One after another , King Minos called these pale , frightened youths and sobbing maidens to his footstool , gave them each a poke in the ribs with his sceptre -LRB- to try whether they were in good flesh or no -RRB- , and dismissed them with a nod to his guards . But when his eyes rested on Theseus , the king looked at him more attentively , because his face was calm and brave . `` Young man , '' asked he , with his stern voice , `` are you not appalled at the certainty of being devoured by this terrible Minotaur ? '' `` I have offered my life in a good cause , '' answered Theseus , `` and therefore I give it freely and gladly . But thou , King Minos , art thou not thyself appalled , who , year after year , hast perpetrated this dreadful wrong , by giving seven innocent youths and as many maidens to be devoured by a monster ? Dost thou not tremble , wicked king , to turn shine eyes inward on shine own heart ? Sitting there on thy golden throne , and in thy robes of majesty , I tell thee to thy face , King Minos , thou art a more hideous monster than the Minotaur himself ! '' `` Aha ! do you think me so ? '' cried the king , laughing in his cruel way . `` To-morrow , at breakfast time , you shall have an opportunity of judging which is the greater monster , the Minotaur or the king ! Take them away , guards ; and let this free-spoken youth be the Minotaur 's first morsel . '' Near the king 's throne -LRB- though I had no time to tell you so before -RRB- stood his daughter Ariadne . She was a beautiful and tender-hearted maiden , and looked at these poor doomed captives with very different feelings from those of the iron-breasted King Minos . She really wept indeed , at the idea of how much human happiness would be needlessly thrown away , by giving so many young people , in the first bloom and rose blossom of their lives , to be eaten up by a creature who , no doubt , would have preferred a fat ox , or even a large pig , to the plumpest of them . And when she beheld the brave , spirited figure of Prince Theseus bearing himself so calmly in his terrible peril , she grew a hundred times more pitiful than before . As the guards were taking him away , she flung herself at the king 's feet , and besought him to set all the captives free , and especially this one young man . `` Peace , foolish girl ! '' answered King Minos . `` What hast thou to do with an affair like this ?
It is a matter XXXXX state policy , and therefore quite beyond thy weak comprehension .
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