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Greek Mythology Notes

Androgeos

🗡 heroἈνδρόγεως
Athletics, sacrifice

Son of King Minos whose murder at Athens caused the tribute of seven youths and seven maidens to the‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍ Minotaur

The Legend of Androgeos

Androgeos was a son of King Minos of Crete and Queen Pasiphae.‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍ He was an exceptionally gifted athlete who travelled to Athens to compete in the Panathenaic Games, where he won every event. His victories aroused jealousy, and King Aegeus of Athens sent him to fight the bull of Marathon, which killed him. In other versions, Aegeus had him ambushed and murdered by rivals. When Minos learned of his son's death, he waged war against Athens and, after his victory, imposed the terrible tribute: every nine years, Athens had to send seven young men and seven young women to Crete to be fed to the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. This tribute continued until Theseus volunteered to go as one of the victims and slew the Minotaur, ending the cycle of human sacrifice that Androgeos's death had begun.

Parents

Minos and Pasiphae

Symbols

wreathbull

Fun Fact

Androgeos's death at Athens was the direct cause of the famous Minotaur tribute that Theseus eventually ended

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