The Minotaur.
The prisoner at the center
The Minotaur: Greek Myth, the Labyrinth and Theseusis the bull-headed being confined in the labyrinth built by . Its story joins a broken royal promise, a hidden birth, and the young people sent from as tribute.
More than a myth.
How the Minotaur is born
asks for a sign of his right to rule and receives a splendid bull, which he is expected to sacrifice. He keeps it instead. In the , Poseidon causes Pasiphae to desire the animal, and ’s wooden construction enables the union. The resulting child, also called Asterius in the account, combines human and bovine form.
The labyrinth and the tribute
builds the labyrinth to contain the creature. must send young people to under the settlement imposed by . The story makes an architectural marvel part of a system of domination: its ingenious design serves a royal household whose concealed problem costs others their lives.
Theseus and Ariadne
enters among the tribute and kills the Minotaur. ’s thread, supplied after consultation with , allows him to retrace the route. The creature’s defeat is therefore only half the practical challenge. Survival also requires escaping the building, which the hero cannot do by strength alone.
Questions about The Minotaur
Was the Minotaur a god?
It is a mythical creature, the offspring of Pasiphae and a bull. It does not hold a divine office like or .
Who built the Minotaur’s maze?
built the labyrinth for . He also disclosed the escape method that passed to .
It’s a family affair.
The Minotaur
The Cretan labyrinthNo children represented in this edition.
The stories of The Minotaur.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Library
Book 3.1.3–4
Library · Epitome
Epitome 1.7–10