King of Athens, Slayer of the Minotaur
The prince of Athens who volunteered to join the youths sent as tribute to the Cretan labyrinth, killed the Minotaur with the help of Princess Ariadne’s ball of thread, and found his way back out. He later became King of Athens. The famous philosophical puzzle "the Ship of Theseus" comes from the Athenians’ yearly repair of his honored vessel.
Every nine years Athens sent seven young men and seven young women to feed the Minotaur in the Cretan labyrinth. Theseus volunteered; Princess Ariadne fell for him at first sight and slipped him a ball of thread. Unspooling it as he went, he killed the Minotaur bare-handed and retraced the thread back out — the simplest tool, a priceless idea.
Before setting out he promised his father: if I live, I will raise a white sail. On the way home he abandoned Ariadne on the island of Naxos (the wine god then married her), and — perhaps too distracted — forgot to change the sail. Old King Aegeus saw the black sail and threw himself into the sea, which took its name from him: the Aegean.
Below are how modern works borrow or reinterpret this name or story — not the original material. The two differ, so keep them apart.
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