Labyrinth

Literally, the Greek word, labyrinth, means a maze (an unnecessarily complicated building) or any spiral body (a sea shell).

The most famous labyrinth in history is, of course, the maze of king Minos on the island of Crete; there are several ancient descriptions of what Minos’ labyrinth looked like and what function it served but the most fair and accurate speculation was made by the historian, Plutarch (45-120 CE).

1. The labyrinth was a vast maze designed by the master builder, Daedalus, for king Minos and was used to torment and kill the sacrificial victims which Minos demanded every year from Athens as repayment for the murder of his son Androgeus; Minos had waged war on Athens to avenge the death of his son and peace was won only with the promise that Athens would send seven young men and seven young women every year to Minos in order to be slain by the fierce, half-bull/half-man,Minotaur; the young victims were placed in the labyrinth with the ungodly Minotaur where they were eventually caught and brutally killed; the tradition continued for twenty-seven years until the hero, Theseus, went to Crete as one of the sacrificial victims and successfully killed the Minotaur; or
2. The labyrinth was a maze-like prison that Minos used to detain the young Athenian hostages which he took every nine years as retribution for the murder of his son Androgeus; Minos would hold memorial games for his slain son and award the Athenian youths as prizes for the winners of the various events; the term, labyrinth, has come to mean any maze or baffling puzzle.