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 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
MYTHOLOGY. HIS FEATS OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE HAVE
BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS. THIS PARTICULAR BOOK
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
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.
story by jeff limke
pencils and inks by john mCcrea
colouring by hi-fi colour design
lettering by hi-fi colour design
consultant: david Mulroy, phd
university of wisconsin-milwaukee
Graphic Universe is a trademark of Lerner
TM
Publishing Group, Inc.
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
youR DESTiNy. MOTHER
SPEAKS
THE TRUTH,
yOUNG
ONE.

THE GOOS
PROCLAIMED IT
LONG AGO.

7
 THESEUS- YES,
GRANDFATHER
PITTHEUS?
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
H E DIDN'T H A V E
ON THE ROAD H E KNEW H E WOULD HAVE T O WAIT L O N G .
T O FACE CHALLENGES.
THESEUS L E F T H E A L S O K N E W H E HAD
H I S H O M E IN T O B E A T T H E M IF H E W A S
T H E MOUNTAINS GOING T O B E WORTH O F
AND B E G A N H I S B E C O M I N G KING.
JOURNEY.

I N TRUTH, H E COULDN'T
WAIT TO P R O V E HIMSELF.

WELL,
WELL, WELL,
O I HAVE D YOU H A V E T H E
SHIELD, B U T Y O U ' R E
H E R E ? A BOY MISSING SOMETHING.
D R E S S E D LIKE H E A SWORD, PERHAPS? A
WANTS T O B E A CLUB?
HERO.

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! COME
ON THEN!
SEE WHAT
I CAN
DO!

10
 you I GUESS
WERE SAYING THAT EACH
SOMETHING OF THESE LITTLE
BEFORE? CROSSES STANDS
FOR A TRAVELLER
YOU HAVE
CLUBBED?

HERAKLES PUNISHED
BANDITS By DOING TO THEM
WHAT THEy DID TO
THEIR VICTIMS.

SINCE IT -IT WORKS

WORKED FOR FOR ME.
HIM-

11
 THESEUSHADNOT GONE
MUCH FURTHER WHEN
ANOTHER BANDIT APPEARED,
SINISTHEPINEBENDER.

E X C U S E ME, WHy WOULD THAT BE?

TRAVELLER, THE ROAD IS CLEAR.
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 HAND

WILL HAVE TO FIND ME THE
A DIFFERENT ROUTE, BRANCH.
AN EASIER ROUTE.

12
 BUT YOU'RS
NOT FINISHED.
TH-THERE. NOT
MANY H A V E D O N E
THAT. P U T FEW
BAD. HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
WHAT COMES
NEXT.

W O U L D you
LET M E RE-GRIP
THIS ONE, FIRST?
I ' M S U R E you I WAS NOT
CAN G U E S S WHAT READY T O HOLD
TWO.
I'M GOING TO
A S K O F you.

TAKE AS
OF C O U R S E .
L O N G A S Y O U NEED.
IT M A K E S N O
DIFFERENCE. --O R you
WILL NOT.
EITHER you
WILL BE ABLE
TO Do IT--

13
WHA-WHAT
ARE you SEEING
DOING? 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 you
SAFE. 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
HOW FAR J U S T sTAy
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,
PLEASE I WILL.
MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING
IS SUITABLE,

HOW Tthe
H E Bbed
ED
ARE Llooks
O O K S Bbig
IG
THINGS? Eenough.
NOUGH.

I THOUGHT I'LL SEE

IT MIGHT. WHAT I CAN
DO ABOUT
THAT.

I WOULDN'T THAT'S GOOD.

WORRY ABOUT I'M SURE NO NEED TO GO
IT IF I WERE I'LL BE JUST TO ANy TROUBLE
FINE. FOR ME.
you.

I T S NOT
A PROBLEM
I ASSURE
you.

16
AFTER THEY
HAD EATEN. CAN YOU I CAN
WAKE ME AT DO THAT
THESEUS
FELT THE SUNRISE? I WANT THE COCKEREL
TO GET TO ATHENS WILL WAKE YOU
DAY HAD
CAUGHT UP AS EARLY AS REGARDLESS
I CAN
TO HIM

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...

...&-&o. NO. THIS IS

WHAT y<3U WOULP
HAVE PONE
TOME.

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 -NOW,
OR I WOULD HAVE USEP THE you CAN
SWORD yOU USED TO MAKE yOU MADE SLEEP IN
TALLER TRAVELLERS FIT. IT!
yOUR BED,
PROCRUSTES-

18
 OF
THE KING
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!

BUT THIS
TRAVELLER CARRIES
A WEAPON OF ONE
MAKE WAY", OF THE BANDITS
I HAVE AN KNOWN TO LIVE
URGENT ON THE ROAD TAKE
MESSAGE TO ATHENS. ME TO
FOR THE THIS SEE
KING! I MUST HIM.
SEE.

19
 YOU BRING
SPOKE HIM TO ME
THE THIS MAN IMMEDIATELY.
TRUTH. COULD BE THE
PERSON WHO
COULD UNITE
ATHENS BEHIND
ME.

YOU WILL
COME WITH US
KING AEGEUS
DEMANDS TO
SPEAK WITHYOU WHY?

LET ME
GIVE yOU SOME
ADVICE, COUNTRY
BOY-
-

-WHEN
- YOU'RE
KING, yoU CAN
ASK QUESTIONS.

20
 TELL MΕ
YOUR NAME,
BOY.

My MOTHER
NAMED ME
THESEUS. AND
THIS CLUB?
IT BELONGED
TO CORYNETES
DIDN'T IT?

YES. I DON'T
IT'S MINE THINK HE'LL
NOW. BE BOTHERING
ANYMORE
TRAVELLERS.

SO I HEAR
MY SOLDIERS TELL you
ME YOU HAVE MADE HAVE MY
TRAVEL SAFE THANKS.
ON THAT ROAD

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 .
AEGEUS, I THINK D E F E A T T H E BANDITS,
YOU NEED TO FEARY O U KNOW H E COULD
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
THIS THESERS. REPLACE YOU IN T H E
CHILDREN. S H E H O P E D PEOPLE'S HEARTS.
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.

I T IS
YOU PROMISED WHAT
My SONS THEy WOULD Y O U INTOLERABLE
COULD RULE HAVE ME FOR A HOST TO PERHAPS,
ATHENS AFTER DO? HARM HIS BUT HE
you. GUEST. ISN'T MY
GUEST.
HE IS
A GUEST
IF THIS IN My
THEseu s W E R E HOME.
TO DO SOMETHING
το you, THEy
A R E N T READY.

you J U S T
LET M E WORRY you
ABOUT THESEUS. WORRY
ABOUT
RULING.

22
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, -AETHRA
BUT HE HAS NEVER VISITED ME.

BUT My
MOTHER'S
NAME
WAS-

SAY THAT
NAME AGAIN,
BOY!

AETHRA?

DON'T LET
HIM DRINK
THAT-

-AND
BRING
HIM
ro
Met

23
 -AND NOW I'M HERE
TO MEET MY FATHER you ARE
IN AEGEUS' CHAMBERS, ANDCLAIM My My SON,
THESEUS TOLD HIS TALE. BIRTHRIGHT. THESEUS.

YOU SHALL YOUR ADVENTURES ON THE ROADS

HAVE IMPRESSED THEM AND THAT
RULE THIS CITY ALREADY IS NOT EASILY DONE.
SOMEDAY. I HAVE HEARP
YOUR NAME
MENTIONED AMONG THOSE BANDITS
MY GUARDS. WERE LITTLE PEOPLE
WHO DESERVED NO
MORE THAN WHAT
I GAVE THEM.
BEING A
RULER IS
SIMILAR.

THE REWARD
SEEMS BETTER.

PERHAPS. THERE ARE GROUPS

EVEN AS WITHIN THE CITY THAT WOULD
WE TALK, LIKE TO STEAL MY THRONE.
OTHERS
CONSPIRE IT IS ALL
AGAINST ME. I CAN DO
TO RULE MY
CITY.

PERHAPS NO, I WILL

OUR YOUNG NOT DO THAT.
HERO COULD
HELP ME.

THERE IS
ALWAYS OUR
AGREEMENT
WITH CRETE.

24
 TELL EVER YEAR WE SEND SEVEN BOYS
ME AND SEVEN GIRLS SO CRETE WILL
MORE. THE BOY NOT WAGE WAR AGAINST US.
SHOULD KNOW, I DO NOT LIKE DOING THIS,
AEGEUS. BUT WE WOULD LOSE MORE LIVES IF
KING MINOS ATTACKED US AS HE DID
BEFORE THIS AGREEMENT.

VERV
WELL.

WE HEAR TALES
OF WHAT HAPPENS
TO THEM, BUT NO
ONE HAS EVER
RETURNED ALIVE
TO TELL US
FOR SURE.

My SONS INCLUDE ME
ARE TOO WITH THIS
yOUNG, OFFERING.
BUT
you- I CAN
END THIS!

-you COULD
BE THE HERO
TO END THIS
TERRIBLE
THING.

PUT ME BUT you YOU MUST. I CAN

ON THE SHIP. HAVE J U S T UNITE THE PEOPLE
I AM NOT RETURNED. FOR YOU--
TOO OLD TO I CAN'T
DO THIS. SEND 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.

I ONLY HAVE ONE REQUEST.

LET'S IF EVERYTHING HAS GONE WELL
HOPE AND YOU RETURN, HAVE THE IF you DON'T
NOT. CAPTAIN PLY A WHITE SAIL.. 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
BY KING MINOS.
26
KING MINOS
ANDTHE MINOOTAUR
WHE
N THE SHIP ARRIVED,
KING MINOS WAS
WAITING.

AH, THAT
TOO ONE LOOKS
SMALL. FINE.

TOO I
SKINNY. WANT
HIM.
TOO
FAT.

TOO
WEAK

WHAT
IS yOUR ADDRESS
NAME, ME PROPERLY,
Boy? SLAVE!

THESEUS.

27
 TAKE
HIM H E WILL B E T H E
AWAY. 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 YEAH, YOU'RE

BETTER GOING TO MEET
B E READY T H E MINOTAUR,
FOR
TOMORROW.

OOOH, YOU RE
GOING TO BE
HIS B R E A K F A S T !

I DONT
KNOW.
WHAT'S
A
MINOTAUR? ARENT
YOU
SCARED?

NO. I ' M N O T
SCARED O F
SOMETHING
I DONT
KNOW.

you
SHOULD M Y NAME IS ARIADNE.
BE. MY FATHER KING MINOS
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
WHO ARE AND AWAY FROM US.
you? D O you
KNOW WHAT T H E
MINOTAUR IS?

IFONLYTHESEUSHAD KNOWN T H E MINOTAUR

THE GODDESSAPHRODITE HAD IS A T H I N G CHILDREN
S M I L E D O N HIM. T H E G O D D E S S O F CRETE HAVE
O F L O V E HAD MADE S U R E NIGHTMARES
H E WOULD HAVE HELP WHEN ABOUT.
H E NEEDED IT.
28
 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! MINOSREFUSEDTO
ΑDΜΓΤ THE CHILD
WAS HIS.

IN FACT, HE WAS SO
EMBARRASSED HE HE RECEIVED MANy DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS.
WOULP HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH IT.

MOST SAID HE SHOULD

MINOS WENT TO DESTROy THE MONSTER,
THE TEMPLE TO BUT HE COULDN'T DO
FIND OUT WHAT THAT. HE KNEW THE GODS
TO DO WITH THE WOULD CURSE HIM IF HE
MONSTER. 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 IS THE CLEVEREST
DAEDALUS. MAN IN THE WORLD. HE HAD
MINOS FORCED MANY OTHER THINGS HE WOULD
HIM TO BUILD RATHER HAVE DONE.
A LABYRINTH,
OR MAZE, THAT
THE MINOTAUR BUT HE WAS
COULD NOT MINOS' PRISONER,
ESCAPE. 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 HE WAS NICE TO ME,
OTHER CHILDREN AND HE HAD A BUT HE WAS NEVER
TERRIBLE TEMPER. LET OUT OF HIS CAGE.

THE FINISHED LABYRINTH

WAS EVERYTHING MINOS
HAD WANTED. 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.

NO ONE SHOULD
30 HAVE TO LIVE
LIKE THAT.
 THE LABYRINTH HAS NEVER
BEEN SOLVED. NO ONE EXPECTED
THE MINOTAUR TO WORK IT OUT.
BUT DAEDALUS
TOLD ME THE ONLY
WAY TO SOLVE
THE PASSAGES.

HERE!

TAKE
THIS!

WHAT AM I NO SILL,
THIS? SUPPOSED TO DO? you TIE ONE
KNIT A MAP? 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 - H E WASN'T
LEFT HOME T O G O AFRAID NOW
TO ATHENS- 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 THE OTHERS WHAT DO
IS RATHER IMPORTANT. HE MUST BE
HAVE TOLP MY DESPERATE TO you THINK,
GUARDS HE IS SEND HIS HEIR DAEDALUS?
THE SONOFKING TO DIE. SHOULD I
AEGEUS. GIVE HIM AN
. INCENTIVE.

H E IS
ROYALTY,
AFTER
ALL.

KING MINOS, HE IS YOUR PRISONER!

PRISONER. YOU CAN ΌΟ WITH YOUR FATHER BELIEVES
HIM AS yOU WISH. 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 I T IS

OF THE LABYRINTH... AGREED.

...ALIVE...
I WILL RELEASE
ATHENS OF ITS
TRIBUTEANDRELEASE
yOUANDTHOSE WHO
CAME WITH yOU.

33
 TAKE THIS!
IT'S THE ONLY
ONE YOU GET.
NOT IN
THERE IT
ISNT.
BUT IT'S
STILL
DAYLIGHT.

HERE
WE
GO.

34
THE AIR WAS MUST AND SMELLED AWFUL.
THE STENCH MADE THESEUS'STOMACH
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 WOULDN'T
AGAINST IT. 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 I WILL MAKE
WELL. SURE OUR FIGHT
WILL BE TOLD FOR AGES.
FIR AGES

40
 MINOS!

W-WHAT IT IS
IS THIS? W-WHAT DOES
HE CARRY? 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 HE IS

ARE FREE,
RIGHT, you ARE
IF you GIRL. FREE.
DON'T, DAEDALUS ,
THE GODS I WILL
WILL DEAL WITH
PUNISH THE GODS yOU LATER.
you CURSED US
AND BEFORE.
THEy WILL
CRETE. AGAIN.

SHE IS
RIGHT,
My
KING.

YOUNG HEIR
OF ATHENS,
you HAVE
PROVEN
youR
WORTH.

TAKE youR
PEOPLE AND I RELEASE
RETURN yOU AND
HOME. youR ciry
OF ANY
42 OBLIGATIONS.
 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
THESEUS WOULD RETURN HOME
CELEBRATED TO THEIR FAMILIES.
TOGETHER
O N T H E SHIP.

THEy CELEBRATED THE WHOLE WAY

WITHOUT A WORRY IN THEIR HEARTS.

HAVE THERE BUT WHAT

BEEN ANY OF THE SAIL?
SIGHTINGS? A SHIP IS
ON THE
HORIZON, WHAT COLOUR
BUT NO IS THE SAIL?
ONE IS
SURE. 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, B-BUT
WHERE IS MY YOUR
FATHER? SAILS...

WE
THOUGHT....

..MY CHILDREN THESEUS, WHAT?!

WERE YOUR FATHER
SUPPOSED
HAS DIED.
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.

THEY BURIED
AEGEUS WITHIN
THESEUS BROUGHT HIS TRUE THE ROYAL
FAMILY TO LIVE WITH HIM IN ATHENS. FAMILY'S TOMB.
44
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 (half-
horse, 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, half-
bull; 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 Minotaur: battle with Theseus 37-40;
Aethra 6–8, 45 imprisonment within the labyrinth
Aphrodite 28, 31 30; parentage of 29
Ariadne 28–31, 33, 42
Pasiphaë 29, 41
Connidus 6–8, 45 Procrustes 15–18
Corynetes (Periphetes) 9–11
Sinis 12–14
Daedalus 28, 30, 33, 42
Theseus: battle with the Minotaur 37–40;
labyrinth: battle between Theseus and destiny of 7; encounters with bandits
Minotaur within 37–40; building on the road to Athens 9–18
of 30

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
 THIS PAGE
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 JASON: QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE
978-0-7613-4346-2 978-1-58013-321-0
ATALANTA: THE RACE AGAINST DESTINY KING ARTHUR: EXCALIBUR UNSHEATHED
978-1-58013-317-3 978-1-58013-322-7
BEOWULF: MONSTER SLAYER ODYSSEUS: ESCAPING POSEIDON’S CURSE
978-0-7613-4347-9 978-0-7613-4348-6
DEMETER & PERSEPHONE: SPRING HELD HOSTAGE PERSEUS: THE HUNT FOR MEDUSA’S HEAD
978-1-58013-318-0 978-0-7613-4349-3
HERCULES: THE TWELVE LABOURS SINBAD: SAILING INTO PERIL
978-1-58013-319-7 978-0-7613-4350-9
ISIS & OSIRIS: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH THESEUS: BATTLING THE MINOTAUR
978-1-58013-320-3 978-0-7613-4351-6

www.lernerbooks.co.uk