Cretan Bull. In Greek mythology, the Cretan Bull was the bull Pasiphaë fell in love with, giving birth to the Minotaur.
Minos was king in Crete. In order to confirm his right to rule, rather than any of his brothers, he prayed Poseidon send him a snow-white bull as a sign.
Poseidon sent Minos the bull, with the understanding that it would be sacrificed to the god. Deciding that Poseidon's bull was too fine of a specimen to kill, Minos sent it to his herds and substituted another, inferior bull for sacrifice.
Enraged, Poseidon had Aphrodite cause Pasiphaë, wife of Minos, to fall in love with the bull. She subsequently gave birth to the half-man, half-bull, Minotaur.
Poseidon passed on his rage to the bull, causing it lay waste the land. After consulting the oracle at Delphi, Minos had Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Heracles was sent to capture the bull by Eurystheus as his seventh task. He sailed to Crete, whereupon Minos gave Heracles permission to take the bull away as it had been wreaking havoc on Crete by uprooting crops and leveling orchard walls. Heracles captured the bull, and then shipped it to Eurystheus in Tiryns. The bull later broke loose and wandered into Marathon, becoming known as the Marathonian Bull. Eurystheus then sent Heracles to bring back the man-eating Mares of Diomedes. Androgeus, a son of Minos and Pasiphaë, competed in the games held by Aegeu
Minos was king in Crete. In order to confirm his right to rule, rather than any of his brothers, he prayed Poseidon send him a snow-white bull as a sign.
Poseidon sent Minos the bull, with the understanding that it would be sacrificed to the god. Deciding that Poseidon's bull was too fine of a specimen to kill, Minos sent it to his herds and substituted another, inferior bull for sacrifice.
Enraged, Poseidon had Aphrodite cause Pasiphaë, wife of Minos, to fall in love with the bull. She subsequently gave birth to the half-man, half-bull, Minotaur.
Poseidon passed on his rage to the bull, causing it lay waste the land. After consulting the oracle at Delphi, Minos had Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Heracles was sent to capture the bull by Eurystheus as his seventh task. He sailed to Crete, whereupon Minos gave Heracles permission to take the bull away as it had been wreaking havoc on Crete by uprooting crops and leveling orchard walls. Heracles captured the bull, and then shipped it to Eurystheus in Tiryns. The bull later broke loose and wandered into Marathon, becoming known as the Marathonian Bull. Eurystheus then sent Heracles to bring back the man-eating Mares of Diomedes. Androgeus, a son of Minos and Pasiphaë, competed in the games held by Aegeu
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