Theseus

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INTENTIONALLY
LEFT BLANK
A
GREEK
MYTH
STORY BY
JEFF LIMKE
PENCILS AND INKS BY
JOHN McCREA
A
GREEK
MYTH
THESEUS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HEROES OF GREEK
story by jeff limke
MYTHOLOGY. HIS FEATS OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE HAVE
pencils and inks by john mCcrea
BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
colouring by hi-fi colour design
FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS. THIS PARTICULAR BOOK
lettering by hi-fi colour design
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
consultant: david Mulroy, phd
university of wisconsin-milwaukee
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.
Graphic Universe is a trademark of Lerner
Publishing Group, Inc.
TM
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise – without the prior written
permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except
for the inclusion of brief quotations in an
acknowledged review.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2009 by
Lerner Books,
Dalton House,
60 Windsor Avenue,
London SW19 2RR
Website address: www.lernerbooks.co.uk
This edition was updated and edited for UK
publication 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
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. . . 43
glossary. . . 46
further reading, websites and films. . . 47
creating theseus: battling the minotaur. . . 47
index. . . 48
about the author and the artist. . . 48
THE
TREASURE
BENEATH THE BOULDER
MYNAME IS CONNIDUSANDI TAUGHT THESEUS
AS A CHILD. I TAUGHT HIM HISTORy,POETRY
ANDMATHEMATICS. HIS MOTHERAETHRATAUGHT
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 WASOLDENOUGH, HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM
THAT THE FIRSTOFMANYTASKS 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 SHEHADTOLDHIM
HE WAS THE SONOFPOSEIDON,
THEGODOF THE SEA.
THE TREASURE BENEATH
THE ROCK WAS NOT WHAT
HEHADEXPECTED.
6
you KNEW
THIS WOULD BE
HEREDΙDΝ'TYOU,
MOTHER?
OF COURSE.
IT WILL HELP yOU
PROVE youR
BIRTHRIGHT.
AND
THAT
IS?
WHy, T H E S E U S , I W O U L D
H O P E you W O U L D K N O W
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,ANDyOU
ARE RIGHT. IT DOES SOUND
AWKWARD.BUTIT IS
youR DESTiNy.
youR
MOTHER
SPEAKS
THE TRUTH,
yOUNG
ONE.
THE GOOS
PROCLAIMED IT
LONG AGO.
7
YES,
GRANDFATHER
PITTHEUS?
THESEUS-
you KNOW
THERE ARE TWO WAYS
TO ATHENS. THE SEA
WILL BE SAFER
ANDFASTER.
OVER LAND
WILL BE LONGER
AND MORE
DANGEROUS.
HERAKLES*, THE GREATEST
HERO, CHALLENGED THE DANGERS
ANDSUCCEEDED.
NO, PLEASE GO
BY SEA. IT WILL
BE DANGEROUS
ENOUGH.
IF I'M TO BE
A HEROANDONE 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.
8
BANDITS
ON THE ROAD
THESEUS L E F T
H I S H O M E IN
T H E MOUNTAINS
AND B E G A N H I S
JOURNEY.
H E DIDN'T H A V E
T O WAIT L O N G .
H E KNEW H E WOULD HAVE
T O FACE CHALLENGES.
H E A L S O K N E W H E HAD
T O B E A T T H E M IF H E W A S
GOING T O B E WORTH O F
B E C O M I N G KING.
I N TRUTH, H E COULDN'T
HIMSELF.
WAIT TO P R O V E
WELL,
WELL, WELL,
D
O I HAVE
H E R E ? A BOY
D R E S S E D LIKE H E
WANTS T O B E A
YOU H A V E T H E
SHIELD, B U T Y O U ' R E
MISSING SOMETHING.
A
PERHAPS?
SWORD,
HERO.
A
CLUB?
OR
MAYBE... ;
9
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!
10
COME
ON THEN!
SEE WHAT
I CAN
DO!
I GUESS
THAT EACH
OF THESE LITTLE
CROSSES STANDS
you
WERE SAYING
SOMETHING
BEFORE?
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.
11
THESEUSHADNOT GONE
MUCH FURTHER WHEN
ANOTHER BANDIT APPEARED,
SINISTHEPINEBENDER.
WHy WOULD THAT BE?
THE ROAD IS CLEAR.
E X C U S E ME,
TRAVELLER,
B U T I ' M AFRAID
you C A N G O
NO FURTHER.
TRUE. BUT THOSE
WHO HAVE GONE
FORWARD PASSED
A SIMPLE TEST.
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.
12
HAND
ME THE
BRANCH.
TH-THERE.
BUT YOU'RS
NOT FINISHED.
MANY H A V E D O N E
NOT
BAD.
THAT. P U T FEW
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
WHAT COMES
NEXT.
W O U L D you
LET M E RE-GRIP
THIS ONE, FIRST?
I WAS NOT
READY T O HOLD
TWO.
I ' M S U R E you
CAN G U E S S WHAT
I'M GOING TO
A S K O F you.
TAKE AS
L O N G A S Y O U NEED.
IT M A K E S N O
DIFFERENCE.
OF C O U R S E .
--O R you
WILL NOT.
EITHER you
WILL BE ABLE
TO Do IT--
13
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.
THIS IS
A TRAveLLeR's
PATHAND
THEY
DESERVE T O BE
SAFE.
you
D0
/V0T.
HAVING VANQUISHED TWO BANDITS,
THESEUS KNEW THAT ATHENS COULD
NOT BE PAR AWAY.
GOOD TRAVELLER,
I AM PROCRUSTES
AND THIS IS My INN.
wHy
DON'T you
J U S T sTAy
HOW FAR
IS IT TO ATHENS?
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.
15
GO ON
THROÜGH THERE
WITH yOUR
BELONGINGS.
THANK
you,
I WILL.
PLEASE
MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING
IS SUITABLE,
HOW
ARE
THINGS?
Tthe
H E Bbed
ED
Llooks
O O K S Bbig
IG
Eenough.
NOUGH.
I THOUGHT
IT MIGHT.
I WOULDN'T
WORRY ABOUT
IT IF I WERE
you.
I T S NOT
A PROBLEM
I ASSURE
you.
16
I'M SURE
I'LL BE JUST
FINE.
I'LL SEE
WHAT I CAN
DO ABOUT
THAT.
THAT'S GOOD.
NO NEED TO GO
TO ANy TROUBLE
FOR ME.
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
17
P-P-LEASE
LET...ME...
NO. THIS IS
WHAT y<3U WOULP
HAVE PONE
TOME.
...&-&o.
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. .
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 yOU MADE
TALLER TRAVELLERS FIT.
yOUR BED,
PROCRUSTES-
18
-NOW,
you CAN
SLEEP IN
IT!
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!
THAT
IS NOT
NEWS!
MAKE WAY",
I HAVE AN
URGENT
MESSAGE
FOR THE
KING!
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.
19
YOU
SPOKE
THE
TRUTH.
THIS MAN
COULD BE THE
PERSON WHO
COULD UNITE
ATHENS BEHIND
ME.
YOU WILL
COME WITH US
KING AEGEUS
DEMANDS TO
SPEAK WITHYOU
LET ME
GIVE yOU SOME
ADVICE, COUNTRY
BOY-
-WHEN
YOU'RE
KING, yoU CAN
ASK QUESTIONS.
20
BRING
HIM TO ME
IMMEDIATELY.
WHY?
TELL MΕ
YOUR NAME,
BOY.
My MOTHER
NAMED ME
THESEUS.
AND
THIS CLUB?
IT BELONGED
TO CORYNETES
DIDN'T IT?
I DON'T
YES.
IT'S MINE THINK HE'LL
BE BOTHERING
NOW.
ANYMORE
TRAVELLERS.
SO I HEAR
MY SOLDIERS TELL
ME YOU HAVE MADE
TRAVEL SAFE
ON THAT ROAD
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.
21
IF H E C A N
MEDEA
WAS NOT H A P P .
S H E HAD M A R R I E D AEGEUS
B E L I E V I N G H E HAD N O
CHILDREN. S H E H O P E D
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 A T H E N S .
THE seus'A R R I V A L S U R E L
Y
THREATENED H E R PLAN.
YOU PROMISED
My SONS THEy
COULD RULE
ATHENS AFTER
you.
AEGEUS, I THINK D E F E A T T H E BANDITS,
YOU NEED TO FEAR
Y O U KNOW H E COULD
THIS THESERS. REPLACE YOU IN T H E
PEOPLE'S HEARTS.
I T IS
WHAT
WOULD Y O U
HAVE ME
DO?
INTOLERABLE
FOR A HOST TO
HARM HIS
GUEST.
HE IS
A GUEST
IN My
HOME.
IF THIS
THEseu s W E R E
TO DO SOMETHING
το you, THEy
A R E N T READY.
you J U S T
LET M E WORRY
ABOUT THESEUS.
you
WORRY
ABOUT
RULING.
22
PERHAPS,
BUT HE
ISN'T MY
GUEST.
LATER,AEG 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.
YOUNG 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.
-AETHRA
BUT My
MOTHER'S
NAME
WAS-
SAY THAT
BOY!
NAME AGAIN,
AETHRA?
DON'T LET
HIM DRINK
THAT-
-AND
BRING
HIM
ro
Met
23
IN AEGEUS' CHAMBERS,
THESEUS TOLD HIS TALE.
YOU SHALL
RULE THIS CITY
SOMEDAY.
-AND NOW I'M HERE
TO MEET MY FATHER
ANDCLAIM My
BIRTHRIGHT.
ALREADY
I HAVE HEARP
YOUR NAME
MENTIONED AMONG
MY GUARDS.
you ARE
My SON,
THESEUS.
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.
THE REWARD
SEEMS BETTER.
THERE ARE GROUPS
WITHIN THE CITY THAT WOULD
LIKE TO STEAL MY THRONE.
PERHAPS.
EVEN AS
WE TALK,
OTHERS
CONSPIRE
AGAINST ME.
IT IS ALL
I CAN DO
TO RULE MY
CITY.
PERHAPS
OUR YOUNG
HERO COULD
HELP ME.
THERE IS
ALWAYS OUR
AGREEMENT
WITH CRETE.
24
NO, I WILL
NOT DO THAT.
TELL
ME
MORE.
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.
THE BOY
SHOULD KNOW,
AEGEUS.
VERV
WELL.
WE HEAR TALES
OF WHAT HAPPENS
TO THEM, BUT NO
ONE HAS EVER
RETURNED ALIVE
TO TELL US
FOR SURE.
INCLUDE ME
WITH THIS
OFFERING.
My SONS
ARE TOO
yOUNG,
BUT
you-
I CAN
END THIS!
-you COULD
BE THE HERO
TO END THIS
TERRIBLE
THING.
BUT you
HAVE J U S T
RETURNED.
PUT ME
ON THE SHIP.
I AM NOT
TOO OLD TO
DO THIS.
I CAN'T
SEND
YOU MUST. I CAN
UNITE THE PEOPLE
FOR YOU--
you
AWAy NOW.
LET THE
PEOPLE KNOW
I AM GOING.
THEy WILL KNOW
you ARE ONE OF THEM BY
SACRIFICING yoUR ONLy SON.
-FOR
US.
25
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
26
BY KING MINOS.
KING MINOS
ANDTHE
MINOOTAUR
WHE
N THE SHIP ARRIVED,
KING MINOS WAS
WAITING.
AH, THAT
TOO
SMALL.
ONE LOOKS
FINE.
TOO
SKINNY.
I
WANT
HIM.
TOO
FAT.
TOO
WEAK
WHAT
IS yOUR
NAME,
Boy?
ADDRESS
ME PROPERLY,
SLAVE!
THESEUS.
27
TAKE
HIM
AWAY.
H E WILL B E T H E
F I R S T IN T H E LABYRINTH
TOMORROW. WE'LL S E E
IF H E C A N B E T H E
F I R S T T O O U T W I T ITS
DESIGNER,
DAEDALUS.
YOU
BETTER
B E READY
FOR
YEAH, YOU'RE
GOING TO MEET
T H E MINOTAUR,
TOMORROW.
OOOH, YOU RE
GOING TO BE
HIS B R E A K F A S T !
WHAT'S
A
MINOTAUR?
I DONT
KNOW.
ARENT
YOU
SCARED?
NO. I ' M N O T
SCARED O F
SOMETHING
I DONT
KNOW.
you
SHOULD
BE.
WHO ARE
you? D O you
ARIADNE.
KING MINOS
M Y NAME IS
FATHER
HAD D A E D A L U S D E S I G N T H E
LABYRINTH T O K E E P T H E
M I N O T A U R IMPRISONED
AND AWAY FROM US.
MY
KNOW WHAT T H E
MINOTAUR IS?
ONLYTHESEUSHAD
APHRODITE HAD
28
IF
KNOWN
THE GODDESS
S M I L E D 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 HELP WHEN
H E NEEDED IT.
T H E MINOTAUR
IS A T H I N G CHILDREN
O F CRETE HAVE
NIGHTMARES
ABOUT.
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
ANDSO DID
HER CHILD.
BUT NO ONE
EXPECTEP HIM
TO LOOK LIKE-
-THIS!
IN FACT, HE WAS SO
MINOSREFUSEDTO
ΑDΜΓΤ THE CHILD
WAS HIS.
HE RECEIVED MANy DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS.
EMBARRASSED HE
WOULP HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH IT.
MINOS WENT TO
THE TEMPLE TO
FIND OUT WHAT
TO DO WITH THE
MONSTER.
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.
29
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.
THE FINISHED LABYRINTH
WAS EVERYTHING MINOS
HAD WANTED.
HE WAS NICE TO ME,
BUT HE WAS NEVER
LET OUT OF HIS CAGE.
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.
30
NO ONE SHOULD
HAVE TO LIVE
LIKE THAT.
THE LABYRINTH HAS NEVER
BEEN SOLVED. NO ONE EXPECTED
THE MINOTAUR TO WORK IT OUT.
BUT DAEDALUS
TOL
D 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
ENDOFIT TO
THE ENTRANCE
AND LET IT PLAy
OUT BEHIND
you.
T H E N you
ONLY HAVE
TO FOLLOW
IT B A C K T O
GET OUT.
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.
-WHy
ME...?
WAIT!
I NEED
TO KNOW--
31
INTO THE
LABYRINTH
THE
N E X T DAY,
THESEUS
WAS TAKEN
TO T H E
LABYRINTH.
PEOPLE J E E R E D
LOUDLY A S HE
WAS PARADED
PAST THEM.
HE WAS
PREPARED
F O R WHAT
WAS T O
COME.
H E HADN'T B E E N
AFRAID WHEN H E
LEFT HOME T O G O
TO ATHENS-
- H E WASN'T
AFRAID NOW
EITHER.
HE KNEW H E COULD
DEFEAT THIS MONSTER
J U S T A S H E HAD
DEFEATED T H E B A N D I T S -
- N O MATTER
HOW MANY O T H E R S
B E F O R E HIM HAD DIED
BELIEVING T H E SAME
THING.
32
THE BOY YOU SEE BELOW
IS RATHER IMPORTANT.
THE OTHERS
HAVE TOLP MY
GUARDS HE IS
THE SONOFKING
AEGEUS.
WHAT DO
you THINK,
HE MUST BE
DESPERATE
TO
DAEDALUS?
SHOULD I
GIVE HIM AN
. INCENTIVE.
SEND HIS HEIR
TO DIE.
H E IS
ROYALTY,
AFTER
ALL.
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 TODIEIN THE
LABYRINTH AT THE HAND
OF My SON.
YOU'RE RIGHT,
OF COURSE.
yOU'RE ALWAYS
RIGHT.
LET ME
MAKE yOU A
PROPOSITION.
IF you MAKE IT OUT
OF THE LABYRINTH...
I T IS
AGREED.
...ALIVE...
I WILL RELEASE
ATHENS OF ITS
TRIBUTEANDRELEASE
yOUANDTHOSE WHO
CAME WITH yOU.
33
TAKE THIS!
IT'S THE ONLY
ONE YOU GET.
BUT IT'S
STILL
DAYLIGHT.
NOT IN
THERE IT
ISNT.
HERE
WE
GO.
34
THE AIR WAS MUST AND SMELLED AWFUL.
THESEUS'STOMACH
THE STENCH MADE
ROLL WITH EVERY" BREATH.
THE GUARDSHADTOLDTHESEUS
THAT THE MINOTAUR WOULD
DEFEAT HIM EASILY.
THE BEAST WAS
FAR TOO STRONG
FORANYMORTAL
MAN TO PEPEAT
WITHOUT A
WEAPON.
STILL, THESEUS KNEW HEHADBEEN 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 ITANDUSE
ITS STRENGTH
AGAINST IT.
WOULDN'T
HE?
35
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?
36
37
38
THeseus'
LUNGS
BURNED, H I S R I B S
ACHEDANDITHURT
T O STAND.
HE HAP GIVEN T H E MONSTER HIS
B E S T S O PAR, Y E T T H E BEAST
WOULD NOT STAY DOWN.
UNH...
39
GET...
OFF...
ME!
YOU
FOUGHT
WELL.
I WILL MAKE
SURE OUR FIGHT
WILL BE TOLD FOR AGES.
FIR AGES
40
MINOS!
W-WHAT
IS THIS?
W-WHAT DOES
HE CARRY?
IT IS
THE HORN
OF OUR
SON...
41
GUARDS!!
KILL
HIM!
FATHER,
YOU CAN'T.
DO THAT.
ARIADNE!
BE QUIET!
WHAT?
YOU promised το FREE HIM.
you
ARE
RIGHT,
GIRL.
you
DON'T,
THE GODS
WILL
PUNISH
you
AND
CRETE.
IF
THE GODS
CURSED US
BEFORE.
THEy WILL
AGAIN.
SHE IS
RIGHT,
My
KING.
YOUNG HEIR
OF ATHENS,
you HAVE
PROVEN
youR
WORTH.
TAKE youR
PEOPLE AND
RETURN
HOME.
42
I RELEASE
yOU AND
youR ciry
OF ANY
OBLIGATIONS.
HE IS
FREE,
you ARE
FREE.
DAEDALUS
,
I WILL
DEAL WITH
yOU LATER.
RETURN
TO ATHENS
7H E BOYS AND
G I R L S W H O HAD
C O M E WITH
THEy WERE VERY
HAPPY KNOWING THEY
WOULD RETURN HOME
TO THEIR FAMILIES.
THESEUS
CELEBRATED
TOGETHER
O N T H E SHIP.
THEy CELEBRATED THE WHOLE WAY
WITHOUT A WORRY IN THEIR HEARTS.
HAVE THERE
BEEN ANY
SIGHTINGS?
BUT WHAT
OF THE SAIL?
A SHIP IS
ON THE
HORIZON,
BUT NO
ONE IS
SURE.
WHAT COLOUR
IS THE SAIL?
WE JUST
CANT TELL.
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-
43
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
THESEUS,
YOUR FATHER
HAS DIED.
WHAT?!
TO BE...
...THE SAIL
WAS BLACK!
YOU ARE
THE KING
OF ATHENS
NOW
MEDEA HAD
DISAPPEARED
WITH HER
SONS
BEFORE THE
FUNERAL OF
AEG EUS.
THESEUS BROUGHT HIS TRUE
FAMILY TO LIVE WITH HIM IN ATHENS.
44
THEY BURIED
AEGEUS WITHIN
THE ROYAL
FAMILY'S TOMB.
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.
45
glossary
aegeus: the king of Athens and
Theseus’ father
aethra: Aegeus’ wife and Theseus’
mother
aphrodite: the Greek goddess of love
and beauty
ariadne: Minos’ daughter, who helps
Theseus to escape the labyrinth
athens: one of the great historic
Greek city-states
connidus: Theseus’ centaur (halfhorse, half-human) tutor
crete: a large island in the eastern
Mediterranean Sea, off the
southern coast of Greece
daedalus: the engineering genius
who built the labyrinth for King
Minos
herakles: a legendary Greek hero;
also known by his Roman name,
Hercules
labyrinth: a place full of confusing
passageways and dead ends; a
maze
medea: Aegeus’ wife
46
minos: the king of Crete and the
father of the Minotaur and of
Ariadne
minotaur: a ferocious half-man, halfbull; the son of Minos and
Pasiphaë
pasiphaë: wife of Minos, mother of
the Minotaur
periphetes: a bandit who preys on
travellers along the road to
Athens
pittheus: Theseus’ grandfather
poseidon: the Greek god of the sea
procrustes: an evil innkeeper who
murders his guests by stretching
them or cutting off their limbs
sinis: a sinister bandit who kills his
victims by forcing them to hold
the tops of two trees at the same
time, causing them to be torn
apart
theseus: son of Aegeus and Aethra;
Aegeus’ successor as king of
Athens
further reading, websites and films
Deary, Terry. The Groovy Greeks (Horrible Histories) Scholastic, 2007. An
entertaining insight into the lives and culture of the ancient Greeks.
Limke, Jeff. Jason: Quest for the Golden Fleece Lerner Books, 2008. Read about
the exciting adventures of another great Greek hero, Jason, and his
relationship with a certain woman named Medea.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths. DVD. Directed by David Garfath
and John Madden. Hollywood, CA: Sony Pictures, 2004. In this entertaining
series of stories, four famous Greek myths – including Theseus and the
Minotaur – 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 short
animations that accompany each one.
Storrie, Paul D. Hercules: The Twelve Labours Lerner Books, 2008. Learn about
Theseus’ hero and inspiration, Hercules, one of Greece’s greatest legends.
Woff, Richard. The British Museum Pocket Dictionary of Ancient Greek and
Roman Gods and Goddesses (British Museum Pocket Dictionaries) British
Museum Press, 2003. Find out more about the gods and goddesses of the
ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.
creating theseus: battling the minotaur
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.
original pencil from page 15
index
Aegeus 19–26, 43
Aethra 6–8, 45
Aphrodite 28, 31
Ariadne 28–31, 33, 42
Connidus 6–8, 45
Corynetes (Periphetes) 9–11
Minotaur: battle with Theseus 37-40;
imprisonment within the labyrinth
30; parentage of 29
Pasiphaë 29, 41
Procrustes 15–18
Sinis 12–14
Daedalus 28, 30, 33, 42
labyrinth: battle between Theseus and
Minotaur within 37–40; building
of 30
Theseus: battle with the Minotaur 37–40;
destiny of 7; encounters with bandits
on the road to Athens 9–18
Medea 21, 22, 24–26, 43, 44
Minos 27–30, 33, 41, 42
about the author and the artist
jeff limke was raised in North Dakota, USA. There he read, listened to and
marvelled at stories from the day he learned to read. He later taught stories
for many years and has written adaptations of them. Some of his stories have
been 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 of
Giants; Jason: The Quest for the Golden Fleece; and Arthur & Lancelot: The
Fight for Camelot. Along the way, he got married, and he and his wife had a
daughter who loves to read, listen to and marvel at stories.
john mCcrea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has been drawing comics
professionally for nearly twenty years. His work has become well known through
comics 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.
48
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INTENTIONALLY
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 THE
TRUTH OF HIS BIRTH: HE IS THE SON OF KING AEGEUS, RULER OF ATHENS.
ARMED WITH HIS FATHER’S SHIELD, HE SETS OUT TO CLAIM HIS
BIRTHRIGHT AND FACE HIS GREATEST CHALLENGE – THE MINOTAUR,
A SAVAGE BEAST WHO IS HALF-MAN, HALF-BULL. TO DEFEAT
THE MINOTAUR, THESEUS MUST ENTER THE LABYRINTH, A
BEWILDERING MAZE FROM WHICH NO ONE HAS EVER
ESCAPED ALIVE. WILL THESEUS SUCCEED IN HIS QUEST?
OR WILL HE SUFFER THE FATE OF THE MINOTAUR’S
MANY OTHER VICTIMS?
GRAPHIC MYTHS AND LEGENDS TITLES:
ARTHUR & LANCELOT: THE FIGHT FOR CAMELOT
978-0-7613-4346-2
ATALANTA: THE RACE AGAINST DESTINY
978-1-58013-317-3
BEOWULF: MONSTER SLAYER
978-0-7613-4347-9
DEMETER & PERSEPHONE: SPRING HELD HOSTAGE
978-1-58013-318-0
HERCULES: THE TWELVE LABOURS
978-1-58013-319-7
ISIS & OSIRIS: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
978-1-58013-320-3
www.lernerbooks.co.uk
JASON: QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE
978-1-58013-321-0
KING ARTHUR: EXCALIBUR UNSHEATHED
978-1-58013-322-7
ODYSSEUS: ESCAPING POSEIDON’S CURSE
978-0-7613-4348-6
PERSEUS: THE HUNT FOR MEDUSA’S HEAD
978-0-7613-4349-3
SINBAD: SAILING INTO PERIL
978-0-7613-4350-9
THESEUS: BATTLING THE MINOTAUR
978-0-7613-4351-6