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A GREEK MYTH

STORY BY JEFF LIMKE

PENCILS AND INKS BY JOHN McCREA

A GREEK MYTH

Graphic UniverseTM is a trademark of LernerPublishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured.No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system or transmitted in any form or by anymeans – electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording or otherwise – without the prior writtenpermission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., exceptfor the inclusion of brief quotations in anacknowledged review.

First published in the United Kingdom in 2009 byLerner Books, Dalton House, 60 Windsor Avenue, London SW19 2RR

Website address: www.lernerbooks.co.uk

This edition was updated and edited for UKpublication by Discovery Books Ltd., First Floor, 2 College Street, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1AN

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Limke, Jeff Theseus : battling the Minotaur. - 2nd ed. - (Graphic universe) 1. Theseus (Greek mythology) - Comic books, strips, etc. - Juvenile fiction 2. Minotaur (Greek mythology) - Comic books, strips, etc. - Juvenile fiction 3. Children's stories - Comic books, strips, etc. I. Title II. McCrea, John, artist/creator 741.5

ISBN-13: 978 0 7613 4351 6

Printed in Singapore

story by jeff limke

pencils and inks by john mCcrea

colouring by hi-fi colour design

lettering by hi-fi colour design

consultant: david Mulroy, phd

university of wisconsin-milwaukee

THESEUS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HEROES OF GREEK

MYTHOLOGY. HIS FEATS OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE HAVE

BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS. THIS PARTICULAR BOOK

FOLLOWS THESEUS’ EARLY ADVENTURES, AS HE COMES

OF AGE AND ATTEMPTS TO FULFILL HIS DESTINY AS A

GREAT HERO AND ATHENS’ GREATEST KING. TO CRAFT THIS

TALE FOR THE GRAPHIC MYTHS AND LEGENDS SERIES,AUTHOR JEFF LIMKE CONSULTED TWO OF THE MOST

FAMOUS ANTHOLOGIES OF GREEK MYTHS, EDITH

HAMILTON’S MYTHOLOGY AND BULFINCH’S MYTHOLOGY

BY THOMAS BULFINCH. ARTIST JOHN MCCREA

REFERENCED NUMEROUS HISTORICAL AND TRADITIONAL

SOURCES TO GIVE THE ART AN AUTHENTIC LOOK, FROM

CLASSICAL GREEK ARCHITECTURE TO THE CLOTHING,WEAPONS AND ARMOUR WORN BY THE CHARACTERS.PROFESSOR DAVID MULROY ENSURED HISTORICAL AND

VISUAL ACCURACY.

table of contents

the treasure beneath the boulder. . . 6

bandits on the road. . . 9

the king of athens. . . 19

king minos and the minotaur. . . 27

into the labyrinth. . . 32

return to athens. . . 43glossary. . . 46

further reading, websites and films. . . 47creating theseus: battling the minotaur. . . 47

index. . . 48about the author and the artist. . . 48

6

THE TREASURE BENEATH THE BOULDER MY NAME IS CONNIDUS AND I TAUGHT THESEUS

AS A CHILD. I TAUGHT HIM HISTORy, POETRY AND MATHEMATICS. HIS MOTHER AETHRA TAUGHT

HIM WHAT HE NEEDED TO KNOW TO BECOME KINÉ. WHAT HE NEEDED TO LEARN TO BECOME ONE OF GREECE'S GREATEST HEROES, HE WOULD HAVE TO LEARN ON HIS OWN.

WHEN HE WAS OLD ENOUGH, HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM THAT THE FIRST OF MANY TASKS HE WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM WOULD BE TO MOVE THE BOULDER THAT STOOD AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ABOVE THE CAVE WHERE HE LIVED.

WHAT SHE DIDN'T TELL HIM WAS THAT HIS FATHER WAS THE CURRENT KINÉ OF ATHENS. INSTEAD SHE HAD TOLD HIM HE WAS THE SON OF POSEIDON, THE GOD OF THE SEA.

THE TREASURE BENEATH THE ROCK WAS NOT WHAT HE HAD EXPECTED.

7

you KNEW THIS WOULD BE

HERE DΙDΝ'T YOU, MOTHER?

OF COURSE. IT WILL HELP yOU

PROVE youR BIRTHRIGHT.

AND THAT IS?

WHy, T H E S E U S , I WOULD HOPE you WOULD KNOW T H E A N S W E R BY NOW.

I AM TO BE KING OF ATHENS, CONNIDUS?

THOSE ARE THE SANDALS AND

SHIELD OE THE KING OF THE GREAT CITY,

ATHENS.

THAT JUST SOUNDS SO STRANGE.

PERHAPS, AND yOU ARE RIGHT. IT DOES SOUND

AWKWARD. BUT IT IS youR DESTiNy.

youR MOTHER SPEAKS

THE TRUTH, yOUNG ONE.

THE GOOS PROCLAIMED IT

LONG AGO.

8

-THESEUS YES, GRANDFATHER

PITTHEUS? you KNOW

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO ATHENS. THE SEA

WILL BE SAFER AND FASTER.

OVER LAND WILL BE LONGER

AND MORE DANGEROUS.

NO, PLEASE GO BY SEA. IT WILL BE DANGEROUS

ENOUGH.

HERAKLES*, THE GREATEST HERO, CHALLENGED THE DANGERS

AND SUCCEEDED.

IF I'M TO BE A HERO AND ONE DAY A KING, THERE CAN

BE ONLy ONE CHOICE.

*BETTER KNOWN BY HIS ROMAN NAME HERCULES

I CAN TAKE CARE OF

MySELF.

DO NOT WORRy, MOTHER AND

GRANDFATHER.

9

BANDITS

ON THE ROAD THESEUS L E F T

H IS H O M E IN T H E MOUNTAINS AND B E G A N H IS J O U R N E Y .

H E KNEW H E WOULD H A V E T O FACE C H A L L E N G E S . H E A L S O KNEW H E HAD T O B E A T T H E M IF H E W A S GOING T O B E W O R T H O F B E C O M I N G KING.

H E DIDN'T H A V E T O WAIT L O N G .

I N T R U T H , H E COULDN'T WAIT TO P R O V E HIMSELF.

WELL, WELL, WELL, DO I HAVE

H E R E ? A BOY D R E S S E D LIKE H E

WANTS T O B E A HERO.

YOU HAVE T H E SHIELD, B U T Y O U ' R E MISS ING SOMETHING. A SWORD, P E R H A P S ?

O R MAYBE. . . ;

A CLUB?

10

IT'S NOT GOING TO

BE THAT ΕΑSY, BANDIT!

I WAS BORN PERIPHETES,

BUT YOU MAY CALL ME CORYNETES THE CLUB

WIELDER BOy!

NEVER! HERAKLES DIDN'T NAME THOSE HE

DEFEATED, SO DON'T EXPECT ME

TO! COME ON THEN! SEE WHAT

I CAN DO!

11

you WERE SAYING SOMETHING

BEFORE?

I GUESS THAT EACH

OF THESE LITTLE CROSSES STANDS FOR A TRAVELLER

YOU HAVE CLUBBED?

HERAKLES PUNISHED BANDITS By DOING TO THEM

WHAT THEy DID TO THEIR VICTIMS.

SINCE IT WORKED FOR

HIM--IT WORKS

FOR ME.

12

-

-

THESEUS HAD NOT GONE MUCH FURTHER WHEN ANOTHER BANDIT APPEARED, SINIS THE PINEBENDER.

E X C U S E ME, T R A V E L L E R ,

B U T I ' M AFRAID you CAN G O

N O F U R T H E R .

WHy WOULD THAT BE? THE ROAD IS CLEAR.

sIMPLy P R O V E you CAN HOLD THIS TREETOP AND ONE OTHER. I F yOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH, yOU CAN GO O N -

- OTHERWISE yOU WILL HAVE TO FIND A DIFFERENT ROUTE, AN EASIER ROUTE.

HAND ME THE BRANCH.

TRUE. BUT THOSE WHO HAVE GONE

FORWARD PASSED A SIMPLE TEST.

13

-

-

T H - T H E R E . NOT BAD.

BUT YOU'RS NOT FINISHED.

MANY H A V E DONE THAT . P U T F E W

HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT C O M E S

NEXT.

I ' M S U R E you CAN G U E S S WHAT

I ' M G O I N G T O A S K O F you.

WOULD you L E T M E R E - G R I P

T H I S ONE, F I R S T ? I W A S N O T

READY T O HOLD T W O .

T A K E A S L O N G A S Y O U NEED.

IT M A K E S N O DIFFERENCE.

EITHER you WILL BE ABLE

TO Do IT-

- O R you WILL NOT.

OF C O U R S E .

WHA-WHAT ARE you

DOING? SEEING IF YOU

CAN PASS THE TEST

W-WAIT! you CAN'T DO THIS T O

ME! THIS is MY PATH!

NO. you're

WRONG.

T H I S IS A TRAveLLeR's PATH AND T H E Y D E S E R V E T O B E

SAFE . you D0

/V0T.

15

HAVING VANQUISHED TWO BANDITS, THESEUS KNEW THAT ATHENS COULD NOT BE PAR AWAY.

GOOD TRAVELLER, I AM PROCRUSTES AND THIS IS My INN.

HOW FAR IS IT TO ATHENS?

wHy DON'T you J U S T sTAy

HERE?

IF YOU'RE LIKE My PAST TRAVELLERS,

yOU'LL FIND WE'RE JUST THE RIGHT

SIZE.

FROM HERE TO ATHENS IT WILL

TAKE A STRONG MAN OF yOUR HEIGHT A GOOD FULL DAY

OF WALKING.

I THINK yOU'RE RIGHT.

yOUR INN LOOKS TAILOR-MADE

FOR ME.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

the bedlooks bigenough.

16

GO ON THROÜGH THERE

WITH yOUR BELONGINGS.

THANK you,

I WILL. PLEASE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SUITABLE,

HOW ARE

THINGS?

T H E B E D L O O K S B I G E N O U G H .

I THOUGHT IT MIGHT. I'LL SEE

WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT

THAT.

I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT IF I WERE

you.

I'M SURE I'LL BE JUST

FINE.

ITS NOT A PROBLEM I ASSURE

you.

THAT'S GOOD. NO NEED TO GO

TO ANy TROUBLE FOR ME.

17

AFTER THEY HAD EATEN. THESEUS FELT THE DAY HAD CAUGHT UP TO HIM

CAN YOU WAKE ME AT

SUNRISE? I WANT TO GET TO ATHENS

AS EARLY AS I CAN

I CAN DO THAT

THE COCKEREL WILL WAKE YOU

REGARDLESS

I'M TIRED PROCRUSTES I THINK I'LL GO TO BED

LATER THAT EVENING WHEN THE MOON WAS HIGH

IT'S TIME TO MAKE SURE YOU FIT THIS-

WHAT? WERE IS HE

18

I AM MERELY DOING TO YOU

WHAT yOU HAVE DONE TO OTHER

UNWARy TRAVELLERS.

BE GLAD YOU WERE TOO SHORT

OR I WOULD HAVE USEP THE SWORD yOU USED TO MAKE TALLER TRAVELLERS FIT. yOU MADE

yOUR BED, PROCRUSTES-

-NOW, you CAN SLEEP IN

IT!

...&-&o. NO. THIS IS WHAT y<3U WOULP

HAVE PONE TOME.

YOU WERE TOO SURE Of

YOURSOf TO EVEN (JIVE YOUR VICTIMS PROPER BURIALS SO THEY COULP CROSS THE RIVER STYX ANP ENTER THE

SATES OP HAPES. .

P-P-LEASE LET...ME...

19

THE KING OF

ATHENS

SEND A MESSENGER TO THE PALACE! A LONE MAN CARRYING A WEAPON APPROACHES.

WHAT NEWS D0 YOU BRING ME?

A LONE TRAVELLER ARRIVES!

MAKE WAY", I HAVE AN

URGENT MESSAGE FOR THE

KING!

THAT IS NOT NEWS!

BUT THIS TRAVELLER CARRIES A WEAPON OF ONE OF THE BANDITS KNOWN TO LIVE ON THE ROAD TO ATHENS.

THIS I MUST

SEE.

TAKE ME TO SEE HIM.

-

-

20

YOU SPOKE

THE TRUTH.

THIS MAN COULD BE THE PERSON WHO COULD UNITE

ATHENS BEHIND ME.

BRING HIM TO ME

IMMEDIATELY.

WHY?

LET ME GIVE yOU SOME

ADVICE, COUNTRY BOY-

-WHEN YOU'RE KING, yoU CAN

ASK QUESTIONS.

YOU WILL COME WITH US KING AEGEUS DEMANDS TO

SPEAK WITHYOU

21

TELL MΕ YOUR NAME,

BOY.

My MOTHER NAMED ME THESEUS. AND

THIS CLUB? IT BELONGED

TO CORYNETES DIDN'T IT?

YES. IT'S MINE

NOW.

I DON'T THINK HE'LL

BE BOTHERING ANY MORE

TRAVELLERS.

you HAVE MY THANKS.

YOU'RE A GUEST IN MY PALACE.

THAT SIGN ON THE SHIDLE IS THE SAME AS AEGEUS'.

THESEUS IS KING AEGEUS' SON.

SO I HEAR MY SOLDIERS TELL

ME YOU HAVE MADE TRAVEL SAFE

ON THAT ROAD

22

MEDEA W A S N O T H A P P . S H E HAD MARRIED AEGEUS B E L I E V I N G H E HAD N O CHILDREN. S H E HOPED H E R CHILDREN C O U L D B E C O M E T H E R U L E R S OF ATHENS . THE seus' ARRIVAL S U R E L

Y T H R E A T E N E D H E R PLAN.

AEGEUS, I THINK YOU NEED TO FEAR THIS THESERS.

IF H E CAN DEFEAT T H E BANDITS, Y O U KNOW H E COULD REPLACE YOU IN T H E

PEOPLE 'S H E A R T S .

YOU PROMISED My SONS THEy COULD RULE ATHENS AFTER you.

IF THIS THEseu s W E R E

T O DO SOMETHING το you, THEy

A R E N T READY.

WHAT WOULD Y O U

H A V E M E D O ?

HE IS A GUEST

IN My HOME.

I T IS INTOLERABLE F O R A H O S T T O

H A R M HIS G U E S T .

PERHAPS, B U T H E

ISN'T MY G U E S T .

you J U S T L E T M E WORRY

A B O U T T H E S E U S .

you WORRY ABOUT

RULING.

23

LATER, AE G EU S INVITED THE NOBLES TO A GREAT BANQUET TO TALK, TO EAT AND TO INTRODUCE THEM TO THE YOUNG HERO WHO HAD MADE THE ROAD SAFE.

Y O U N G T H E s e u s . WHO ARE YOUR

PARENTS, AGAIN?

I DIDNT KNOW MY FATHER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS POSEIDON, BUT HE HAS NEVER VISITED ME.

BUT My MOTHER'S

NAME WAS-

-AETHRA

SAY THAT NAME AGAIN,

BOY!

AETHRA?

-AND BRING

HIM ro

Met

DON'T LET HIM DRINK

THAT-

24

IN AEGEUS' CHAMBERS, THESEUS TOLD HIS TALE.

-AND NOW I'M HERE TO MEET MY FATHER

AND CLAIM My BIRTHRIGHT.

you ARE My SON,

THESEUS.

YOU SHALL RULE THIS CITY SOMEDAY.

ALREADY I HAVE HEARP

YOUR NAME MENTIONED AMONG

MY GUARDS.

YOUR ADVENTURES ON THE ROADS HAVE IMPRESSED THEM AND THAT

IS NOT EASILY DONE.

THOSE BANDITS WERE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO DESERVED NO MORE THAN WHAT

I GAVE THEM. BEING A RULER IS SIMILAR.

PERHAPS. EVEN AS WE TALK, OTHERS

CONSPIRE AGAINST ME.

THERE ARE GROUPS WITHIN THE CITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO STEAL MY THRONE.

IT IS ALL I CAN DO

TO RULE MY CITY.

PERHAPS OUR YOUNG HERO COULD

HELP ME.

NO, I WILL NOT DO THAT.

THERE IS ALWAYS OUR AGREEMENT WITH CRETE.

THE REWARD SEEMS BETTER.

25

-

-

V E R V WELL.

TELL ME

MORE. THE BOY SHOULD KNOW,

AEGEUS.

EVER YEAR WE SEND SEVEN BOYS AND SEVEN GIRLS SO CRETE WILL

NOT WAGE WAR AGAINST US. I DO NOT LIKE DOING THIS,

BUT WE WOULD LOSE MORE LIVES IF KING MINOS ATTACKED US AS HE DID

BEFORE THIS AGREEMENT.

WE HEAR TALES OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM, BUT NO

ONE HAS EVER RETURNED ALIVE

TO TELL US FOR SURE.

My SONS ARE TOO yOUNG,

BUT you-

INCLUDE ME WITH THIS OFFERING.

I CAN END THIS!

-you COULD BE THE HERO TO END THIS

TERRIBLE THING.

PUT ME ON THE SHIP.

I AM NOT TOO OLD TO

DO THIS.

LET THE PEOPLE KNOW I AM GOING. THEy WILL KNOW

you ARE ONE OF THEM BY SACRIFICING yoUR ONLy SON.

BUT you H A V E J U S T RETURNED.

I CAN'T S E N D you

AWAy NOW.

YOU MUST. I CAN UNITE THE PEOPLE

FOR YOU-

-FOR U S .

26

BE SAFE.

I WILL BE, FATHER. ONE WAY

OR ANOTHER I WILL END THIS.

YOU SPEAK LIKE A RULER.

ET'S HOPE THAT I HAVE THE CHANCE TO

BE ONE.

LET'S HOPE NOT.

I ONLY HAVE ONE REQUEST. IF EVERYTHING HAS GONE WELL

AND YOU RETURN, HAVE THE CAPTAIN PLY A WHITE SAIL..

IF you DON'T RETURN, MAKE SURE THE CAPTAIN PLIES

A BLACK SAIL.

I WILL.

AND SO THE SHIP SAILED FOR THE ISLAND OF CRETE'S CAPITAL, KNOSSOS, RULED BY KING MINOS.

27

KING MINOS AND THE MINOOTAUR

WHEN THE SHIP ARRIVED, KING MINOS WAS WAITING.

TOO SMALL.

TOO SKINNY.

AH, THAT ONE LOOKS

FINE.

I WANT HIM.

TOO FAT.

TOO WEAK

WHAT IS yOUR NAME, Boy?

THESEUS.

ADDRESS ME PROPERLY,

SLAVE!

28

TAKE HIM

AWAY. H E WILL B E T H E F IRST IN T H E LABYRINTH TOMORROW. WE'LL S E E

IF H E CAN B E T H E F I R S T T O O U T W I T ITS

DES IGNER, DAEDALUS.

YOU B E T T E R

B E READY F O R

TOMORROW.

YEAH, Y O U ' R E G O I N G T O M E E T T H E MINOTAUR,

O O O H , Y O U R E G O I N G T O B E HIS B R E A K F A S T !

WHAT'S A

MINOTAUR?

I D O N T KNOW.

A R E N T Y O U

SCARED?

NO. I ' M NOT S C A R E D O F SOMETHING

I D O N T KNOW.

you SHOULD

B E .

W H O A R E you? D O you

KNOW WHAT T H E MINOTAUR I S ?

M Y NAME IS ARIADNE. MY F A T H E R KING MINOS

HAD D A E D A L U S DESIGN T H E LABYRINTH T O K E E P T H E

MINOTAUR IMPRISONED A N D A W A Y F R O M U S .

I F ONLY THESEUS HAD KNOWN T H E G O D D E S S APHRODITE HAD SMILED O N HIM. T H E G O D D E S S O F L O V E HAD MADE S U R E H E WOULD HAVE H E L P WHEN H E NEEDED IT.

T H E MINOTAUR IS A T H I N G CHILDREN

O F C R E T E H A V E NIGHTMARES

ABOUT.

29

IT'S A SAP TALE.

MY STEPMOTHER PASIPHAË WAS WITH CHILD.

THE LABOUR HAD BEEN LONG AND PAINFUL. HER SERVANT WOMEN WEREN'T SURE SHE WOULP SURVIVE.

BUT SHE DID AND SO DID HER CHILD. BUT NO ONE EXPECTEP HIM TO LOOK LIKE- -THIS! MINOS REFUSED TO

ΑDΜΓΤ THE CHILD WAS HIS.

IN FACT, HE WAS SO EMBARRASSED HE WOULP HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

MINOS WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONSTER.

HE RECEIVED MANy DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS.

MOST SAID HE SHOULD DESTROy THE MONSTER, BUT HE COULDN'T DO THAT. HE KNEW THE GODS WOULD CURSE HIM IF HE KILLED HIS OWN CHILD.

30

ONE PRIEST TOLD HIM TO BUILD AN UNDERGROUND MAZE FROM THE EARTH FROM WHICH THE MONSTER COULD NEVER ESCAPE.

MINOS THOUGHT THE PRIEST WAS A FOOL. BUT THE PRIEST WARNED HIM THE MONSTER WOULD EAT PEOPLE AND RUN WILD IF NOT KEPT CAPTIVE.

SO, MY FATHER CAPTURED DAEDALUS. MINOS FORCED HIM TO BUILD A LABYRINTH, OR MAZE, THAT THE MINOTAUR COULD NOT ESCAPE.

DAEDALUS IS THE CLEVEREST MAN IN THE WORLD. HE HAD MANY OTHER THINGS HE WOULD RATHER HAVE DONE.

BUT HE WAS MINOS' PRISONER, SO HE HAD NO CHOICE.

I BEFRIENDED DAEDALUS. HE TOOK CARE OF ME WHILE THE LABYRINTH WAS BEING BUILT.

I GOT TO KNOW MY HALF-BROTHER. HE WAS NOT AS CLEVER AS THE OTHER CHILDREN AND HE HAD A TERRIBLE TEMPER.

HE WAS NICE TO ME, BUT HE WAS NEVER LET OUT OF HIS CAGE.

THE FINISHED LABYRINTH WAS EVERYTHING MINOS HAD WANTED. DAEDALUS

GUARANTEED THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO FIND THE WAY OUT UNAIDED.

THEY PUT THE MINOTAUR INSIDE.

I FELT VERY SORRY FOR HIM. HE DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE KEPT LIKE THAT.

NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THAT.

-

-

31

THE LABYRINTH HAS NEVER BEEN SOLVED. NO ONE EXPECTED THE MINOTAUR TO WORK IT OUT. BUT DAEDALUS

TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THE PASSAGES.

HERE!

TAKE THIS!

THIS? WHAT AM I

SUPPOSED TO DO? KNIT A MAP?

NO SILL, you TIE ONE END OF IT TO THE ENTRANCE

AND LET IT PLAy OUT BEHIND

you.

T H E N you ONLY H A V E T O FOLLOW IT BACK T O G E T O U T .

I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TRAPPED IN THERE

EVER AGAIN.

I HAVE TO GO. THE GUARDS WILL BE GERE SOON.

I'V E BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THEIR SCHEDULE.

WAIT!

I NEED TO KNOW-

-WHy ME...?

32

INTO THE LABYRINTH THE N E X T DAY, THESEUS W A S T A K E N TO T H E LABYRINTH.

PEOPLE J E E R E D LOUDLY A S H E WAS PARADED P A S T T H E M .

H E W A S PREPARED F O R WHAT W A S T O COME.

H E HADN'T B E E N AFRAID WHEN H E L E F T HOME T O G O T O A T H E N S -

- H E WASN'T AFRAID NOW EITHER.

H E KNEW H E C O U L D DEFEAT T H I S M O N S T E R J U S T A S H E HAD DEFEATED T H E B A N D I T S -

- N O M A T T E R HOW MANY O T H E R S B E F O R E HIM HAD DIED BEL IEV ING T H E S A M E THING.

33

THE BOY YOU SEE BELOW IS RATHER IMPORTANT. THE OTHERS

HAVE TOLP MY GUARDS HE IS

THE SON OF KING AEGEUS.

HE MUST BE DESPERATE TO SEND HIS HEIR

TO DIE.

WHAT DO you THINK,

DAEDALUS? SHOULD I

GIVE HIM AN . INCENTIVE.

H E IS ROYALTY,

A F T E R A L L .

KING MINOS, HE IS YOUR PRISONER. YOU CAN ΌΟ WITH

HIM AS yOU WISH. PRISONER! YOUR FATHER BELIEVES

ME TO BE AN EVIL MAN. AND YET HE SACRIFICES

you TO DIE IN THE LABYRINTH AT THE HAND

OF My SON.

YOU'RE RIGHT, OF COURSE.

yOU'RE ALWAYS RIGHT.

LET ME MAKE yOU A PROPOSITION.

I T I S AGREED.

IF you MAKE IT OUT OF THE LABYRINTH...

...ALIVE...

I WILL RELEASE ATHENS OF ITS

TRIBUTE AND RELEASE yOU AND THOSE WHO

CAME WITH yOU.

34

TAKE THIS! IT'S THE ONLY ONE YOU GET.

BUT IT'S STILL

DAYLIGHT.

NOT IN THERE IT

ISNT.

HERE WE GO.

35

THE AIR WAS MUST AND SMELLED AWFUL. THE STENCH MADE THESEUS'STOMACH ROLL WITH EVERY" BREATH.

THE GUARDS HAD TOLD THESEUS THAT THE MINOTAUR WOULD DEFEAT HIM EASILY.

THE BEAST WAS FAR TOO STRONG FOR ANY MORTAL MAN TO PEPEAT WITHOUT A WEAPON.

STILL, THESEUS KNEW HE HAD BEEN STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAT BANDITS WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE STRONGER THAN HE WAS.

AND HADN'T HE OUTWITTED THE OTHER BANDIT?

HE KNEW THAT NO MATTER HOW STRONG THIS BEAST COULD BE, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO OUTWIT IT AND USE ITS STRENGTH AGAINST IT. WOULDN'T

HE?

36

DEEPER INTO THE LABYRINTH HE WALKED.

HIS HEART BEAT FASTER WITH EVERY STEP.

EVERY STEP BRINGING HIM CLOSER TO HIS TEST OF BEING A HERO.

EVER PECISION BECAME MORE PIFFICULT. WHERE

ARE YOU?

37

38

39

THeseus' L U N G S BURNED, H IS R I B S ACHED AND IT HURT T O STAND.

H E HAP G I V E N T H E M O N S T E R H IS B E S T S O PAR, Y E T T H E B E A S T WOULD NOT STAY DOWN.

UNH. . .

40

GET . . . OFF... ME!

YOU FOUGHT

WELL. I WILL MAKE SURE OUR FIGHT

WILL BE TOLD FOR AGES. FIR AGES

41

MINOS!

W-WHAT IS THIS? W-WHAT DOES

HE CARRY? IT IS

THE HORN OF OUR SON...

42

GUARDS!! KILL HIM!

FATHER, YOU CAN'T. DO THAT.

ARIADNE! BE QUIET!

WHAT?

YOU promised το FREE HIM.

IF you DON'T,

THE GODS WILL

PUNISH you AND

CRETE.

SHE IS RIGHT,

My KING.

you ARE RIGHT, GIRL.

THE GODS CURSED US

BEFORE. THEy WILL

AGAIN.

HE IS FREE,

you ARE FREE.

DAEDALUS, I WILL

DEAL WITH yOU LATER.

YOUNG HEIR OF ATHENS, you HAVE PROVEN

youR WORTH.

TAKE youR PEOPLE AND

RETURN HOME.

I RELEASE yOU AND

youR ciry OF ANY

OBLIGATIONS.

43

RETURN TO ATHENS 7HE BOYS AND

G I R L S W H O HAD C O M E WITH

THESEUS CELEBRATED T O G E T H E R O N T H E SHIP.

THEy WERE VERY HAPPY KNOWING THEY WOULD RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES.

THEy CELEBRATED THE WHOLE WAY WITHOUT A WORRY IN THEIR HEARTS.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SIGHTINGS? A SHIP IS

ON THE HORIZON, BUT NO ONE IS SURE.

BUT WHAT OF THE SAIL?

WE JUST CANT TELL.

WHAT COLOUR IS THE SAIL?

MY KING, MY KING.

WE CAN SEE THE SHIP!

IT IS BLACK!

YOU MUST BE WRONG!

I MUST SEE IT

MYSELF. MY KING! BE CAREFUL

so you DON'T-

44

BE CAREFUL FOOLS, THOSE BOYS ARE THE NEW RULERS!

YES, QUEEN MEDEA.

NOW TO GREET THOSE WHO HAVE-

STEPMOTHER, WHERE IS MY

FATHER?

B-BUT YOUR

SAILS...

WE THOUGHT....

..MY CHILDREN WERE

SUPPOSED TO BE...

...THE SAIL WAS BLACK!

THESEUS, YOUR FATHER HAS DIED.

WHAT?!

MEDEA HAD DISAPPEARED WITH HER SONS BEFORE THE FUNERAL OF AEG EUS.

THESEUS BROUGHT HIS TRUE FAMILY TO LIVE WITH HIM IN ATHENS.

THEY BURIED AEGEUS WITHIN THE ROYAL FAMILY'S TOMB.

YOU ARE THE KING

OF ATHENS NOW

45

THESEUS HAD PROVED TO

HIMSELF THAT HE COULD BE

A HERO.

NOW HE WOULD HAVE TO PROVE TO HIS PEOPLE THAT HE COULD BE AN HEROIC

KING.

aegeus: the king of Athens andTheseus’ father

aethra: Aegeus’ wife and Theseus’mother

aphrodite: the Greek goddess of loveand beauty

ariadne: Minos’ daughter, who helpsTheseus to escape the labyrinth

athens: one of the great historicGreek city-states

connidus: Theseus’ centaur (half-horse, half-human) tutor

crete: a large island in the easternMediterranean Sea, off thesouthern coast of Greece

daedalus: the engineering geniuswho built the labyrinth for KingMinos

herakles: a legendary Greek hero;also known by his Roman name,Hercules

labyrinth: a place full of confusingpassageways and dead ends; amaze

medea: Aegeus’ wife

minos: the king of Crete and thefather of the Minotaur and ofAriadne

minotaur: a ferocious half-man, half-bull; the son of Minos andPasiphaë

pasiphaë: wife of Minos, mother ofthe Minotaur

periphetes: a bandit who preys ontravellers along the road toAthens

pittheus: Theseus’ grandfather

poseidon: the Greek god of the sea

procrustes: an evil innkeeper whomurders his guests by stretchingthem or cutting off their limbs

sinis: a sinister bandit who kills hisvictims by forcing them to holdthe tops of two trees at the sametime, causing them to be tornapart

theseus: son of Aegeus and Aethra;Aegeus’ successor as king ofAthens

glossary

46

creating theseus: battling the minotaurTo craft this tale for the Graphic Myths and Legends series, author Jeff Limke

consulted two of the most famous anthologies of Greek myths, Edith Hamilton’sMythology and Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch. Artist John

McCrea referenced numerous historical and traditional sourcesto give the art an authentic look, from classical Greek

architecture to the clothing, weapons and armour worn by thecharacters. Professor David Mulroy ensured historical and

visual accuracy.

further reading, websites and films

Deary, Terry. The Groovy Greeks (Horrible Histories) Scholastic, 2007. Anentertaining insight into the lives and culture of the ancient Greeks.

Limke, Jeff. Jason: Quest for the Golden Fleece Lerner Books, 2008. Read aboutthe exciting adventures of another great Greek hero, Jason, and hisrelationship with a certain woman named Medea.

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths. DVD. Directed by David Garfathand John Madden. Hollywood, CA: Sony Pictures, 2004. In this entertainingseries of stories, four famous Greek myths – including Theseus and theMinotaur – are brought to life using live actors and puppets.

Myths and legends. http://myths.e2bn.org/index.php On this website you can read lots of myths and legends from all over the world.You can also learn about the origins of each of the stories and watch shortanimations that accompany each one.

Storrie, Paul D. Hercules: The Twelve Labours Lerner Books, 2008. Learn aboutTheseus’ hero and inspiration, Hercules, one of Greece’s greatest legends.

Woff, Richard. The British Museum Pocket Dictionary of Ancient Greek andRoman Gods and Goddesses (British Museum Pocket Dictionaries) BritishMuseum Press, 2003. Find out more about the gods and goddesses of theancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

original pencil from page 15

Aegeus 19–26, 43Aethra 6–8, 45Aphrodite 28, 31Ariadne 28–31, 33, 42

Connidus 6–8, 45Corynetes (Periphetes) 9–11

Daedalus 28, 30, 33, 42

labyrinth: battle between Theseus andMinotaur within 37–40; building of 30

Medea 21, 22, 24–26, 43, 44Minos 27–30, 33, 41, 42

Minotaur: battle with Theseus 37-40;imprisonment within the labyrinth30; parentage of 29

Pasiphaë 29, 41Procrustes 15–18

Sinis 12–14

Theseus: battle with the Minotaur 37–40;destiny of 7; encounters with banditson the road to Athens 9–18

index

48

about the author and the artist

jeff limke was raised in North Dakota, USA. There he read, listened to andmarvelled at stories from the day he learned to read. He later taught storiesfor many years and has written adaptations of them. Some of his stories havebeen published by Arrow Comics, Caliber Comics and Kenzer and Company.His titles for Graphic Universe include King Arthur: Excalibur Unsheathed;Isis & Osiris: To the Ends of the Earth; Thor & Loki: In the Land ofGiants; Jason: The Quest for the Golden Fleece; and Arthur & Lancelot: TheFight for Camelot. Along the way, he got married, and he and his wife had adaughter who loves to read, listen to and marvel at stories.

john mCcrea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has been drawing comicsprofessionally for nearly twenty years. His work has become well known throughcomics for both DC and Marvel, including titles for such series as Judge Dredd,Hitman and Section 8. He currently lives in Birmingham, UK.

First published in the United States of America in 2008 Copyright © 2008 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

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LEFT BLANK

deeper into the labyrinth he walked . . .

. . . his heart beat faster with every step.

RAISED BY HIS MOTHER AND TUTOR, YOUNG THESEUS FINALLY LEARNS THETRUTH OF HIS BIRTH: HE IS THE SON OF KING AEGEUS, RULER OF ATHENS.ARMED WITH HIS FATHER’S SHIELD, HE SETS OUT TO CLAIM HISBIRTHRIGHT AND FACE HIS GREATEST CHALLENGE – THE MINOTAUR, A SAVAGE BEAST WHO IS HALF-MAN, HALF-BULL. TO DEFEATTHE MINOTAUR, THESEUS MUST ENTER THE LABYRINTH, ABEWILDERING MAZE FROM WHICH NO ONE HAS EVERESCAPED ALIVE. WILL THESEUS SUCCEED IN HIS QUEST?OR WILL HE SUFFER THE FATE OF THE MINOTAUR’SMANY OTHER VICTIMS?

GRAPHIC MYTHS AND LEGENDS TITLES:ARTHUR & LANCELOT: THE FIGHT FOR CAMELOT978-0-7613-4346-2ATALANTA: THE RACE AGAINST DESTINY978-1-58013-317-3BEOWULF: MONSTER SLAYER978-0-7613-4347-9DEMETER & PERSEPHONE: SPRING HELD HOSTAGE978-1-58013-318-0HERCULES: THE TWELVE LABOURS978-1-58013-319-7ISIS & OSIRIS: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH978-1-58013-320-3

JASON: QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE978-1-58013-321-0KING ARTHUR: EXCALIBUR UNSHEATHED978-1-58013-322-7ODYSSEUS: ESCAPING POSEIDON’S CURSE978-0-7613-4348-6PERSEUS: THE HUNT FOR MEDUSA’S HEAD978-0-7613-4349-3SINBAD: SAILING INTO PERIL978-0-7613-4350-9THESEUS: BATTLING THE MINOTAUR978-0-7613-4351-6

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