The daughter of the king of Crete Minos and Pasiphae, Ariadne played a key role in the killing of the Minotaur by the hero of Athens, Theseus. However, although he promised to marry her, Theseus later abandoned Ariadne on the island of Naxos.
Theseus arrived in Crete as one of the 14 young men and women who were sent by Athens every year as a blood tax for the murder of a Cretan prince. All of them became a sacrifice in the Minotaur. This monster, half a man and half a bull, was the result of the unnatural pairing of Pasiphae with the white bull of god Neptune. He was kept hidden in a palace with complex corridors and hidden rooms, called the Labyrinth that was built by the architect Daedalus. None of the young victims ever managed to kill the Minotaur or escape from the Labyrinth.
Ariadne had a plan
When Ariadne saw Theseus, who had just arrived in Crete, she fell in love with him. She promised him to show him the way out of the Labyrinth if he agreed to marry her and take her back to Athens. Theseus agreed, and Ariadne gave him a string of twine (or golden thread) that Daedalus had given her. Having tied one end of the skein to the entrance of the Labyrinth, he began to unravel it as he walked through the corridors. Thus Theseus could follow the path to the exit if he managed to kill the Minotaur.
When he finally came out, Ariadne led Theseus and the other Athenian survivors to the harbor where they boarded his ship and sail for Athens. At this point there are various versions of the myth about the continuity of the story. In the most widespread version, the Athenian ship arrived on the island of Naxos, where Ariadne fell asleep on the beach. Theseus with his companions sailed away, leaving her there. When Ariadne woke up, she found herself abandoned by her beloved, for whom she had betrayed her homeland and her family. However, Dionysus, the god of wine, had fallen in love with her and descended from his palace to take her as a wife.
Variations of myth
Another version of the myth says that Dionysus himself ordered Theseus to leave Ariadne, since the god had chosen her to be his bride. Other variations of the story say that Ariadne despaired so much when she realized she was alone, that she was hanged. Another version of the story reports that Theseus and pregnant Ariadne were led in a tornado in Cyprus, where she eventually died during childbirth.
Historical framework
The story of Ariadne and Theseus portrays the process in which Athens was liberated from Crete, which in 1200 BC was The leading power throughout the Mediterranean. Athenian Theseus puts an end to tax demands and earns the princess for his bride as a prize.
Ariadne itself, whose name derives from the words "aria" and "agne", that is, very pure or very pleasant, for a time was worshiped as the goddess of fertility in Crete and the Eastern Mediterranean. Its association with Bacchus (Dionysus), which was not only a god of wine, but also of dance, entertainment and abundance, seems to link the early Eastern with the later deities of renewal and fertility. A circle dance about the fertility that Theseus leads, is described in the "DIMON" hymn of Kallimachus, written in the 3rd century BC. And Ariadne may be leading such a dance on Crete, on a labyrinth floor that was built by Daidalos for this reason.
The story of Arachne is about a woman that was transformed into a spider by the goddess Athena, as a warning to the ancient Greeks to respect the gods.
Arachne was the daughter of Idmon, who some say he was aristocrat, while others claim he was a painter. They lived in the ancient Greek city of Colophon in Lydia. The area was known for its woven fabrics, and Arachne was raised as an excellent weaver.
It was rumored that she owed her talent to the goddess Athena, who was the protector of weaving art. The arrogance of Arachne displeased Athena, so the goddess was disguised as an elderly woman who warned the girl to recognize the supremacy of Athena.
Arachne, however, refused to do so, and told the old woman that she could defeat Athena in a weaving contest. Listening to this, Athena revealed herself to Arachne, and they both immediately started working on different textiles. Athena's embroidery depicted her own triumphant achievements and showed in detail the fortunes of the mortals who dared to challenge the gods. The work of Arachne satirized the gods, especially the lust for the mortal women that had Poseidon, Apollo, Dionysus, and above all Zeus himself, who often tricked his victims before seduce them.
Arachne was the daughter of Idmon, who some say he was aristocrat, while others claim he was a painter. They lived in the ancient Greek city of Colophon in Lydia. The area was known for its woven fabrics, and Arachne was raised as an excellent weaver.
It was rumored that she owed her talent to the goddess Athena, who was the protector of weaving art. The arrogance of Arachne displeased Athena, so the goddess was disguised as an elderly woman who warned the girl to recognize the supremacy of Athena.
Arachne, however, refused to do so, and told the old woman that she could defeat Athena in a weaving contest. Listening to this, Athena revealed herself to Arachne, and they both immediately started working on different textiles. Athena's embroidery depicted her own triumphant achievements and showed in detail the fortunes of the mortals who dared to challenge the gods. The work of Arachne satirized the gods, especially the lust for the mortal women that had Poseidon, Apollo, Dionysus, and above all Zeus himself, who often tricked his victims before seduce them.
Outraged by the insolence of Arachne, as well as by her unparalleled aptitude, Athena touched the front of the girl, forcing her to feel such guilt, that she hang herself. Shocked by this development, Athena sprouted the body of Arachne with the acorn (which is a poisonous plant), turning her into a spider.
From there, the spider took its name(in greek Arachne means spider), but also the excellent art that it exhibits when weaving its web.
From there, the spider took its name(in greek Arachne means spider), but also the excellent art that it exhibits when weaving its web.
Antigone was one of the four children born of the hereditary relationship of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, with his mother, Iokaste. In Greek mythology and drama, Antigone's greatest virtue was devotion: she led her father after his blindness and self-exile, while in the case of the burial of her brother Polyneices, she chose the duty to the family and the laws of the gods over the laws of the state.When King Oedipus went to exile, Antigone accompanied him to Kolonos, Attica. Her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, stayed in Thebes under the regency of their uncle, Creon. When Oedipus died, Antigone returned to Thebes to live with her brothers and uncle, as well as her sister Ismene. Until then, the brothers had matured and competed for the throne of Thebes. They decided to take over the administration of the city in turn: one year would rule Eteocles, Polyneices next year, and so on. However, at the end of the first year, Eteocles did not show any willingness to deliver the throne to his brother. Polyneikes was forced into exile and resorted to Adrastus, king of Argos and married his daughter, Argyia. Adrastos helped Polyneikes assemble a huge army with seven leaders attacking Thebes - the army was known as Seven against Thebes.
Andromeda plays an important role in the Perseus myth. Her father was Cepheus, king of Ethiopia and her mother Cassiopea, who was famous throughout Greece for her beauty.
Andromeda ended up being as beautiful as her mother. Cassiopea, who was always bragging for her appearance, was too proud of her daughter's beauty. One day, the often jealous goddess Hera heard Cassiopea boast that her daughter and her were more beautiful than all the Nereids, the nymphs of the sea who were the daughters of God Neptune. Greek mythology is full of stories of gods who punish the sin of hubris or pride in people, and Cassiopea was to be an example to avoid.
Hera and the Nereids complained to Poseidon, who sent a flood to destroy Ethiopia. He also sent a dreadful female monster of the sea to haunt the coasts of the country. The creature was devastating and had an insatiable appetite for the human flesh.
Cepheus, after great consideration, asked for an oracle, who told him that the only way to get rid of the sea monster forever was to sacrifice his daughter Andromeda. Cepheus protested to the gods, but they were adamant that this was the only way to be redeemed for the vanity of Cassiopea.
Andromeda was chained to a rock overlooking the sea, naked, wearing only her jewels, as the gods commanded. As she stood there, striking her tragic fate, she saw a young man passing by flying and tearing the air apart with a pair of winged sandals.
This was Perseus, the hero who had just killed the mermaid Medusa, with a magical sharp sword returning to Argos with the monster's head on a ribbon. The bag, the sickle, the winged sandals, and a magic helmet that made him invisible had been given to him by the gods, to use them to kill the Gorgon, whose gaze turned anyone who looked into stone.
This was Perseus, the hero who had just killed the mermaid Medusa, with a magical sharp sword returning to Argos with the monster's head on a ribbon. The bag, the sickle, the winged sandals, and a magic helmet that made him invisible had been given to him by the gods, to use them to kill the Gorgon, whose gaze turned anyone who looked into stone.
Perseus was surprised to see a beautiful woman chained to a rock. As he descended from the sky to take a closer look, he saw Andromeda's parents in despair watching her from the shore. They promised him he could marry Andromeda if he managed to save her from the monster. They did not finish their words, and the monster emerged from the sea and moved to Andromeda with its mouth open, ready to swallow her.
Perseus immediately flew in the air, pulled out Medusa's head from his bag and turned it over to the monster. The look of Medusa turned to stone the monster who stood unable to cope with the mermaid curse. Perseas then freed Andromeda from her chains and led her back to her parents who were crying with joy. Lastly, he sacrificed to all gods as a repentance for refusing them revenge. Poseidon later transformed the dead body of the monster into the first coral of the sea.
Andromeda, deeply impressed by the bravery of Perseus, fell in love with him. She asked her parents to let her marry him right away. They agreed with reluctance, but then Cassiopea secretly spoke to Agenor, who was already engaged to Andromeda, but had done nothing to help her when she was in grave danger. On the wedding day, Agenor arrived uninvited with a group of his friends, interrupting the ceremony and demanding that Andromeda canceled the union with Perseus. Cepheus and Cassiopea took the part of Agenor because he was the prince of a strong neighboring kingdom. When Perseus refused to put an end to the marriage, Agenor tried to take Andromeda away by force, while his friends launched a fierce attack against Perseus with their weapons.
Andromeda, deeply impressed by the bravery of Perseus, fell in love with him. She asked her parents to let her marry him right away. They agreed with reluctance, but then Cassiopea secretly spoke to Agenor, who was already engaged to Andromeda, but had done nothing to help her when she was in grave danger. On the wedding day, Agenor arrived uninvited with a group of his friends, interrupting the ceremony and demanding that Andromeda canceled the union with Perseus. Cepheus and Cassiopea took the part of Agenor because he was the prince of a strong neighboring kingdom. When Perseus refused to put an end to the marriage, Agenor tried to take Andromeda away by force, while his friends launched a fierce attack against Perseus with their weapons.
Perseus had predicted the betrayal of Cassiopeia, and so he brought with him the magic bag containing the head of Medusa. He took it out and used it to turn Agenor and his friends to stone. He did the same to Cepheus and Cassiopea, so Cassiopea was punished for the sin of pride.
As for Andromeda, Perseus flew back to Argos holding her in his arms. He then won his kingdom from his uncle, who had usurped the throne in his absence, and had many more adventures. Perseus and Andromeda eventually reigned in Tiryns, an ancient city in the Peloponnese, and their children ruled after them
When they died, Perseus and Andromeda also became constellations, but in their case, it was a great honor, not a terrible warning. One of the most well-known features of the Andromeda constellation is the nebula of Andromeda, the closest galaxy to our own.
