Answer: "The shadow of Crete hung over everything" is a metaphorical expression that suggests a sense of foreboding or a dark cloud of influence that affects everything around it.
This phrase likely refers to the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature that lived in a labyrinth on the island of Crete. In the myth, Athens was forced to send seven young men and seven young women to Crete every nine years to be sacrificed to the Minotaur, until the Athenian hero Theseus eventually slayed the beast.
The metaphor could be used to describe a situation where the memory of a tragic event or a haunting past casts a dark and pervasive influence on everything around it. It suggests that even in the absence of the original event, its shadow still looms over people and places, creating an atmosphere of tension and unease.
Explanation: This passage seems to be a reference to a historical event, but the metaphorical meaning of "the shadow of Crete hung over everything" remains the same as described in my previous response.
In this context, it seems that the phrase is being used to describe a pervasive feeling of doom and gloom that is affecting the individuals mentioned, as well as the broader political situation. The various rumors and fears mentioned suggest a sense of impending crisis, and the use of the metaphor suggests that the memory of the tragic events associated with Crete (such as the sacrifices to the Minotaur) is serving as a kind of symbolic representation of this broader sense of foreboding.