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 of state policy , and therefore quite beyond thy weak comprehension . Go water thy flowers , and think no more of these Athenian caitiffs , whom the Minotaur shall as certainly eat up for breakfast as I will eat a partridge for my supper . '' So saying , the king looked cruel enough to devour Theseus and all the rest of the captives himself , had there been no Minotaur to save him the trouble . As he would hear not another word in their favor , the prisoners were now led away , and clapped into a dungeon , where the jailer advised them to go to sleep as soon as possible , because the Minotaur was in the habit of calling for breakfast early . The seven maidens and six of the young men soon sobbed themselves to slumber . But Theseus was not like them . He felt conscious that he was wiser , and braver , and stronger than his companions , and that therefore he had the responsibility of all their lives upon him , and must consider whether there was no way to save them , even in this last extremity . So he kept himself awake , and paced to and fro across the gloomy dungeon in which they were shut up . Just before midnight , the door was softly unbarred , and the gentle Ariadne showed herself , with a torch in her hand . `` Are you awake , Prince Theseus ? '' she whispered . `` Yes , '' answered Theseus . `` With so little time to live , I do not choose to waste any of it in sleep . '' `` Then follow me , '' said Ariadne , `` and tread softly . ''
What had become XXXXX the jailer and the guards , Theseus never knew .
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