Ariadne. The daughter of King Minos of Crete and his wife Pasiphaë, Ariadne fell in love with Theseus when he came to Crete to kill the Minotaur. The beast, offspring of a union between Pasiphaë and a bull, was kept in a labyrinth built by Daedalus. Every nine years a tribute of fourteen young Athenians was brought to Crete and sacrificed to it. When Theseus arrived in Crete as part of this group, Ariadne told him she could help him negotiate the labyrinth successfully if he would take her with him when he left. She gave him a ball of golden thread, which he unwound along his path as he penetrated the maze. After encountering and slaying the Minotaur, Theseus retraced his steps by following the thread.
    Having succeeded in his mission, Theseus left Crete, taking Ariadne with him. On the way back to Athens they stopped on the island of Naxos (a.k.a. "Dia" according to Callimachus fr. 601Pf ; though Dia is variously identified as a tiny island just north of Knossos [35ó7'12"N 25ó13'06"E]), where Theseus abandoned Ariadne. According to one legend, he simply forgot her and sailed away; others say that he left her in favor of her sister Phaedra. Ariadne was discovered on the island by Dionysus (Bacchus), who married her. In Homer’s version, Artemis killed Ariadne for eloping with Theseus while already engaged to Dionysus. According to Hesiod, Ariadne became immortal through her marriage to the god. In yet another legend, Ariadne died giving birth to Theseus’ child.
    Ariadne Abandoned has been a favorite theme in the fine arts. She is depicted woefully watching Theseus’ ship(s) sail into the distance, or sleeping defenseless (often nude); sometimes Dionysus and his train can be seen approaching.

    See also Dionysus, and Ariadne; Minos; Theseus, General List.