In Greek mythology, Ariadne gave Theseus the thread used to escape the Labyrinth.
Ariadne was the daughter of Minos, king of Crete, and Pasiphae. When Theseus arrived with the Athenian tribute, Ariadne fell in love with him and decided to help him defeat the Minotaur. Her gift was a ball of thread, often called a clew or clue.
Theseus tied the thread at the entrance and unwound it as he advanced. After killing the Minotaur, he followed the thread back to the exit. In later storytelling, Ariadne’s thread became a symbol of a guiding method through a complicated problem.
Ariadne’s later story differs by source. Theseus took her away from Crete, but abandoned or separated from her on the island of Naxos in many versions. The god Dionysus then became her husband in several classical accounts. She should not be confused with Medea, another mythological woman who aided a hero.