One of the moral questions posed by “The Cruel Tribute” is that of which actions are done in the name of justice and which are carried out in the name of revenge. The first action that prompts this question is the act of King Minos demanding the tributes. In recompense for the death of his son, Minos demands that “[e]very year when the springtime comes and the roses begin to bloom, you shall choose seven of your noblest youths and seven of your fairest maidens, and shall send them to me in a ship which your king shall provide” (196). To King Minos, this can be perceived as justice. He lost what is dearest to him, his son, and demands repayment from Athens in the city’s loss of children. Since he holds all of Athens responsible, he sees this as justice. To the people of Athens, however, this is a cruel act of revenge.

When the time comes for the yearly tribute, the people of Athens return to their homes, and “in every street the doors of the houses were shut and no man went in or out, but every one sat silent with pale cheeks, and wondered whose lot it would be to be chosen this year” (198).