Hyginus Fabulae, 40-42 Minos, Theseus and the Minotaur, and Ariadne


      Minos was the sone of Jupiter and Europa. When he was making war with the Athenians, his son Androgeus was killed in the fighting. After Minos defeated the Athenians, they became tribute bearers to the Minoans. However, he levied a tribute that each year they should send seven elite sons to be fed to the Minotaur. 2. After Theseus had arrived from Troezen and heard that the city was afflicted by such a disastrous situation, he voluntarily pledged that he would go to the Minotaur. When his father sent him, he advised Theseus, should he return victorious, to keep white sails on his ship. However, when they were sent away to the Minotaur, they sailed under black sails.
     After Theseus arrived in Crete, the daughter of Minos, Ariadne, fell in love with him so deeply that she betrayed her brother and saved the visitor; for, she showed Theseus the Labyrinth's exit, where Theseus could enter and slay the Minotaur. At Ariadne's bidding he got out re-rolling a string. So, because he had given her his word, he took her away from Crete in order to marry her.
     Theseus was retained on the island of Dia by a storm. He considered that if he should take Ariadne back to his homeland, it would be a cause for derision. Therefore, he left her sleeping on the island of Dia. Bacchus (Liber) fell in love with her and then took her to himself in marriage. Theseus, however, when he was under sail, forgot to change the black sails, and for this reason his father Aegeus believed that Theseus had been eaten by the Minotaur and threw himself headlong into the sea. From this act the Aegean Sea has its name. Ariadne's sister Phaedra, though, Theseus married.
     — translation RTMacfarlane
     

40. Minos.

      Minos Iouis et Europae filius cum Atheniensibus belligerauit, cuius filius Androgeus in pugna est occisus. qui posteaquam Athenienses uicit, uectigales Minois esse coeperunt; instituit autem ut anno uno quoque septenos liberos suos Minotauro ad epulandum mitterent. 2. Theseus posteaquam a Troezene uenerat et audit quanta calamitate ciuitas afficeretur, uoluntarie se ad Minotaurum pollicitus est ire. 3. quem pater cum mitteret, praedixit ei ut si uictor reuerteretur uela candida in nauem haberet; qui autem ad Minotaurum mittebantur uelis atris nauigabant.

      42. thesevs apvd minotavrvm.

      1. Theseus posteaquam Cretam uenit ab Ariadne Minois filia est adamatus adeo ut fratrem proderet et hospitem seruaret, ea enim Theseo monstrauit labyrinthi exitum, quo Theseus cum introisset et Minotaurum interfecisset, Ariadnes monitu licium reuoluendo foras est egressus, eamque, quod fidem ei dederat, in coniugio secum habiturus auexit.

      43. Ariadne.

      Theseus in insula Dia tempestate retentus, cogitans si Ariadnen in patriam portasset, sibi opprobrium futurum, itaque in insula Dia dormientem reliquit; quam Liber amans inde sibi in coniugium abduxit. 2. Theseus autem cum nauigaret oblitus est atra uela mutare, itaque Aegeus pater eius credens Theseum a Minotauro esse consumptum in mare se praecipitauit, ex quo Aegeum pelagus est dictum. 3. Ariadnes autem sororem Phaedram Theseus duxit in coniugium.