The Minotaur in House of Leaves it was impossible for anyone that entered to navigate or escape it. The Athenians were forced to pay a tribute to King Minos by sacrificing seven of their maidens and seven of their men, unarmed, to the Minotaur every nine years. The Minotaur eventually fell prey to the sword of Theseus. It is also rumoured that the Minotaur was in fact the offspring of King Minos but his unsightly and grotesque appearance was shameful to King Minos and was the reason why the Minotaur was banished under the pretext of inspiring fear and cannibalistic capabilities. Minos competed with his brothers
Ariadne (poem) in the former, The poem's emphasis on 'true love', on shared values of courage and loyalty, may be seen as its primary theme. The realistic, psychological interpretation of the Minotaur story reflects Lucas's interest in the discoveries of modern psychology. The contrast between light-loving Athens and benighted Minoan Crete, hag-ridden with religion, reflects another authorial preference. (The epigraph, from Bacchylides, is "δίζησθαι δὲ φιλαγλάους Ἀθάνας", 'Set out for Athens, land that loves the light'.) Extracts from the poem were read on the BBC Home Service in 1934. "Ariadne" was reprinted by the Cambridge University Press in May 2014. "Ariadne" was,