Sympathy for Minotaur

July 2, 2024

Sympathy for Minotaur – Knossos Palace and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum

We are taking our World Schooling seriously (yes, even in summer!) and as part of that effort we organize weekly field trips.  Our most recent educational adventure was to the legendary Knossos Palace (birthplace of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur) and the treasure trove that is the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. But before I get into our visit, I wanted to take a time to reexamine this well-known myth.

Not Your Daddy’s Myth

As prep work for the trip I read the kids the legendary tale of Theseus and the Minotaur from a Google searched source. It’s a fascinating story that I must admit, I knew only the very basics of, or at least that is all my feeble mind could recollect. All I remembered was that Theseus was a hero who slayed the horrible minotaur monster.  But who labeled the minotaur a monster? And why?  Is it possible he was just misunderstood?  Well, when you reread this myth in the context of modern evolved society’s penchant for inclusivity, it seems that Minotaur (yes, there is only one so going forward I am going to write it as a proper noun) got an undeserved bad rap.  

The story of how Minotaur came to be is a bit convoluted and sordid, as is the way with many Greek myths, but the gist of it goes like this; King Minos pissed off Poseidon so the god punished him by causing his wife, Pasiphae, to fall in love (and…a-hem..have sex) with a snow-white bull.  The resulting offspring was Minotaur described as “a monstrous creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull.”  This was to be a constant reminder to King Minos of his transgression against Poseidon. 

Plot hole check…why didn’t King Minos just kill Minotaur?  That is never explained although perhaps he felt some connection to the son of his wife? 

In any case, Minotaur does go on to devour seven young men and seven young maidens every 9 years who are sent to Daedalus’ labyrinth as part of a pact between King Minos and King Aegeus. 

Plot hole check: Why didn’t King Aegeus just refuse to send the sacrifices?  Was King Minos' kingdom as powerful as The Capital that they could compel District 12 to send tributes? Oh wait, wrong story. But sounds similar right?  

In any case, Minotaur is essentially forced into becoming a killer as he is locked in a labyrinth and not given much, if any, food (I am editorializing here).  So under the cold light of revisionist mythology, doesn’t it seem like the Minotaur is the innocent victim here?  And of course when the white Greek Adonis Theseus slays him no one levies accusations of racism, they hail him as a hero.  

In any case, justice is served, as in the end of the story, King Aegeus kills himself because he erroneously thinks that his son Theseus was killed by Minotaur since his son forgot to change the sails from black to white signifying to his father that he was alive.

Plot hole check: Why on earth did Theseus have the black sails up to begin with???!!!  Aren’t sails usually white? Shouldn’t he have assumed he would make it out alive and keep the white sails up and only have his crew change them to black in the event that he perished?  This seems like a real bone head move to me. 

Oh and in another turn of poetic justice, Theseus’ love interest, Ariadne, who is, by the way, King Minos’ daughter – I told you it was convoluted – gets wasted at a party the night before they're to depart for Theseus’ home town and misses the boat so Theseus loses his dad AND his best girl. Why he doesn’t just go back and get her is never explained. 

I don’t think this is how the real myth ends, but what if we Disney this story up a bit and have Ariadne go back home and fall in love with Minotaur in a little homage to Beauty and the Beast? Wouldn’t that be a good modern ending to this tragic story?  Then again, I guess they are half brother and sister so maybe that’s gross.

Okay, now back to the field trip.  Did you think I forgot?

Knossos Palace: Where Myths Come Alive

Stepping into the sprawling ruins of Knossos Palace felt like walking through the pages of a mythological storybook.

Knossos is a place where every stone seems to whisper secrets of the past, and where archaeologists have been passionately debating these secrets for centuries. The signs around the palace ruins openly critique previous interpretations, calling them "suspect." It’s like a scholarly soap opera, with archaeologists throwing interpretative shade at each other across the ages. “This staircase was definitely ceremonial!” declares one sign, while another retorts, “Ceremonial? More like a storeroom for olive oil.” Who knew archaeology could be so entertainingly contentious?

Heraklion Archaeological Museum: The Treasure Hunt

After our mythological musings at Knossos, we made our way to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. This short drive barely gave us time to finish debating whether the Minotaur should have started a support group for misunderstood mythical creatures.

Inside the museum, we were greeted by an astonishing array of artifacts, each one a window into the ancient world. From the intricate ivory bull leaper figurine to the enigmatic snake goddess statues, every piece seemed to tell a fragment of a long-lost story.

To keep the kids engaged (and sneak in some stealthy educational fun), we devised a museum scavenger hunt. Using the museum's app, I showed the kids pictures of artifacts, and they raced through the exhibits to find them. Shouts of “Found it!” echoed through the halls, much to the bemusement of other visitors.

The highlight of the hunt was when my youngest daughter, in her enthusiasm, tried to reenact the pose of one of the snake goddess figurines which happened to be headless. She was quickly, and somewhat sternly, reminded by museum staff that posing was not allowed. Despite the brief admonishment, her attempt added a delightful touch of humor to our day.

Reflections on a Mythical Journey

All in all, our family field trip to Knossos Palace and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum was a resounding success. We wandered through ancient corridors, felt a pang of sympathy for a misunderstood mythical creature, and discovered that even dusty old artifacts can spark a modern-day adventure. Plus, we learned that archaeology is not just about unearthing the past; it's also about lively debates and playful interpretations.

As we left the museum, the kids chattering excitedly about their favorite artifacts and myths, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the day's journey. It was a day where history came alive, imaginations ran wild, and, most importantly, family bonds were strengthened over stories as old as time. Here's to many more adventures in the labyrinths of history!