What is the Reward Theseus receives after the ordeal?

• A. He lives, saves the other Athenians and returns to Athens.
• B. He loses his life and returns to Crete.
• C. He becomes king of Crete.
• D. He becomes a hero but remains in the labyrinth.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is what Theseus gains as a reward after facing the Minotaur in the labyrinth. After winning the ordeal, Theseus survives, frees the other Athenians who were meant as sacrifices, and returns home to Athens as a celebrated hero. That combination of life, rescue, and safe homecoming is the reward the story emphasizes. Other outcomes—losing his life, becoming king of Crete, or staying trapped in the labyrinth—don’t fit the tale’s focus on surviving and returning as a savior. (Note: Theseus does later become king of Athens, but the immediate reward after the ordeal is simply that he lives, saves others, and returns home.)