What is the Minotaur?

Definition of the Glossary term Minotaur

Mar 4, 2006 Robin Fowler

Definition of the Glossary term Minotaur

The Minotaur was a greek mytholoigcal beast that was half man, half bull. It lived in the Labyrinth on Crete, put there by King Minos.

Before Minos became King of Crete, he asked Poseidon to send him a sign that it was his fate to have the throne. Poseidon obliged by sending a white bull on the condition that Minos sacrifice the animal to him when he received it. Minos, however, found the bull so beautiful that he sacrificed another bull in hopes of duping the god. This, of course, did not work, and an angry Poseidon caused Minos' wife Pasiphae to fall revenously in love with the white bull. The result of their union was the Minotaur. As the Minotaur grew up, he became very ferocious, and Minos had the architect Daedalus build the labyrinth under palace in order to keep him hidden away.

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