Character Catalog

Ariadne is said to have taught or inspired a ceremonial dance mimicking the winding paths of the labyrinth, mentioned by Homer on the Shield of Achilles. This ritual dance was practiced for a long time on the island of Delos.

The symbolic act of handing Theseus a thread is Ariadne's defining 'work' in mythology. This act of practical intelligence gave rise to the proverbial expression 'Ariadne's thread' across European languages.

By marrying the god Dionysus, Ariadne attains immortality. This divine union is regarded as a reward for her virtues, making her one of the few mortals elevated to the status of goddess in Greek mythology.

Dionysus transforms Ariadne's bridal crown into a constellation. The Corona Borealis (Northern Crown) is a constellation visible from the northern hemisphere, an eternal testament to the god's love for the Cretan princess.

Hephaestus depicts on Achilles' shield a round dance of young people like the one Ariadne once taught at Knossos.

Golden-haired Dionysus took fair-tressed Ariadne, daughter of Minos, as his wife, and Zeus the son of Cronos made her immortal.

A fragment evoking the abandonment of Ariadne on Naxos, preserved within the Greek lyric tradition.

Ariadne watched Theseus sail away over the foaming waves, consumed by immense grief in her heart; she could not turn her eyes from the treacherous shore.

Ariadne, daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, fell in love with Theseus and gave him a thread so that he could find his way out of the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur.

Capital of the kingdom of her father Minos and seat of the royal palace where the labyrinth built by Daedalus was located. It is here that Ariadne meets Theseus and gives him the life-saving thread.

Greek island where Theseus abandons the sleeping Ariadne on the shore after their escape from Crete. It is on this island that Dionysus discovers her and makes her his wife, elevating her to the status of goddess.

A stopover on Theseus's return journey, where the rescued young Athenians performed the 'crane dance' (geranos) in honor of Ariadne, according to Plutarch. This dance mimicked the winding passages of the labyrinth.

The city of which Theseus is crown prince, which every year sent a tribute of seven young men and seven young women to the Minotaur. Theseus's victory, made possible by Ariadne, frees Athens from this bloody tribute.

A legendary underground structure created by the architect Daedalus to imprison the Minotaur. Some archaeologists believe the complexity of the palace at Knossos inspired this myth. It is here that Ariadne's fate is decided.