is old enough his mother shows him the rock and tells him to lift it up • Under it he finds the sword and sandals of Aigeus • Then he sets out for Athens on foot

  25. Theseus examining father’s sword (Greco-Roman gem)

  26. Theseus’ Labors • On the way to Athens Theseus happens into six “labor”-like adventures in which he defeats no-goods (then at some point a seventh) • He “clears the roads, which had been beset by evildoers” (Apollodorus ACM p. 55) • 1) Periphetes in Epidaurus • 2) Sinis at the Corinthian Isthmus • 3) Crommyon the man-eating sow • 4) Sciron in Megara • 5) Cercyon in Eleusis • 6) Procrustes (or Damastes) • 7) The Bull of Marathon

  27. Marathon / Cretan Bull Eleusis / Cercyon Sciron / Megara

  28. Theseus’ Labors • Periphetes used a club to kill travelers with; Theseus killed him and took the club • Sinis was the “Pine-bender” : he made passers-by bend trees down, then they would rebound and kill them; Theseus killed him the same way • Then there was a sow (that was nasty in one way or another) and Theseus killed it

  29. Theseus’ Labors • Sciron would compel travelers to wash his feet then throw them over the cliff to feed a giant turtle; Theseus threw him over the cliff • Cercyon of Eleusis would compel people to wrestle and kill them; Theseus body-slammed him • Procrustes (or Damastes) would hammer and saw his guests to fit in beds that were too small or big for them; Theseus gave him the same treatment • Later he also dispatched the annoying Marathonian (formerly Cretan) Bull

  30. ????

  31. Skiron

  32. Cercyon / Bull

  33. Sinis

  34. Sinis

  35. Sow / Sinis

  36. Sow of Commyon

  37. Bull / Procrustes / Cercyon

  38. Theseus & Procrustes

  39. Procrustes

  40. Theseus & Bull of Marathon (Jan van Loo, 1732)

  41. Theseus reaches Athens • Finally Theseus reaches Athens, where his father Aegeus is married to Medea • Aegeus doesn’t know him (but knows his reputation from his recent exploits) but Medea does know who he is • She convinces Aegeus that he is a threat and that he should poison his guest • In the nick of time Aegeus recognizes his sword in Theseus’ possession • Medea flees with her son Medon to the east

  42. Theseus, Aegeus, Medea

  43. Aigeus & war with Minos • From Troizen Aigeus had returned to Athens, and held Panathenaic Games • Minos’ son Androgeos was the hero of the games, beating everyone • Aigeus sent him against the Marathonian Bull and it defeated him • Formerly the Cretan Bull, but it wandered to Marathon and ravaged the countryside after Heracles had brought it from Crete

  44. Aigeus & war with Minos • Minos waged war on Athens, and a plague broke out • Beleaguered by war and plague the Athenians settle • Minos imposes a tribute on them: send seven young men and seven young women every year to feed to the Minotaur in the labyrinth

  45. Theseus & Minotaur • Aegeus accepts Theseus as his son and heir • Theseus learns of the recent war with Minos—on account of the death of Androgeos—and about the 7 boy / 7 girl tribute to feed the Minotaur • Theseus agrees to go as one of the offered children, with the plan of defeating the Minotaur

  46. Theseus / Ariadne / Minotaur • They arrange a sign : if he defeats the Minotaur the ship will fly white sails as it returns; if Theseus dies, black sails • When he gets to Crete, Ariadne daughter of Minos falls in love with Theseus • She decides to help him defeat the Minotaur in the labyrinth • She gives him a thread by which to find his way out

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