The Minotaur Trilogy by Thomas Burnett Swann
"The Minotaur Trilogy" is a narrative that unfolds in a fantastical setting where humans and mythical creatures interact. The first installment, "Cry Silver Bells," introduces Hora, a courtesan, and her cousin Lordan, who are exiled to the enigmatic Country of the Beasts. There, they encounter the Minotaur known as Silver Bells, who is mourning the loss of his wife, Alyssum. The plot thickens when the trio is threatened with sacrificial games, leading to a rescue mission involving their dryad friend Zoe and other beasts. The story takes a tragic turn with Silver Bells' unexpected death, yet it concludes on a note of hope with the emergence of a snake bearing silver bells.
The subsequent books, "The Forest of Forever" and "Day of the Minotaur," expand on the themes of love, sacrifice, and conflict. They explore the relationships between Eunostos, the last Minotaur, and Kora, a young dryad, as well as the challenges faced by the children of Kora and the Minoan prince Aeacus. The narrative culminates in a confrontation between Achaean warriors and the inhabitants of the Country of the Beasts, highlighting themes of loyalty and betrayal. The trilogy intricately weaves elements of Greek mythology with rich character development, exploring the complexities of love and loss in a world where the lines between human and beast blur.
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Subject Terms
The Minotaur Trilogy
First published:Day of the Minotaur (1966), The Forest of Forever (1971), and Cry Silver Bells (1977)
Type of work: Novels
Type of plot: Fantasy—mythological
Time of work: About the eighth century c.e.
Locale: Crete
The Plot
Cry Silver Bells, first in the trilogy by internal chronology, begins as Hora, a beautiful courtesan, and her cousin Lordan, a petty thief, are banished to the dreaded Country of the Beasts. They are befriended there by the dryad Zoe. The Beasts, far from being hostile, protect the two humans and even give them new names. Now they are Marguerite (for her beauty) and Oryx (for his nimbleness). Marguerite is deeply attracted to the Minotaur Silver Bells, so named for the dec-oration he wears on his horns, but he has had no interest in any woman since the death of his wife, the naiad Alyssum.
Disaster strikes the two humans when the King of the Beasts, the centaur Chiron, declares that they must depart the Country of the Beasts. As soon as the boat bearing the exiled pair leaves the shore, it is seized by sea beasts called Tritons. Silver Bells swims out to rescue them, but he too is taken prisoner. The unfortunate trio eventually are taken to the city of Phaistos, where they are sold to be sacrificed at the Games.
Meanwhile, Zoe gathers a group of Beasts to accompany her on a mission to rescue Silver Bells, Marguerite, and Oryx. Disguised as a Nubian queen and her retinue, the group reach Crete and attend the Games, where they see Marguerite and Oryx tied to a pole in the center of the arena. They are to be the prize for a Sphinx if the foul creature can defeat Silver Bells. The Minotaur manages to kill his monstrous foe, and the entire group, including the two humans, sails back to the Country of the Beasts. Marguerite and Oryx are invited to remain as long as they wish.
The apparently happy conclusion is destroyed by the sudden death of Silver Bells. The tragedy is muted, however, by the appearance of a snake, on whose head can be seen tiny horns; on the horns are silver bells.
The Forest of Forever is narrated by Zoe. Silver Bells’s nephew Eunostos, now the last of the Minotaurs, has fallen in love with the young dryad Kora, to whom he proposes marriage. She agrees, reluctantly, but calls off the marriage at the last moment because she loves another, the wounded Minoan prince, Aeacus, who has wandered into the Country of the Beasts. Kora and Aeacus marry, and she bears him two children, Thea and Icarus.
Although he has agreed to remain forever in the Country of the Beasts, Aeacus secretly returns to Crete, taking the children with him. Zoe and Eunostos undertake a hazardous journey to Crete in an attempt to bring back the children, but their expedition fails. When Kora learns that her children will not be returned, she commits suicide by setting fire to her tree home.
When Day of the Minotaur begins, more than a decade has passed. Achaean warriors have attacked Crete. Thea, now sixteen years old, and Icarus, a year younger, escape with the help of a flying machine. They crash on the outskirts of the Country of the Beasts, where they are captured by the Achaean general Ajax. After Thea foils his attempted rape, she flees with her brother into the Country of the Beasts. There Eunostos discovers and befriends them.
Eunostos becomes a mentor to Icarus and falls deeply in love with Thea, who does not seem to have the same feelings for him. Their personal drama is interrupted when the Achaeans, led by Ajax, invade the Country of the Beasts. The humans are aided by the beelike Thriae, who have betrayed their kind for gold. Despite the courageous efforts of the Beasts, especially Eunostos, all appears lost when the Achaeans devastate the wilderness and capture Thea. Aided by Icarus, however, Eunostos manages to poison the food on which the humans are feasting to celebrate their victory. Only a handful of Achaeans survive the poison and the ensuing battle, in which Thea kills Ajax.
After the victory, Thea and Icarus learn that their father is still alive and Crete has not yet fallen. They return to lead the fight against the Achaeans, leaving heartsick Eunostos behind. The Beasts decide it is time to leave the forest and sail to the Isles of the Blest. As they are about to depart, Thea arrives with her brother. They tell Eunostos that they have left Crete for good and will accompany the Minotaur, whom she has grown to love, and that she will become his wife.