"Theseus Against The Minotaur" "IN THIS REMOTE EPOCH, WHEN HISTORY WAS MERGED WITH LEGEND, IT IS TOLD" "THAT ZEUS SENT A HIDEOUS MONSTER CALLED THE MINOTAUR TO CRETE" "TO PUNISH THE INHABITANTS OF THE ISLAND FOR AN OFFENSE AGAINST THE GODS." "PERIODICALLY THE CRETANS OFFERED THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN AS SACRIFICES TO THE MINOTAUR" "AND THE VICTIMS WERE THROWN INTO THE LABYRINTH WHICH WAS THE MINOTAURS LAIR." "The dreadful hand of death hangs over the head of our dear queen Pasiphae." "Receive oh Minotaur the sacrifice of our virgin youth in tribute to thy vast glory" "For this grant but this wish lord of evil, take not from us our queen's life." "Minos, can the blood of a young girl really help to save the life of the queen?" "Do not we both have young daughters?" "What shall you say if one day the Minotaur demands the life of your own child?" "Minos I beg of you, there is still time." "You may yet stop the priest's hand." "No power may thwart the will of our gods." "No!" "No please!" "NO!" "Thou art chosen to be sacrificed to the divine Minotaur." "Oh please no!" "Oh no no, Let me go!" "NO!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Stop up my ears!" "Erase the cries from my head lord!" "The Minotaur accepts the sacrifice which is offered him, and grants his benevolent protection once more to Crete." " There they come." " Yes there she is." "Yes, it's the queen." "A sacrifice to save the queen, they say." "And so another victim has gone to that monster." "Father..." "You have spoken to absolve us?" "Yes but it was useless." "Under our laws they have absolute authority." "Curses upon all their heads." "On their laws and on their kings too." "Hold thy tongue on leash, for he has many spies." "Thou beist to me as my own son, know that." "But please, for the sake of Alaeus let discretion take precedence now." "Minos..." "The queen fares very badly." "She asks to see you." "Come." "My love..." "lam dying." "No Pasiphae, the Minotaur has been appeased." " The blood of another victim." " But the gods still call for sacrifice." "The sacrifice is useless." "Like all the others." "But before I die, I will reveal to you a secret." "In Attica, near Vodium there's a young girl;" "She is our child." " I have a sister?" " Yes Fedra" "She is your twin." "According to our law, one of you should have been offered as a sacrifice to the Minotaur." "I couldn't let either of you die." "So I told no one of the child's birth and the nurse carried her away secretly to Attica." "Where in Attica?" "Which part?" "You'll not sacrifice her?" "If the gods have permitted her to live, it means that they have pardoned you." "It is not for me to kill her." "Please tell me, where is she?" "I'll tell you..." "She lives in a village on the coast of Attica." "She thinks herself the child of those who raised her." "But you must go." "You must find our daughter." "Promise that she will live here with her sister..." "Pasiphae." "Pasiphae!" "Tell me her name." "Ariadne..." "Promise me that human sacrifices will be abolished." "Do you swear it?" "I leave you now..." "My time..." "How will you justify to the gods that your other daughter was not sacrificed?" "If the gods have not punished my wife nor chastised Crete it means our sacrifices to the Minotaur were needless." "That all our laws are mistaken." "They're inhuman!" " Minos!" " Inhuman!" "And today as before, our sacrifice is useless." "A mother has lost her daughter..." "And Pasiphae is lost to me forever." "But think what this means;" "What of the future of your reign?" "Silence Syril!" "My father is right." "Ariadne shall return to Crete." "But, before her return you will tell no one of our secret." "To be sure of this, you'll bring her back yourself." "Tomorrow you leave for Attica, in my own ship." "I am pleased that you also desire the presence of Ariadne here." "I will leave you now to go watch over your mother." "The death of Pasiphae has dealt a blow to his senses, and to yours Fedra." "Your sorrow conquers your reason, but think of what this means to you." "I know exactly what this will mean for me." "You shall go to Attica alone." "No one shall know of it." "And if need be, you are to hire the men you need there." " You will find the girl." " I will find her." "And you shall place your sharpest dagger through her heart." "Well, we'll soon be there." "We must find fresh horses though." "Then we'll make time." "In Athens you can rest all you like." "We've been gone five years." "We've been through the most incredible adventures, and you've become as famous as Hercules, and now we breathe the air of Attica again." "You're like a lamb who hears the bleat of its mother." "Don't forget I am the son of the king of Athens." "My father needs me, he is very old." "I prefer not arrive at all." "Then stay with me in Athens a while, and leave later for Crete." "No, I miss my own home as you do." "Help me!" "Help me !" "Help me..." " They're murdering us..." " Who is?" "Where?" "The Robbers..." "The bandits!" "They... attacked the... the village and..." " Demetrius..." " The bastards!" "Get all of the girls!" "Not a single one of them is to escape!" "Balicae!" "Get Ariadne!" "You must save..." "Save her!" "..." "Murderers!" "Murderous assassins!" "Mother!" ". .." "Mother!" "Let me see your face." "You bandit!" "So it's you." "You're the one." "What a shame that the gods can show no pity." "No!" "Let me go!" "Demetrius!" "You are to kill that girl at all costs!" "I shall meet you later at the ship." "But those two are stronger than Hercules!" "A hundred pieces of gold, plus the slave." "The girl must die!" " Let's follow them!" " Let them go." "Was he your father?" "Yes..." "I have no one now." "Why didn't you let them kill me with the others?" "What am I going to do alone?" "Come to Athens with us." "You can live in my father's house." "It's extraordinary..." "What?" "It's amazing how much she resembles our princess." "Do you know Fedra, the daughter of the king of Crete?" "No." "I know no one in the world outside of the village." "All my life I've lived here." "It's amazing..." "If you had not such a modest air, I should swear you were the princess Fedra." "After a five-years absence, you're so homesick all you can think of is your famous Crete." "Come..." "Goodbye..." "That is Athens." "Athens..." "Always I have dreamt of seeing it." "But you want to return to your home?" "Will you leave because of me?" "No, but I might have to sleep in a stable." "Listen!" "Theseus is coming!" "Glory to Theseus!" "We welcome him!" "My son, you've come back to us." "Those five years were long ones." "But, who is Theseus?" "He's the son of Athens' king." "The news of your great feats has reached us even here." "Nothing is much changed in Athens except me, I've grown much older." "You are like good wine, father;" "your goodness only grows with age." "Let me present my friend, this is Demetrius who has fought a hundred battles at my side." "His father, Xanthus, is one of the ministers of the king of Crete." "You're welcome in my house." "And that young girl, whose beauty would seem more like a goddess's than a mortal's." "Who is she?" "Her name is Ariadne." "The bandits destroyed her village and murdered her parents, so I brought her home to you." "You too are welcome in this house my child." "Come." "What beautiful hair you have." "Theseus has entrusted you to our care." "When we have finished with you, you will be lovely as the queen." "You shall see." "If these bandits are Athenians, I shall find them, and I shall punish them." "What could have made bandits attack a village of poor peasants?" "They rode off toward the coast, too." "They might have been foreigners." " What do you think?" " I don't know what to say." "I do not understand the perfect resemblance of Ariadne to Fedra." "If she's as beautiful as you say, I want to meet her." "You may do so now my friend." "There she is." "Ariadne..." "We were just speaking of you." "Demetrius still thinks you resemble his princess... it's true." "And now more than ever." "It doesn't seem possible." "No woman has as sweet a sweet as yours, Ariadne." "Even with thirty men, you couldn't capture a young girl, Syril!" "But I was caught by surprise, Fedra." "Theseus is very strong, and what if Demetrius had recognized me?" "The risk was too great." "There is far more risk to me, with this girl alive." "Demetrius might recognize her too." "I shall dispatch one of our men to the court of Athens." "It will be easy to silence Demetrius forever." "Are you mad?" "Syril if you fail once more, all of Athens will learn my secret." "What shall I do?" "Tell my father that when you arrived my sister was dead." "I'm sorry Minos." "Thank you." "You've done your best." "You're sure that there's no hope then?" "That region is infested with pirates and bandits." "When the village was attacked, no one was saved." "I was shown the grave in which the peasants buried the body of Ariadne and the body of her nurse." "I am grieved beyond words, Syril." "Drink this potion, it will help you rest." "You're not well sire." " Faster Theseus!" " Demetrius take him now!" " Ride Theseus, ride!" " He's won!" "Theseus has won!" "I am fairly beaten, but remember all I had to do was outdo you in one sport only." "Come..." "Very good, that'll be difficult to beat." "But the advantage is always with the man who throws last." "Alright then, I'll go first in the pole vault." "You're too good for me, I concede defeat." "But there's one last possibility, the discus." "Come on." "Let's have it." "You won fairly, so you may command me." "What will it be?" "You know already." "Remain with me here in Athens a while longer." "No, it's impossible for I desire too much to be with my sister and father." "That is all that takes me back to Crete." "I would rather stay with you, friend." " I will lament your departing." " And I am sorry to have to go." "What may I do to make you you two even happier?" "Did you hear that Ariadne?" "What is your wish?" "Nothing, what more could I ask of anyone?" "My life here seems too good to be true." "How could you make me happier?" "There's one thing I can do, I can leave you alone." "No, Demetreus..." "You seem to avoid me, as if you're afraid of being alone with me." "Why?" "No it's not that, it's just, I'm only a simple girl, and you..." "I'm only a man." "A man who's fallen in love like any other, Ariadne." "And that's all that matters." "How do you like our wine?" "Fine but I've drunk too much." "My head is spinning around." "Where's Demetreus?" "Don't know, he must not have arrived yet." " Demetreus." " Syril." " What brings you here?" " No one is to know I am in Athens." "I come from Fedra." "The girl who's life you saved in Attica is to be killed." "Ariadne is to be killed?" "Why?" "Fedra wishes her to be killed." "She orders it." "Since when does Fedra order?" "I obey only Minos the king." "Thus did your father answer Fedra, defiantly." "And he is in prison now." " In prison?" " And your sister with him." "You will find that much has changed in Crete." "But it's possible to save your father if you're willing." "What must I do?" " You will kill Ariadne." " Are you're mad?" "!" "If by the new moon you have not executed the orders of Fedra, your sister will be sacrificed to the Minotaur, and your father condemned to a violent death." " So who is Ariadne then?" " That does not concern you." "Demetreus..." "Remember, before the new moon." "Demetreus." "Where have you been?" "Come on, we should join the party." "No thank you, I'd rather not." "I'm very tired." "Are you bored here in Athens?" "No, on the contrary..." "I've decided to stay longer." "Ah, so you're in love too, huh?" "Good luck." "I'm not used to wine, it's very strong." "Demetreus is in love too." "Would you like some more wine?" "Demetreus." "But why?" "I'm a fiend... a fiend!" "You wanted to kill me..." "What did I do?" "Demetreus!" "Demetreus!" "Demetreus." "What happened?" "I thought I heard voices." "Ariadne." "Theseus..." "I..." "I'm not worthy to be your friend." "Ask Ariadne." "I would have killed her, had I the courage." "What are you saying?" "Fedra wants you dead." "It was Fedra who had your village attacked." "And it is Fedra who has the power to destroy my father and my sister." "What reason does she have to hate me so much?" "I don't know." "Perhaps it is only because you are as much In her image as a mirror." "But unless I solve the mystery which surrounds you," "I will never be able to save the lives of my father and sister." "So that's what the trouble is." "But why didn't you tell me?" "We must clear up this mystery." "I must go with you to Crete." "I place her in your keeping." "You must protect her as your own." "Minos, the threat is Fedra." "We don't understand why, but she tried to have Ariadne killed using Demetreus as her pawn." "Demetreus is my friend." "He will stand by us now." "I won't have the two of you risk your lives alone for me." "If Fedra wishes me dead, I must go with you to Crete." "You are brave and beautiful, but you must remain here and live... for me." "You face a difficult task..." "I wish you the strength not to join the dead, but" "Ultimately the gods will decide your fate in accordance with their will." "Father, I'm in love with Ariadne." "And when I return home again, she will become my wife." "My child, can you forgive me?" "it is I who am responsible for your being here." "It's not your fault." "You have always tried to do what is right." "I am comforted to be here with you now." "Your courage is a source of strength to me." "When I'm near you father, I'm not afraid of anything, even death." "They've come!" "No!" "Back from the door!" "Alright, stand up." "All women outside!" " No please!" " Get them out!" "Move!" "Not you!" " Let her go!" "No you can't!" " You don't give orders!" " Father!" " Father!" " Alaeus!" " Alaeus!" "Alaeus!" "..." "Father!" " No!" "No!" " Stop squirming!" "Servants of evil!" "Servants of evil!" "Alaeus!" " Alaeus!" "Alaeus!" " Demetreus!" " Get back in line here!" "Move!" " Get back!" "Demetreus!" "Admnetus!" "Demetreus, thanks to the gods you've come back." "Where is my sister Alaeus?" "In there." "They took her to the temple." "Tomorrow they hold the sacrifices." " I can do nothing." " And my father?" "He's in prison." "But..." "Where are all his friends then?" "Gathered in the house of Gerione." "Let us go, Theseus." "You Gerione are a friend of Xanthus;" "You cannot let them kill him." "But what can I do?" "If you were in prison and Xanthus were still free, he would certainly have done something." "Gerione!" "Gerione." "Demetreus has returned." "Demetreus." "You here?" "But your life is in danger!" "My life is of no importance unless it can save my father and sister." "Theseus, son of the king of Athens, and my best friend." "I have fought at his side for the passed five years in a hundred battles" "The greatness of his valor has reached your ears, I'm sure." "This man wants to speak to the queen." "What do you want?" "Speak." "I come from the house of Gerione." "He and his friends are plotting to free Xanthus." "You have nothing else to say?" "No my queen, unless you grant me one favor." "Tomorrow my daughter will be sacrificed to the Minotaur." " Surely you have the mercy to free her." " You dare to dictate to me?" "You mean to cast doubts on the generosity of the queen?" "She will give you what you deserve." " Will you promise?" " Speak!" "Demetreus has returned to Crete with Theseus the son of the king of Athens." " Where are they?" " At the house of Gerione." " Guards, take him away." " Fedra you must release my daughter." "And throw him in prison." "Murderer!" "Murderer!" " Demetreus disobeyed you." " You're right, and I shall arrest him." "No wait..." "Go to the house of Garione." "Invite Theseus to visit me here." " Say that I sent you to ask him." " And Demetreus?" "You will wait until Theseus is with me." "Then you will arrest the others." "Before daybreak you are to throw Demetreus into prison." "Demetreus has told me that the people of Crete worship you." "That they love and trust you." "Is this how you repay them for their trust?" "You let Fedra's crimes continue." "You still let them permit human sacrifices." "While you pour wine and prey for justice, we aren't doing anything!" "Theseus you do not know our people." "Thank you my sweet." "There is no man brave enough to stand against the Minotaur." "Fedra and Syril both know this." "And for this reason, all their crimes are committed in the name of the monster." "The people are completely terrorised by it." "You can explain to the people that the Minotaur is not divine;" "and the queen is making use of it to suit her own purposes." "And you must free the people from their fear." "But how?" "By talking to them in the plaza?" "We would never get to say our first words." "Narcis is full of spies; who knows, there may be one among us now." "Alright then, why don't we go into the labyrinth?" "That's impossible Theseus." "Why impossible?" "Don't tell me you're afraid of the Minotaur!" "No, I'm not afraid of the monster..." "Well then?" "Assuming that we're able to get in, how would we find our way out of the labyrinth?" "Garione!" "It's Syril!" "With a squad of his soldiers approaching the house!" "Someone has betrayed us!" "Ready your weapons, we will defend ourselves." "Hurry men." "So, you are Syril..." "The last time I saw you, you were behaving like a thief." "And now you turn out to be the strong man of Crete." "Life Theseus, reserves for us many surprises." "Fedra has been told of your coming." "The queen wishes me to conduct you to the court." "She wishes to speak to you." " I will accompany you." " Fedra wishes to speak to Theseus, and only he." "Wait for me here." "Let's go." "I am pleased you've accepted my hospitality." "All of Greece speaks of your great valor, and of your heroism." "I only regret that you seem to prefer the company of my enemies to mine." "If you're saying that I prefer the cause of justice, that's right." "I can make you pay dearly for those words if I wish." "How can you, by ordering this mighty warrior to out me down?" "This our who can only fight against defenseless young girls?" "Those other two..." "You are worthy indeed of your fame." "You are welcome in Crete." "When I have told you why I have come you may not be so pleased." "May I speak to you alone?" "Wait for me in the garden." "I'll come." "I really am so much like Ariadne." "Why can you not fall in love with me?" "The same eyes..." "The same hair..." "And the same lips." "Why did you want Demetreus to kill Ariadne?" " It was not I who gave the order to Syril." " Really..." "And Demetreus's father and sister then." "Why do you want them killed?" "Why are you so concerned about Demetreus and his family?" "Demetreus is my friend." "I will do anything I can to help him." "Alright, what if I free them, and Ariadne is not harmed?" "And what do you want in exchange?" "You..." "You at my side on the throne for a thousand years." "You must give me time to decide." "The will soon rise." "The signal for the sacrifices in the temple." "Will you come?" "This could help you to decide, I think." "I believed in his sincerity, but now even he has gone over to Fedra." "He didn't even oppose the arrest of Demetreus." "Let the sacrifice begin!" "We pray oh divine Minotaur that you will continue your beneficent watch over our land." " No!" "Let me go, I beg you!" " Please have mercy!" "No!" "Come on!" "Move!" "Well then?" "Have you thought over my proposal?" "I'll do whatever you wish, except give up Ariadne." "Alright, her blood is on your head." "You have been chosen by the gods to be sacrificed to the Minotaur." "Let the blood of our virgin youth be our tribute to its vast glory." "Stop him!" "Look out!" "No!" "Alaeus!" "Alaeus!" "Demetreus!" "Kill them both!" "They must not leave the city alive!" "Demetreus!" "Demetreus!" "Theseus..." "Leave me." "You must... or you'll be killed too." "Go now... save yourself." "He's finished." "We report to Syril quickly." "Who are you?" "Amphitrite, goddess of the sea." "How long have I been here?" "Here, time does not exist." "A thousand years could pass..." "I'll make you as immortal as the Olympian gods." "You shall stay with me and rule over the seas." "I will help you to forget the affairs of the humans." "You will live in eternal peace freed of the cares and anguish of mankind." "I am a mortal, not a god." "It is my destiny to relieve the sufferings of men." "You desire Ariadne?" "Yes, I do." "What do you know about this girl?" "I know that I love her." "She is a twin sister of Fedra, and Fedra wants to kill her because she has become a rival for the throne." "You are a goddess." "You have the power to help me get back to Athens so that I can lead my army against Crete and destroy Fedra." "You are too late." "Come..." "Look..." "Hard did the news of your death reach your father, Agaeus." "Then he vowed vengeance, and has declared war against Crete." "Our infantry will rush to their cavalry and force them to separate." "When the trap is closed our cavalry will attack." "Our ruse has worked." "Order the trap closed." "Send forward the cavalry!" "Valiantly your father's men fought against hopeless odds, to no avail." "His army was destroyed, and the fields littered with Athenian dead." "And now, the vengeance of Fedra extracts a heavy toll from Athens." " Here's another." " Mighty Athens Trapped..." "Athens must pay in tribute seven ewes and seven virgins each year to sacrifice to the divine Minotaur." "I alone am responsible for the war." "My people have no part of the blame." "Take them to the boats!" "It has been all my fault." "I won't let all those innocent people die!" "You're not to go out." "Orders from the king." "Listen to me Agaeus." "Perhaps there is a way you may save all these innocent lives." "HOW'?" "I know that you hide a girl here." "Her name is Ariadne." "I have sworn to my son that I will defend her life, whatever be the cost." "The king is vanquished!" "You hold no worth for the victor, fool." "Where is the girl?" "!" "You'll have to kill me first." "I'll never tell." "As you wish." "Then we shall find her." "And soon." "Help my people, I beg you." "Help me to leave here at once." "What purpose could it serve?" "Ariadne is beyond your help." "She has surrendered." "Her pain at the thought of those young people taken hostage was too great." "Hoping to trade her life for theirs, she gave herself up." "But her gesture was useless." "Now to Syril must she turn for clemency." "You there." "What do you want?" "I must talk to Syril." "Take me to him, he's expecting me." "Follow." "Syril, this girl wishes to speak with you." "She say you're expecting her." "Leave us." " Ariadne!" " Yes, it is I." "You may take me away to Crete." "I ask only one thing:" "The fourteen prisoners you've taken hostage must be released." "Your gesture is most noble, but I'm not the one to decide this." "Is there no hope then?" "Perhaps, if you come with us to Crete." "You are to talk to no one." "Fedra shall decide whether to accept your proposal or not." "I shall do as you say." "Follow me..." "Make ready to hoist sail, we're leaving in an hour or so." "Stop!" "..." "Stop." "My people in chains, and the woman I love to be sacrificed to the Minotaur... and you ask me to stay here with you!" "I love you, Theseus." "But I am a mortal and you are a goddess." "I can make you love me, you know... and I can make you remain here, and forget all that you once knew of the world of men." "The power of your magic is great..." "But it's not enough to equal the mystery of mortal love." "I want you to love me;" "I'm a woman just like any other." "It would be impossible." "You are a goddess." "I beg of you, let me go." "I have sought to change destiny... but it is useless." "And I must bow to fate." "Against the destiny which rules us all, even a goddess is helpless." "I have obeyed you... but it would have been wiser to have killed her and thrown her overboard." "That way no one would have suspected a thing." "I wanted too much to see her." "I am curious to see how much we are alike;" "If her beauty equals mine." "Now what?" "Now one of us shall lose her beauty." "You'll sacrifice her to the Minotaur?" "No." "She will disappear." "No one shall know my twin existed." "You... are Fedra?" "Yes." "I was anxious to see you." "To see the face of my long-lost sister." " Your sister?" " Your twin." "Like seeing myself in a new mirror." "Then you mean..." "We are both of royal blood." "Yes." "But our father thinks that you have been killed." "And he will go right on thinking so." " Where's the girl?" " I don't know!" " Speak, or I'll open your stomach." " That way!" "Not even Theseus will recognize you when you meet in the kingdom of the dead!" "Burn her face." "Burn her face!" " Murderous woman!" " Theseus!" "Ariadne." "Follow me!" "There's only one possibility" "From now on you are Fedra!" "You have murdered Ariadne and now you will pay for it!" "Theseus!" "Yes it's I Syril, and I'm not a ghost." "Arrest him." " Throw him into the pit." " No!" "You shall sacrifice him to the Minotaur." "Take him away." "And Ariadne?" "It is such lovely weather, will you take a walk in the woods today?" "You can rest beside a stream, and I will out flowers for your hair, oh queen." "Thank you, but I have to see my father." "But his physician has forbidden everyone from talking to the king." "But on one can forbid me, his own daughter." "Fedra, you should not disturb him now." "Why not?" "He has much changed of late." "He's become suspicious of everyone around him;" "even of me, and of you too." "Do not worry about me." "You are to leave me alone with him." "What do you want with me?" "Go away!" "You are not my daughter." "All you want is for me to die." "Father..." "Father please, I am not Fedra." "I am Ariadne, your daughter." "I do not want you to die, this I swear." "You're lying!" "Ariadne is dead." "No no!" "They have tried every way that they could to kill me" "But fate spared me for you." "I beg of you, look at me." "Surely you will find some mark or sign which makes me different from Fedra." "Please look closely!" "Please I beg you father!" " Where is Fedra?" " She is dead." "Dead?" "Oh please forgive me..." "You've had enough sorrow I know." "But I swear it was not my fault." "I swear..." "What news of the king?" "He is with Fedra." "She insisted on speaking to him alone." "And I have just seen her crying in his arms." "Have Theseus taken to the torture chamber." "Fedra..." "I've never seen her cry." "Daughter..." "My daughter." "Don't be afraid." "As long as we are alive, there is hope." "I'll find some way out of here." "The guards." "Come!" " They're taking Theseus away!" " We're lost!" "Theseus!" " He is our only salvation!" " Theseus!" " Lower him." " No!" "No!" "No!" "Bring him." "Come." "Do you have any idea why I sent for you?" "No, but I suppose you had me come here for some important reason." "Yes." "To me at least, it's very important." "Syril requests that you join him in the prison." "Escort me." "Fire..." "Normally the most persuasive method for obtaining a reply which most closely corresponds to the truth." "I hope I don't disappoint you." "You were in love with Ariadne, but when she was killed you didn't shed a single tear for her." "Tears would not bring her back." "I said that I wanted to hear the truth." "Who was killed the other night?" "Fedra or Ariadne?" "Ariadne." "Theseus!" "Enough!" "Very good." "Yes..." "It was enough." "And I have the reply I expected." "No..." "Do not be afraid." "I would gain nothing by killing him." "I'll even allow him to return to Athens." "But you will remain here with me." "Fedra was beautiful, but ambitious and cruel." "You are beautiful too, but you're a different breed." "You will continue to be 'Fedra', the queen of Crete." "And I shall sit at your side as king." "Do you agree?" "NO!" "Only you can decide." "For many months now, during his illness, we have not been able to get near him." "I swear that I tell the truth." "Believe me." "Minos my father sent me to see you because he has faith in you." "Yes you must believe me." "Why would I deceive you?" "If Fedra is really dead as you say she is, if you are the younger daughter of Minos, then you are also the new queen of Crete." "Thus you can re-establish order and justice yourself." "And there is no need to ask for our help." "But you are wrong, I can do nothing." "Syril is in command." "The palace is full of his soldiers, and his spies." "If he discovers I have seen you, it means death for me and for Theseus." "Please I beg of you." "Please help me Garione." "Demetreus spoke about this resemblance." "I'm sorry, we can do nothing." "Attend ye all these holy sacrifices!" "We pray oh Minotaur, that you will continue your protection of our land." "Fedra used to smile during the sacrifices." "Don't look so serious." "You who are to be sacrificed here, far from your homes," "Know that your sacrifice to the gods shall a thousand times be rewarded." "Don't move." "Chase him into the labyrinth." "Stop!" "I enter alone." "I will either kill the Minotaur, or he will kill me." "Theseus!" "The carnage must end now!" "Theseus has entered the labyrinth in defiance of the Minotaur, and he has promised the people he will destroy it." "And my daughter?" "She entered with him." "Let us go to the temple." "Theseus!" "Minos, the people have rebelled against oppression and tyranny." "You are once more king of Crete." " Theseus!" " Yes!" "Theseus ls alive!" "Rejoice, oh people of Crete!" "The Minotaur is dead!" "THE END"