Androgeus having been treacherously murdered in the confines of
Attica； not only Minos； his father； put the Athenians to extreme
distress by a perpetual war； but the gods also laid waste their
country； both famine and pestilence lay heavy upon them； and even
their rivers were dried up。 Being told by the oracle that； if they
appeased and reconciled Minos； the anger of the gods would cease and
they should enjoy rest from the miseries they laboured under； they
sent heralds； and with much supplication were at last reconciled；
entering into an agreement to send to Crete every nine years a tribute
of seven young men and as many virgins； as most writers agree in
stating； and the most poetical story adds； that the Minotaur destroyed
them； or that； wandering in the labyrinth； and finding no possible
means of getting out； they miserably ended their lives there； and that
this Minotaur was （as Euripides hath it）…
〃A mingled form where two strange shapes combined；
And different natures； bull and man； were joined。〃
But Philochorus says that the Cretans will by no means allow the truth
of this； but say that the labyrinth was only an ordinary prison；
having no other bad quality but that it secured the prisoners from
escaping； and that Minos； having instituted games in honour of
Androgeus； gave； as a reward to the victors； these youths； who in
the meantime were kept in the labyrinth； and that the first that
overcame in those games was one of the greatest power and command
among them； named Taurus； a man of no merciful or gentle
disposition； who treated the Athenians that were made his prize in a
proud and cruel manner。 Also Aristotle himself； in the account that he
gives of the form of government of the Bottiaeans； is manifestly of
opinion that the youths were not slain by Minos； but spent the
remainder of their days in slavery in Crete； that the Cretans； in
former times； to acquit themselves of an ancient vow which they had
made； were used to send an offering of the first…fruits of their men
to Delphi； and that some descendants of these Athenian slaves were
mingled with them and sent amongst them； and； unable to get their
living there； removed from thence； first into Italy； and settled about
Japygia； from thence again； that they removed to Thrace； and were
named Bottiaeans； and that this is the reason why； in a certain
sacrifice； the Bottiaean girls sing a hymn beginning Let us go to
Athens。 This may show us how dangerous it is to incur the hostility of
a city that is mistress of eloquence and song。 For Minos was always
ill spoken of； and represented ever as a very wicked man； in the
Athenian theatres； neither did Hesiod avail him by calling him 〃the
most royal Minos；〃 nor Homer； who styles him 〃Jupiter's familiar
friend；〃 the tragedians got the better； and from the vantage ground of
the stage showered down obloquy upon him； as a man of cruelty and
violence； whereas； in fact； he appears to have been a king and a
law…giver； and Rhadamanthus； a judge under him； administering the
statutes that he ordained。
Now； when the time of the third tribute was come； and the fathers
who had any young men for their sons were to proceed by lot to the
choice of those that were to be sent； there arose fresh discontents
and accusations against Aegeus among the people； who were full of
grief and indignation that he who was the cause of all their
miseries was the only person exempt from the punishment； adopting
and settling his kingdom upon a bastard and foreign son； he took no
thought； they said； of their destitution and loss； not of bastards；
but lawful children。 These things sensibly affected Theseus； who；
thinking it but just not to disregard； but rather partake of； the
sufferings of his fellow…citizens； offered himself for one without any
lot。 All else were struck with admiration for the nobleness and with
love for the goodness of the act； and Aegeus； after prayers and
entreaties； finding him inflexible and not to be persuaded；
proceeded to the choosing of the rest by lot。 Hellanicus； however；
tells us that the Athenians did not send the young men and virgins
by lot； but that Minos himself used to come and make his own choice；
and pitched upon Theseus before all others； according to the
conditions agreed upon between them； namely； that the Athenians should
furnish them with a ship and that the young men that were to sail with
him should carry no weapons of war； but that if the Minotaur was
destroyed； the tribute should cease。
On the two former occasions of the payment of the tribute；
entertaining no hopes of safety or return； they sent out the ship with
a black sail； as to unavoidable destruction； but now； Theseus
encouraging his father； and speaking greatly of himself； as
confident that he should kill the Minotaur； he gave the pilot
another sail； which was white； commanding him； as he returned； if
Theseus were safe； to make use of that； but if not； to sail with the
black one； and to hang out that sign of his misfortune。 Simonides says
that the sail which Aegeus delivered to the pilot was not white； but…
〃Scarlet； in the juicy bloom
Of the living oak…tree steeped；〃
and that this was to be the sign of their escape。 Phereclus； son of
Amarsyas； according to Simonides； was pilot of the ship。 But
Philochorus says Theseus had sent him by Scirus； from Salamis；
Nausithous to be his steersman； and Phaeax his look…out…man in the
prow； the Athenians having as yet not applied themselves to
navigation； and that Scirus did this because one of the young men；
Menesthes； was his daughter's son； and this the chapels of
Nausithous and Phaeax； built by Theseus near the temple of Scirus；
confirm。 He adds； also； that the feast named Cybernesia was in
honour of them。 The lot being cast； and Theseus having received out of
the Prytaneum those upon whom it fell； he went to the Delphinium；
and made an offering for them to Apollo of his suppliant's badge；
which was a bough of a consecrated olive tree； with white wool tied
about it。
Having thus performed his devotion； he went to sea； the sixth day of
Munychion； on which day even to this time the Athenians send their
virgins to the same temple to make supplication to the gods。 It is
farther reported that he was commanded by the oracle of Delphi to make
Venus his guide； and to invoke her as the companion and conductress of
his voyage and that； as he was sacrificing a she goat to her by the
sea…side； it was suddenly changed into a he； and for this cause that
goddess had the name of Epitragia。
When he arrived at Crete； as most of the ancient historians as
well as poets tell us； having a clue of thread given him by Ariadne；
who had fallen in love with him； and being instructed by her how to
use it so as to conduct him through the windings of the labyrinth；
he escaped out of it and slew the Minotaur； and sailed back； taking
along with him Ariadne and the young Athenian captives。 Phercydes adds
that he bored holes in the bottom of the Cretan ships to hinder
their pursuit。 Demon writes that Taurus； the chief captain of Minos；
was slain by Theseus at the mouth of the port； in a naval combat as he
was sailing out for Athens。 But Philochorus gives us the story thus：
That at the setting forth of the yearly games by King Minos； Taurus
was expected to carry away the prize； as he had done before； and was
much grudged the honour。 His character and manners made his power
hateful； and he was accused moreover of too near familiarity with
Pasiphae； for which reason； when Theseus desired the combat； Minos
readily complied。 And as it was a custom in Crete that the women
also should be admitted to the sight of these games； Ariadne； being
present； was struck with admiration of the manly beauty of Theseus；
and the vigour and address which he showed in the combat； overcoming
all that encountered with him。 Minos； too； being extremely pleased
with him； especially because he had overthrown and disgraced Taurus；
voluntarily gave up the young captives to Theseus； and remitted the
tribute to the Athenians。 Clidemus gives an account peculiar to
himself； very ambitiously； and beginning a great way back： That it was
a decree consented to by all Greece； that no vessel from any place；
containing above five persons； should be permitted to sail； Jason only
excepted； who was made captain of the great ship Argo； to sail about
and scour the sea of pirates。 But Daedalus having escaped from
Crete； and flying by sea to Athens； Minos； contrary to this decree；
pursued him with his ships of war； was forced by a storm upon
Sicily； and there ended his life。 After his decease； Deucalion； his
son； desiring a quarrel with the Athenians； sent to them； demanding
that they should deliver up Daedalus to him； threatening upon their
refusal； to put to death all the young Athenians whom his father had
received as hostages from the city。 To this angry message Theseus
returned a very gentle answer excusing himself that he could not
deliver up Daedalus； who was nearly related to him； being his
cousin…german； his mother being Merope； the daughter of Erechtheus。 In
the meanwhile he secretly prepared a navy； part of it at home near the
village of the Thymoetadae； a place of no resort； and far from any
common roads； the other part by his grandfather Pittheus's means at
Troezen； that so his design might be carried on with the greatest
secrecy。 As soon as ever his fleet was in readiness； he set sail；
having with him Daedalus and other exiles from Crete for his guides；
and none of the Cretans having any knowledge of his coming； but
imagining when they saw his fleet that they were friends and vessels
of their own； he soon made himself master of the port； and immediately
making a descent； reached Gnossus before any notice of his coming；
and； in a battle before the gates of the labyrinth； put Deucalion
and all his guards to the sword。 The government by this means
falling to Ariadne； he made a league with her； and received the
captives of her； and ratified a perpetual friendship between the
Athenians and the Cretans； whom he engaged under an oath never again
to commence any war with Athens。
There are yet many other traditio