e himself clean, and
clad himself in fresh raiment which was lying ready for him. When he was
clean and clad he tied a rope of byblus round the horns of the head of
the Minotaur, and went round the back of the palace, trailing the head
behind him, till he came to a sentinel. 'I would see King Minos,' he
said, 'I have the password, _Androgeos_!'

The sentinel, pale and wondering, let him pass, and so he went through
the guards, and reached the great door of the palace, and there the
servants wrapped the bleeding head in cloth, that it might not stain the
floors. Theseus bade them lead him to King Minos, who was seated on his
throne, judging the four guardsmen, that had been found asleep.

When Theseus entered, followed by the serving men with their burden, the
king never stirred on his throne, but turned his grey eyes on Theseus.
'My lord,' said Theseus, 'that which was to be done is done.' The
servants laid their burden at the feet of King Minos, and removed the
top fold of the covering.

The king turned to the captain of his guard. 'A week in the cells for
each of these four men,' said he, and the four guards, who had expected
to die by a cruel death, were led away. 'Let that head and the body also
be burned to ashes and thrown into the sea, far from the shore,' said
Minos, and his servants silently covered the head of the Minotaur, and
bore it from the throne room.

Then, at last, Minos rose from his throne, and took the hand of Theseus,
and said, 'Sir, I thank you, and I give you back your company safe and
free; and I am no more in hatred with your people. Let there be peace
between me and them. But will you not abide with us awhile, and be our
guests?'

Theseus was glad enough, and he and his company tarried in the palace,
and were kindly treated. Minos showed Theseus all the splendour and
greatness of his kingdom and his ships, and great armouries, full of all
manner of weapons: the names and numbers of them are yet known, for
they are written on tablets of clay, that were found in the storehouse
of the king. Later, in the twilight, Theseus and Ariadne would walk
together in the fragrant gardens where the nightingales sang, and Minos
knew it, and was glad. He thought that nowhere in the world could he
find such a husband for his daughter, and he deemed it wise to have the
alliance of so great a king as Theseus promised to be. But, loving his
daughter, he kept Theseus with him long, till the prince was ashamed