Theseus and Ariadne. The thread that has become the guiding light

Each of us heard the expression "Ariadne's thread" at least once in his life. Often we call it something that helped us sort out the difficult situation, find a way out of it. The emergence of this phraseology is associated with ancient Greek mythology.

Who is Ariadne?

The thread is a tangle that gave the Athenian hero Theseus Ariadne. She was the daughter of the king of Crete Minos and the sister of the terrible Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth.

Beautiful Ariadne fell in love with the young Athenian youth of Theseus. He reciprocated her. But the lovers were not destined to be together, because Theseus came to Crete with other young men and girls to die a terrible death. They will become victims of the Minotaur - a monstrous creature, half-half-half-man.

Once in nine years, the inhabitants of Athens must give seven young girls and boys to be eaten by the Minotaur. Such a bloody tribute was established for them by the gods of Olympus.

The young son of the Athenian king Theseus decided to destroy the monster, thus saving the native city from the need of terrible victims. But how to cope with this, because in the labyrinth they will be thrown unarmed? Even having won, it is unlikely to be saved. Intricate corridors and numerous labyrinth rooms with their deadly traps will become a place of death, it is impossible to find a way out of it.

But to the aid came the daughter of King Minos, subdued by the beauty of the young man. Love forced her to betray her father and her homeland.

Guiding thread, love and betrayal

Secretly making his way to Theseus, Ariadne handed him a dagger, which the brave youth had to stab the Minotaur. And so that he does not get lost in a terrible labyrinth, handed the ball to his beloved.

Theseus tied the end of the thread at the entrance to the Minotaur Palace. Deeper into the labyrinth, he unwound the tangle. And when the young man met the Minotaur and struck him, he found the way back with the help of a thread.

From there, the expression "Ariadne's thread", "guiding thread", was sent. But the story of the heroes of the myth does not end there.

Ariadne, in love, fled from Crete with Theseus on his ship. But she also had to survive the betrayal. Having fallen into a violent storm, the ship of Theseus docked to the island of Naxos. When the sea calmed down, Theseus went on, leaving the girl, who was asleep from fatigue. The help that Ariadne had rendered, the thread that led from the labyrinth, the dagger that destroyed the Minotaur was forgotten.

Waking up, the girl despaired of the perfidy of a man, for the salvation of which she sacrificed everything. Ariadne stayed on the island, was a priestess, and then she married Dionysus, the god of winemaking.

What does "Ariadne's thread" mean?

So, this expression is used in the sense of "guiding thread". In the broadest sense, it means a means that can help you get out of a difficult situation, solve an entangled question or cope with a problem.

Knowingly the telecast intended to render the psychological help to the people who have got in a difficult vital situation and do not see an exit, and is called - "the Thread of Ariadne".

At the end of the 19th century, an ancient civilization was discovered on the island of Crete , called Minoan. Found and dug Knossos palace-labyrinth. It is symbolic that his discoverer, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, said that, as a guiding thread, the ancient Greek myths about the Minotaur, Theseus and Ariadne were directed and searched.

History with the thread of Ariadne in art

The guiding thread of Ariadne found its reflection in art. This story was given to the attention of artists and poets and playwrights. The most famous paintings are "Bacchus and Ariadne" by Titian, "Ariadne wakes up and sees the floating ship of Theseus" by John William Waterhouse. Of the sculptural images, one should remember Ariadne from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

The poem of Valery Bryusov, written in 1902, is called "The thread of Ariadne." The work with the same name is also in Vladimir Vysotsky. Peru Marina Tsvetaeva belongs to the play "Ariadne".

Love, self-denial, betrayal and guiding thread of Ariadne - this story will often inspire people to create new masterpieces.