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Can one young hero save his

people from a deadly monster?BY SPENCER KAYDEN

IntoMAZEDOOM

the

OF

MYTHa story from the

ancient world

Drama

Courtier 3: I might faint!

Minos: That is the putrid smell of death.

N2: Minos nods to the guard, who shoves Theseus

through the door.

Minos: Good riddance!

N3: The door slams shut with a loud clang.

Minotaur (offstage ): ROAR!

Scene 2Athens, A month earlier

N1: King Aegeus sits at a long table covered with trays of

fruit and roasted meats.

N2: He is feasting on a leg of lamb when his son Theseus

approaches.

Theseus: Father, why is all of Athens shrouded in black?

Are we in mourning?

Aegeus: There is something I must tell you. I spared you

this knowledge as long as possible, but I can protect you

no longer.

Theseus: What knowledge? Father, what is going on?

Aegeus: Fourteen young Athenians are about to die.

Theseus: How do you know? Can you see the future?

N3: Aegeus wipes his beard with a silk napkin. He sighs

heavily.

Aegeus: Many years ago, the son of King Minos of Crete

came to Athens to compete in our sporting games. A

strong and graceful young man, he won almost every

event. I am ashamed to say that some Athenian youths

were jealous. There was a fight and . . . King Minos’s son

was killed.

Theseus: How terrible!

Aegeus: Indeed. Minos threatened war. But he agreed

to peace under one condition: Every nine years, we

must send 14 youths to be sacrificed to his horrible

Minotaur.

Theseus: What’s a Minotaur?

Aegeus: A violent beast—half bull, half man—that feasts

only on human flesh.

Theseus: Surely there would be more honor in going to

war than in sending our own people to be eaten.

Aegeus: Minos’s army is powerful. It would destroy us.

Theseus: So instead you condemn innocent young

Athenians to death?

Aegeus: It is not a decision I make lightly, Son. The

youths are chosen randomly. I sacrifice a few for the

good of the many. This is the burden of being king.

N1: Theseus considers this.

Theseus: Send me to Crete as one of the 14.

Aegeus: Absolutely not!

Theseus: How can you ask your people to sacrifice their

children when you are unwilling to sacrifice your own?

N2: Aegeus slams his fist on the table.

Aegeus: I will not send you to your death!

Theseus: I am strong and clever. Let me reason with

King Minos. And if he will not end this horrible custom,

then I will slay the beast so that no others must die.

Aegeus (softly ): I could not bear to lose you.

Theseus: Let me do this, Father. For Athens.

Scene 3THE SHORES OF Athens

N3: A ship sits at the water’s edge. Wailing families are

saying their goodbyes.

N1: Aegeus grips his son tightly.

Circle the character you will play.

*Starred characters are major roles.

*Narrators 1, 2, 3 (N1, N2, N3)Guard

*Theseus, a young prince

Scene 1The island of Crete

N1: In a gloomy dungeon, several teenagers are curled

up on a cold dirt floor. A guard pokes Theseus.

Guard: You there—get up.

N2: Theseus rises slowly.

Guard: Time to face your doom.

N3: Theseus stands tall and proud. He turns to the other

prisoners.

Theseus: Friends, I will see you again.

Guard: Not likely. No one has

ever come back from where you

are going.

N1: The guard takes Theseus

away.

Damia: Do you think he will

survive?

Liontis: I don’t see how he can.

Borus: And we are next.

N2: The guard leads Theseus

down a long corridor. Finally,

they arrive in a chamber where

King Minos and members of the

royal court have gathered.

N3: Minos smiles menacingly at

Theseus.

Minos: Good morning. Did you

enjoy your breakfast?

N1: Theseus glares back.

Minos: Oh, that’s right. You are

breakfast.

Court: Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Theseus: Must you delight in the

torment of others?

Minos: You call it torment; I call it

a fitting punishment.

N2: Minos turns to his daughter.

Minos: It is time for this prince to enter the maze and

meet our monster. Wouldn’t you agree, Ariadne?

N3: Ariadne locks eyes with Theseus.

Ariadne (quietly ): Yes, Father.

N1: The guard opens a big iron door. Air rushes in.

Court: Gasp!

Courtier 1: What is that smell?

Courtier 2: It’s horrendous!

As You Read Think about the character traits of a hero.

Damia, Liontis, Borus, Athenian teenagers

*Minos, King of Crete

Court, to be read by a group

*Ariadne, Minos’s daughter

Courtiers 1, 2, 3Minotaur, a monster

*Aegeus, King of Athens and

Theseus’s father

Spirit

Characters

Go to Scope Online to hear these names pronounced

aloud.

THE LABYRINTH: A PLACE OF NIGHTMARESIf you lived in ancient Greece, you would have grown up

hearing stories about Theseus and the labyrinth, a terrifying maze that no one ever escapes. Through their deeds, great

heroes like Theseus demonstrated virtues that were important in Greek society—virtues such as courage and

perseverance. How does Theseus show these traits?

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Crete

Aegean Sea

Mediterranean Sea0 100 miles

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Aegeus: Don’t go, Theseus. I

will send another in your place.

Theseus: You cannot change

my mind. It is my duty to save our

people.

Aegeus: My son, heroic deeds often

come at a great cost.

N2: Theseus joins the other youths on

the ship. The wind carries them away.

Scene 4 THE PALACE OF KING MINOS,

CRETE

N3: After arriving in Crete, Theseus

and the other youths are brought to a

palace.

N1: King Minos sits on a golden

throne. His daughter Ariadne sits

beside him.

N2: Minos’s cold eyes scan the

trembling youths in front of him.

Minos: Athenians, as my son was

cut down in the prime of his youth,

so too will you be.

Theseus: With respect, your majesty, we are not the ones

who killed him.

Minos: Who is this bold young man who dares to speak?

Theseus: I am Prince Theseus, son of King Aegeus.

Minos: The king sent his own son?

Theseus: I volunteered.

Minos: A prince with a death wish. How fascinating.

Theseus: I am sorry for your loss, but all this killing will

not bring your son back.

Minos: You know nothing of my pain.

N3: Ariadne places her hand on her father’s shoulder.

Minos: Take them to the dungeon. They will enter the

labyrinth at first light.

Scene 5The dungeon, that night

N1: Theseus and the other youths huddle together.

Liontis: Why did you volunteer for this?

Theseus: I hoped to solve this with diplomacy, but

Ariadne: Either you are very brave or very foolish.

Theseus: Perhaps I am both. All I know is that I could

never live with myself if I do not try.

Ariadne: Then you will need this.

N3: Ariadne hands Theseus her sword.

Theseus: Why are you helping me?

Ariadne: My father’s hatred of Athens was something I

never questioned. But now I am old enough to see that

the answer to killing cannot be more killing.

Theseus: Well spoken, Princess.

Ariadne: Theseus, the labyrinth is as deadly as the

monster. Even if you were to succeed in killing the

beast, you would need a way out.

N1: Ariadne pulls on a loose thread at the bottom of her

cloak. She winds it around and around Theseus’s hand.

Ariadne: Take this thread. Tie one end at the entrance.

Unwind it as you walk, so you will be able to find your

way back.

Theseus: I admire your courage.

Ariadne: My courage? I am not the one risking my life.

Theseus: Aren’t you, though? Defying your father will

have consequences.

N2: Ariadne smiles sadly. Then she turns and leaves.

Scene 6the labyrinth

N3: The labyrinth before Theseus is dark and cold.

Theseus shivers as he ties one end of Ariadne’s thread to

a large rock.

N1: He takes a deep breath and steps into the darkness.

N2: He feels his way along the tall stone walls,

stumbling over piles of sticks and branches. He reaches

down to pick one up—and realizes that it is not a stick

at all. It is a human bone.

Theseus (shuddering ): How many have met their deaths

in this vile place?

N3: Theseus is startled to hear a voice answer him.

Spirit: Hundreds.

Theseus: Who . . . who are you?

Spirit: The spirit of one who died here.

Theseus: What do you want?

Spirit: I am here to comfort you in your time of dread.

N1: A roar echoes off the walls.

Minotaur: ROOAARR!

Spirit: The beast is near.

N2: Theseus presses on, careful to let out the thread as

he goes. He smacks into a wall.

Theseus: A dead end!

N3: Theseus turns and walks back the way he came.

Minotaur: SNORT. SNORT.

Spirit: The beast has caught your scent. Your end will

come soon.

Theseus: I do not accept that fate.

N1: Theseus brandishes the sword Ariadne gave him.

Spirit: Better to die quickly than to fight.

Theseus: I am not going to die. The beast is.

Spirit: Be warned: The beast can be killed only by its

own horn.

N2: The Minotaur thunders toward Theseus.

Theseus dodges to the side.

N3: The Minotaur turns quickly and charges

with his head down, one horn cutting

Theseus’s leg.

Minotaur: GRUNT! GRUNT!

N1: Theseus leaps onto the beast’s back, slicing

off one of its horns with the sword.

Minotaur: RRRRRRAAAHHHH!

N2: The Minotaur shakes Theseus off, turns, and

charges again. Theseus stands his ground and

plunges the horn into the monster’s chest.

Theseus: Aaaaahhhhh!

Minotaur: RRRRRRAAAHHHH!

Minos has given me no choice: We must kill the

Minotaur.

Borus: But its horns are sharper than any blade.

Theseus: We will work together.

Damia: But we are sent into the labyrinth one by one.

Liontis: And it was designed so that it’s impossible to

find the way out.

N2: Theseus paces around their small cell.

Theseus: There must be a way.

N3: A cloaked figure appears at the gates of the cell. She

lowers her hood.

Theseus: Why are you here, Princess?

Ariadne: I have come to set you free. Take your fellow

Athenians back to your ship.

N1: Theseus is too stunned to speak.

Ariadne: You must go. Now ! Before my father wakes up.

N2: Theseus turns to the others, then reconsiders.

Theseus: I cannot flee. I must kill the Minotaur, or

more young Athenians will die.

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THE ANCIENT WORLD OF THE MINOTAUR

ADVANCED CIVILIZATIONToday, Greece is a country in Europe. When we say “ancient Greece,” we mean a culture that started about 2,800 years ago, lasting from around 800 B.C. to 500 B.C. During that period, Greece was a major world power, and its civilization was one of the most advanced in the world. Ancient Greece consisted of city-states. (Athens was a city-state.) Citizens were extremely loyal to their city-state.

16 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

N3: The beast crashes to the

ground and dies.

Spirit: Valiant hero, I have long wished for this

impossible day!

N1: Limping, Theseus follows the thread back to the

entrance and collapses against the door. Ariadne

opens it.

Ariadne: You are alive!

Theseus: And the Minotaur is dead.

Ariadne: It is over.

N2: The smile falls from her face.

Ariadne: My father . . . he will not understand. His

heart is twisted with grief.

Theseus: You must return with us to Athens. We will

keep you safe.

Ariadne: Will Athens accept me? I am a Cretan, a

sworn enemy of your people.

Theseus: When I tell them what you did for me, they

will cherish you as I do.

N3: Ariadne blushes.

Theseus: Our work is not finished. We must free the

others.

Ariadne: The guards are easily bribed. Follow me.

N1: Theseus and Ariadne run

off to the dungeon.

N2: They fling open the doors to the cell. The other

Athenians shout with joyful disbelief.

Damia: You are alive!

Borus: How can it be?

Liontis: I never doubted you. I knew you would do it.

Theseus: Come, there is no time to spare. Ariadne will

lead us to our ship, and we will sail for home at once.

N3: As Ariadne leads Theseus and the other young

Athenians to freedom, a voice echoes above them—a

voice that none of them seem to hear.

Spirit: Oh Theseus, you have chosen to be a hero. You

will be a great man.

N1: They step out of the dungeon and into the bright

light of day.

Spirit: Stories about your bravery will be told for

generations.

N2: They quickly board their ship and prepare to leave.

Spirit: But the life of a hero is not an easy one.

N3: As the ship sails toward Athens, Theseus and the

others hug joyfully.

Spirit: Heroic deeds come at great cost, young prince. •

THESEUS VERSUS KATNISS The story of Theseus and the Minotaur has inspired many modern-day tales, including the best-selling Hunger Games books. In that series, children are randomly selected each year to compete in the “Hunger Games,” a brutal battle to the death. The games started after a civil war and were designed to remind people of the absolute power of the government. How is the Hunger Games similar to the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur?

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What’s With These Guys?Superheroes are EVERYWHERE these days.

But . . . why? BY KRISTIN LEWIS

He runs faster than a speeding bullet. He bends steel with his

bare hands. He vanquishes the world’s most heinous villains.

He is Superman, America’s first superhero.

Superman first appeared in 1938, at a time when comic

books were becoming increasingly popular. Kids would save

up their pennies and rush off to the corner store to buy the latest comics.

There were dozens of characters to follow—magicians, detectives, ancient

warriors. But it was Superman who kicked off the golden age of comics.

Superman was invented by two high-school buddies, Joe Shuster

and Jerry Siegel. Their “Man of Steel” had an ordinary name:

Clark Kent. He had an ordinary job at a newspaper. On the

surface, he appeared to live an ordinary human life. There

was nothing ordinary about Superman, though. He came

from the planet Krypton and possessed unparalleled

strength. He could fly, withstand bullets, and see through

walls with his X-ray vision*.

Superman was an immediate hit. Some say he

represented how Americans wanted

to see themselves: fighting for

justice in a dangerous

world. And the world

SCOPE.SCHOLASTIC.COM • DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 17

Essay

*Some of these powers were added to the character after 1938.

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In the essay, Kristin Lewis writes that heroes inspire us to be “our better selves.” How do superheroes of today and mythological characters from Into the Maze of Doom inspire us to be our better selves? Use details from both texts in your response. Send it to HEROES CONTEST. Five winners will get The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan.

WRITING CONTEST

was dangerous in 1938. World War II was brewing

in Europe and Asia. Newspapers were filled with

frightening stories of bloody battles and diabolical

leaders, like Adolf Hitler in Germany. What a relief it

must have been to read about Superman, who fought

the forces of evil and always won.

Since the creation of Superman nearly 80 years

ago, the popularity of superheroes in books, movies,

and television has ebbed and flowed. Now, though,

superheroes have returned to pop culture on a

scale never seen before. TV shows like Agents of

S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow, and Supergirl have millions

of devoted fans. Recent movies featuring not just

Superman but also Batman, Wolverine, Captain

America, Thor, Iron Man, and Black Widow have

made millions of dollars at the box office.

Many of these characters have been around for

decades, with small but loyal fan bases. Today, their

adventures, heartbreaks, and triumphs are enjoyed

by fans of all ages. This is all to say, superheroes

have gone mainstream.

But . . . why?

Overwhelmed and PowerlessConsider the nature of a superhero:

He or she possesses extraordinary

power—whether physical,

mental, or technological—and

is committed to using that

power to help others.

Superheroes fight for

good, for freedom,

for what is right. They risk their own lives to protect

the innocent and the vulnerable, often against

seemingly impossible odds.

Then consider that today, as in the 1930s, the

news is often dominated by frightening reports. Our

world has big problems: terrorism, war, disease.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. And

so we look to the fantastic world of superheroes,

where one mighty individual can rescue the entire

planet from any threat. How cathartic it is to watch

a superhero prevent a war or save a city from alien

invaders.

But even more than that, superheroes show us the

world as we want it to be—not only a world in which

good defeats evil, but also in which it’s usually pretty

clear who and what is good and who and what is not.

Better SelvesSuperheroes also reflect who we want to be.

They are the Theseuses and Ariadnes of today.

Their stories are modern myths that celebrate

qualities we value in our society: selflessness,

courage, grit, and resilience.

When we watch Captain America stand up to

a corrupt leader, we feel like maybe we can find

the courage to stand up to that kid at

school bullying our best friend. When

we see Thor try to save his brother

even after his brother betrayed him,

we are reminded of the power of

compassion and forgiveness.

In other words, superheroes

inspire us to be our better

selves, to stand up for what’s

right—even if we get nothing

in return. •

Superman today versus Superman in 1938 (inset). The outfit hasn’t changed much!

GET THIS ACTIVITY ONLINE

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