Greek mythology
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External Websites
- Greek Legends and Myths - Ariadne in Greek Mythology
- Ancient Origins - The Descent of Ariadne: Minoan Queen of the Dead to Mistress of the Labyrinth?
- Mythopedia - Ariadne
- Greek Gods and Goddesses - Ariadne
- Encyclopedia Mythica - Ariadne
- Theoi - Ariadne
- Mythology.net - Ariadne
- World History Encyclopedia - Ariadne
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
- Greek Legends and Myths - Ariadne in Greek Mythology
- Ancient Origins - The Descent of Ariadne: Minoan Queen of the Dead to Mistress of the Labyrinth?
- Mythopedia - Ariadne
- Greek Gods and Goddesses - Ariadne
- Encyclopedia Mythica - Ariadne
- Theoi - Ariadne
- Mythology.net - Ariadne
- World History Encyclopedia - Ariadne
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Last Updated: •Article History
Ariadne, in Greek mythology, daughter of Pasiphae and the Cretan king Minos. She fell in love with the Athenian hero Theseus and, with a thread or glittering jewels, helped him escape the Labyrinth after he slew the Minotaur, a beast half bull and half man that Minos kept in the Labyrinth. Here the legends diverge: she was abandoned by Theseus and hanged herself; or, Theseus carried her to Naxos and left her there to die, and she was rescued by and married the god Dionysus.
Ancient Greek poets and artists liked to portray Ariadne asleep on the shore of Naxos while Dionysus gazes at her with love and admiration. Ariadne’s story was later taken up by European artists, writers, and composers, including Richard Strauss in his opera Ariadne auf Naxos (1912; Ariadne on Naxos). In ancient art Ariadne frequently appears as the consort of Dionysus, sometimes with their children.
