In Greek mythology, Androgeus was the Cretan prince killed after winning the Panathenaic Games.
Androgeus was a son of King Minos and Pasiphae. He traveled from Crete to Athens to compete in the Panathenaic Games and won every event, according to mythological tradition. His success supposedly provoked resentment among Athenians or rival competitors.
Different accounts describe his death in different ways. One version says that Aegeus sent him against the Marathonian Bull, while another presents his death as the result of a plot by jealous rivals. When Minos learned that his son had died, he blamed Athens and demanded tribute.
This story supplies the mythological background for the Athenian youths later sent to Crete. It also explains why Minos had authority to impose a severe punishment on Athens in the Theseus cycle. Androgeus is sometimes overlooked because he does not appear in the Labyrinth episode itself, but his death helps explain how that episode begins.