Minos

Perfidious Theseus, guided by the faithful thread, escaped by my sister's help the deluding labyrinth.

Lo, I too, that I might not belie the race of Minos, yield the last to the powerful laws of my blood.

Surely it was our destiny, one house gained the inclinations of both.

I am charmed with your shape and appearance, my sister yielded to the attractions of your father.

Inconstant Jason, more unstable than the vernal breeze, why are your words without their promised weight? You departed my husband, and return wedded to another.

But as I was your wife when we parted, let me be still the same since your return.

If nobility and great names move you, I boast a descent from Thoas, the grandson of Minos.

I have Bacchus for my grandfather, whose spouse, adorned with a radiant crown, eclipses the inferior lights by her more refulgent rays.

All LibriVox recordings are in the Dialogue 12.

Alexander of Macedon and Hannibal, quarreling for precedence, submit the arbitrament of their cause to Minos.

Each recounts his exploits.

Scipio, the conqueror of Carthage, intervenes and pronounces in favor of Alexander, claiming the second place for himself and assigning the third place to Hannibal.

About precedence, for this fellow affirms that he was a better general than I, whereas I affirm that I surpassed not only him, as everyone knows, but almost all who have lived before me in the arts of war.

Then let each speak in his turn, and do you of Libya be the first to speak.

In respect to this one circumstance, Minos, I derive much satisfaction, that while here I have thoroughly mastered the Greek language, so that not even in that particular can he have any advantage over me.

now i affirm that those men are most deserving of eulogy who though nothing at starting none the less arrived at great eminence by their own efforts investing themselves with power and being deemed worthy of governing well though i set out with few soldiers for spain at first being subordinate to my brother i was judged to be the most skilful in war and was deemed fit for the highest employments and i subdued the cheltiberians and conquered the gauls of the west and crossing the vast mountains i overran all the plains of the padus and laid in ruins so many cities and subjected to my power the whole plain of italy and advanced as far as the suburbs of its capital city and slew such numbers on one day that i measured off their rings by bushels and bridged their rivers with the dead and all this i accomplished without either getting myself called the son of ammon or making claim to divinity or recounting my mother's dreams but acknowledging myself to be human and putting myself in competition with the most skilful generals and engaging with the most warlike soldiers in the world not contending against medes and armenians who seek refuge in flight before any one pursues and yield the victory at once to the bold aggressor alexander on the other hand enlarged the dominion which he had received from his father and extended it considerably by availing himself of the start given him by fortune But when he had gained the victory over, and vanquished at Issus and Arbella that wretched pest Darius, revolting from the customs of his ancestors, he began to put forth claims to divine worship, and changed his way of life to the Median mode, and polluted his hands in the blood of his friends at his banquets, and seized them for the purpose of putting them to death.

End quote.

The same Jew in Celsus also adds, Quote, Though we do not believe in the ancient fables which ascribe a divine origin to Perseus, Amphion, Aeacus, and Minos, yet at the same time their deeds are demonstrated to be mighty and admirable and truly superhuman, in order that what is narrated of their origin may not appear to be improbable.

End quote.

But, speaking to Jesus, he says, Quote, What beautiful or admirable thing have you said or done, though you was called upon in the temple to give some manifest sign that you were the son of God? End quote.

Then Phoebus Apollo pondered in his heart what men he should bring in to be his ministers in sacrifice, and to serve him in rocky Pytho.

And while he considered this, he became aware of a swift ship upon the wine-like sea, in which were many men and goodly, Cretans from Knossos, the city of Minos, they who do sacrifice to the prince and announce his decrees.

Whatsoever Phoebus Apollo, bearer of the golden blade, speaks in answer from his laurel tree below the dells of Parnassus.

These men were sailing in their black ship for traffic and for profit to sandy Pylos, and to the men of Pylos.

It's

like the recreation of Minos.

It does suggest to me, though, that although the mining and the city might have been contemporaneous, I don't think they were designed at the same time.

No, I don't think so.

In this arrest by Hercules, the raven was flayed at her, his return from Libya haven.

Why am not I, said Minos, there invited, unless it be myself not once omitted.

And then it is their mind I do no more of frogs and oysters send them any store.

In case they spare my life and prove but civil, I give their sale of distaffs to the devil.