and replace him. He soon learns that the Queen rules in Eleusis. As King, he has no real power and will die in one year's time. He takes his retinue of Eleusinian youths on hunts to build their independence and camaraderie, killing the great sow Phaia and making war on brigands. The Queen, who correctly anticipates that Theseus is trying to overthrow the established order, tries to have him assassinated but fails. She is bitten by a venomous snake during a suicide attempt. Theseus allows her to leave Eleusis to die. Book Three: Athens Theseus finally goes to Athens. Aigeus, on the urging of his lover Medea, serves him poisoned wine but recognises Theseus's sword and realizes who he is just in time. When Medea's plot fails, she pronounces a curse on Theseus and vanishes from Athens. Aigeus proclaims Theseus his son and heir. When a Cretan ship comes to collect a yearly tribute of seven boys and seven girls from Athens, Theseus, feeling led by Poseidon, offers himself in one boy's place and becomes a Cretan slave. Book Four: Crete In Crete, Theseus and the other tributes – under the group name of Cranes – become bull-dancers. They survive for months without a single member dying, which is unheard of. Theseus becomes the lover of Ariadne, the princess, who is treated as the Goddess on earth. They meet secretly in the tunnels beneath Knossos Palace, which is called the Labyrinth. Theseus dreams of conquering Crete, which has become an indolent and corrupt civilisation. The king, Minos, is wasting away from leprosy due to the machinations of his brutish stepson Asterion, whose title is Minotaur. Asterion is gathering power to take the throne, which will include marrying Ariadne, his half-sister. Theseus meets the dying Minos and kills him at his request, promising to marry Ariadne. Theseus senses a major approaching earthquake. As the quake strikes, he leads the bull-dancers in a revolt. Asterion is already taking part in the ritual to make himself the new Minos, wearing a bull mask. Theseus interrupts the ritual and kills him in combat. Seeing that Asterion had already been anointed with oil, Theseus puts on the mask and sacrifices the King. Book Five: Naxos The Cranes, plus Ariadne—whom Theseus intends to marry—set sail for Greece. They land on the island of Dia, whose capital city is Naxos. The people welcome Ariadne as the Goddess