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Plutarch did a Life of Theseus in his writings which covered all the bases. It makes a good read if you're really interested. There are some different versions out there though, but basically, Theseus volunteered to go with the seven young men and seven young women from Athens which were pledged to King Minos of Crete. Legend has it he fed them to a minotaur which lived in a large, inescapable maze. Theseus, while he was awaiting his turn to enter the maze, discovered that the king's daughter had fallen in love with him. She gave him a sword and a ball of thread so that he could unroll the thread and find his way back again after killing the minotaur (which is half-bull, half-man, btw). He then escaped with the other prisoners and brought the king's daughter with him, but accidentally left her on an island. Theseus became the first king of Athens (before then there were just scattered villages/cities, but he united them) and was known for his inability to control his lust. Legend also has it that he kidnapped Helen of Troy when she was just a girl, but he was forced to give her back.
Hope that helps a bit!
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