“Glancing back, I got my first clear look at the monster. He was seven feet tall, easy, his arms and legs like something from the cover of Muscle Man magazine-bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other ‘ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin. He wore no clothes except underwear-I mean, bright white Fruit of the Looms-which would’ve looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary.” (Riordan 25). The Minotaur is such a menacing figure! This is why Greek Mythology has always captivated my interests. The myths are full of heroes, monsters, and god possessing special powers and a compelling story. The Greeks used mythology to explain and teach about the occurrences and natural world events of ancient Greece. …show more content…
As punishment, King Minos enslaved Daedalus and Icarus for their parts in the plan. He, however, did not punish Pasiphae and allowed her to care for the Minotaur. Even though the beast received love and attention, it grew and matured into a ferocious and hungry beast. The queen became unable to feed or care for it any longer. The Minotaur was unable to find a sustainable source of food, so it started eating people. Of course, people feared the Minotaur as its legend grew and ferocity grew. King Minos had to do something! So, he ordered the craftsman and his son to construct a huge maze known as the Labyrinth to house and isolate the beast. While the labyrinth was being crafted by Daedalus, King Minos found out his son was killed by jealous Athenians during the Panathenaic Games. This enraged King Minos and he demanded that Athens pay a tribute of fourteen people every nine years. These tributes would then be placed in the Labyrinth for the Minotaur to devour. The tributes would wander around, lost in the never-ending shifting maze. The Minotaur got the chance to devour two different sets of tributes and wanted more. That was until one year a brave warrior named Theseus claimed that he could slay the mighty monster! Once Theseus arrived in Crete, he met the daughter of Minos, Ariadne. The two shortly fell in love. When Ariadne found out why Theseus was on the island, she feared she would never …show more content…
This monster has made its way into multiple movies, books, and plays. The myth of the Minotaur is also expressed in a wide array of pottery and paintings. Many art pieces show Theseus battling and defeating the Minotaur. The minotaur’s depiction is consistent throughout most interpretations, but does vary in some stories. In the movie, “Wrath of the Titans”, the Minotaur is a green hulking monster with a snot covered face. This version of the Minotaur though can influence its victims by forcing them to see images of loved ones inside the labyrinth. The monster can also mimic the voices of other people, causing his prey to fall into his trap. In “Dante’s Inferno”, the beast is most likely a guardian and symbol in the circle of violence. One version stands out to me the most though, the Minotaur in the Percy Jackson series. Externally, the beast keeps the same descriptions as other stories, and he also has his axe told in some versions of the myth. The main difference to me is the attitude of the monster and the associated comedic nature in this version. Yes, it is still a lumbering hulking beast only wanting to kill for food. In this movie, however, it shows that it can take orders and complete tasks as instructed. This monster was given the task to capture Percy Jackson’s mother and bring her to the god of the underworld Hades. During battle, the Minotaur seems to have one consistent signature move that always