Metamorphoses · Chapter
The Labyrinth explained
Theseus, aided by Ariadne's thread, navigates the Labyrinth and slays the Minotaur.
What happens
Theseus, aided by Ariadne's thread, navigates the Labyrinth and slays the Minotaur. He then abandons Ariadne on the Isle of Dias, where Bacchus discovers her, makes her his wife, and places her crown among the stars as a constellation.
Themes in this chapter
Transformation and Metamorphosis
Ariadne's crown is transformed into a constellation, symbolizing her eternal reward and the theme of celestial metamorphosis.
Love and Desire
Theseus's betrayal of Ariadne contrasts with Bacchus's love, highlighting the dual nature of desire—both cruel and redemptive.
Characters to notice
- Theseus
Hero who slays the Minotaur with Ariadne's help, then ungratefully deserts her.
- Daedalus
The Athenian craftsman who designed and built the Labyrinth.
- Bacchus
Discovers and marries the abandoned Ariadne, placing her crown in the heavens.
- Minerva
Implied as the goddess of wisdom, aiding Theseus through Ariadne's thread.
Key passages
“Great Daedalus of Athens was the man / That made the draught, and form'd the wondrous plan; / Where rooms within themselves encircled lie, / With various windings, to deceive the eye.”
Daedalus, the skilled Athenian, designed the Labyrinth with intricate, winding passages that confused the eye.
Describes the construction of the Labyrinth by Daedalus.
“When Theseus, aided by the virgin’s art, / Had traced the guiding thread through every part, / He took the gentle maid that set him free, / And, bound for Dias, cut the briny sea; / There, quickly cloy’d, ungrateful, and unkind, / Left his fair consort in the isle behind.”
Theseus, using Ariadne's thread to navigate the Labyrinth, escaped with her but soon abandoned her on the island of Dias, showing his ingratitude.
Summarizes Theseus's betrayal of Ariadne after she helped him.