Ariadne is Pasiphaë’s and Minos’s daughter. She is sympathetic toward the Minotaur, as she sees the creature as her brother. When she falls in love with Theseus, one of the mortals that is sent by the king of Athens as a sacrifice to the Minotaur, she arms him and teaches him how to make his way through the Labyrinth, the maze that Daedalus constructed to hold the Minotaur. She later runs away with Theseus, but Dionysus decides to claim her as his own. It is not stated whether Ariadne had any say in the matter, but it is likely that she didn’t; the story shows time and time again that the gods and men of ancient Greece take what they want of women. However, Dionysus never gets to her, as Artemis kills her. The reason is not known, but Hermes guesses that it was “Some incomprehensible slight” that threw Artemis into a rage, demonstrating once again the callousness of the gods.
Ariadne Quotes in Circe
The Circe quotes below are all either spoken by Ariadne or refer to Ariadne. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 10
Quotes
This was how mortal found fame, I thought. Through practice and diligence, tending their skills like garden until they glowed beneath the sun. But gods are born of ichor and nectar, their excellences already bursting from their fingertips. So they find their fame by proving what they can mar: destroying cities, starting wars, breeding plagues and monsters. All that smoke and savor rising so delicately from our altars. It leaves only ash behind.
Related Characters:Circe (speaker), Ariadne
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
135
Explanation and Analysis:
Circe is in Crete and is watching her niece, Ariadne, dance. As she watches Ariadne move skillfully, Circe realizes that humankind's mortality is what encourages them to be creative and skillful. Because their lives are finite, mortals know that the primary way for them to leave a legacy (and therefore “live forever” in history) is through invention or talent that catches the attention of gods and other mortals alike. Mortals, therefore, are more inclined to develop a craft than gods are, and so Circe associated them with creation. In order to attain the level of talent necessary for fame, mortals must Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qu
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The timeline below shows where the character Ariadne appears in Circe. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10
...young girl dancing in a courtyard. The girl approaches and introduces herself as her niece, Ariadne.
(full context)
When Circe tells Ariadne that she must speak with Daedalus, the young girl offers to take her to his...
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Accompanied by Ariadne, Circe stands before Pasiphaë and Minos, the latter of whom is old and ghastly. He...
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...Pasiphaë jeers at Minos, asking whether he thought the girls died from pleasure, Circe takes Ariadne with her as she leaves. They walk back to the courtyard, where Ariadne asks whether...
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Chapter 12
Ariadne fell in love with Theseus. Before he entered the Labyrinth (the lair that Daedalus had...
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Hermes proceeds with Ariadne’s tale, which ends with her dying at the hands of Artemis, although he never understood...
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Chapter 21
...Telegonus shakes his head, saying that they are brothers. His statement makes Circe think of Ariadne’s affection for the Minotaur. Realizing that there is no changing Telegonus’s mind and taking comfort...
(full context)