The Minotaur was a bull-headed man, whom King Minos 2 shut up in the Labyrinth constructed by
          Daedalus in Crete. The Athenians were then obliged by Minos 2 to send every year seven young
          men and seven young women to be fodder of the Minotour.

               King Minos 2 upsets Poseidon

                       King Minos 2 of Crete said he had received the kingdom from the gods, and to prove it he said
                       that whatever he prayed for would be granted. Then, while sacrificing to Poseidon, he prayed
                       that a bull might appear from the sea, and he promised to sacrifice it to the god. Poseidon did
                       send him a beautiful bull, but Minos 2, having already become king, thought it was wiser to
                       sacrifice another bull instead, and in that way he caused the anger of the god.
 

                    Poseidon gives Minos 2 a Queen with strange desires.
 

                       Poseidon, seeing that he had been deluded by the king, contrived that Minos 2's wife Pasiphae,
                       should fall in love with the bull. Architect at the service of the Queen's passions.
                       Now, the skilful architect Daedalus, who had been banished from Athens for murder and lived in
                       Crete, assisted her in satisfying her passion. For he constructed a wooden cow on wheels,
                       hollowed it out in the inside, sewed it up in the hide of a cow which he had skinned, and set it in
                       the meadow in which the bull used to graze. Then Pasiphae introduced herself into the wooden
                       cow, and so the bull, taking the wooden cow for a real one, came and coupled with her. And
                       after some time Pasiphae gave birth to Asterius 7, who became known as the Minotaur, since he
                       had the head of a bull.

                       But it has been also said that for several years Pasiphae had not made offerings to Aphrodite, and
                       for that reason the goddess inspired in her this unnatural love for the bull. Anyway when Minos 2
                       found out the affair he cast Daedalus into prison, for having used his skill for such unnatural
                       purposes and for having helped to corrupt the queen.

                       Minos 2 shut his monstruous stepson, the bull-headed man, up and guarded him in the Labyrinth,
                       which had been also constructed by splendid Daedalus. He who entered the Labyrinth could not
                       find his way out, because many a winding turn shut off the secret outward way. The Labyrinth
                       was a chamber whose passageways were so winding that those unfamiliar with them had difficulty
                       in making their way out. In this Labyrinth the Minotaur was maintained and here it devoured the
                       youths who were sent to it from Athens.

                       The Athenians, who had been at war with Crete, were obliged by Minos 2 to send every year
                       seven youths and seven damsels to be fodder of the Minotaur (but it is also said that Minos 2 did
                       not destroy the young persons whom the Athenians sent him for tribute, but kept them as
                       servants).
 

                     Death of the Minotaur.
 

                       When many young men and women had been already destroyed by the Minotaur in the
                       Labyrinth, Theseus, who was to become king of Athens, was numbered among those who were
                       to be sent as the third tribute to the Minotaur. But Ariadne, the daughter of Minos 2, fell in love
                       with Theseus, obtained the secret to the Labyrinth from Daedalus and disclosed the way out to
                       Theseus. Theseus, having found the Minotaur in the last part of the Labyrinth, killed him, and with
                       Ariadne's help found his way out, fled from Crete and came to Naxos with her.

                                      Some believe that this Bull could be the
                                      same that the Marathonian bull, which
                                      killed Androgeus, son of Minos 2. The
                                      Marathonian bull was killed or mastered
                                      by Theseus.

                                      Queen Pasiphae, daughter of Helius, was
                                      immortal, and yet Aeneas saw her in the
                                      Underworld. As her husband Minos 2
                                      used to consort with many women, she
                                      bewitched him in such away that he, on
                                      making love to other women, ejaculated
                                      beasts and his mistresses perished. Some
                                      have said that Pasiphae's mother was
                                      Perseis, one of the OCEANIDS, but
                                      others said Crete 3, who is otherwise
                                      unknown.
 

     Crete is a large island in the Mediterranean Sea, southeast of Greece. The first Cretan kings we meet in mythology
     are Archedius, Gortys 2 and Cydon 1. These are all sons of Tegeates, who founded Tegea in Arcadia. Tegeates
     was a son of the impious Lycaon 2, who lived at the time of The Flood.
     The three brothers emigrated from Arcadia to Crete, and it is said that the city Gortyna was named after Gortys 2 and
     Cydonia after Cydon 1.

     After them, a son of Dorus 1, Tectamus, sailed to Crete with Aeolians and Pelasgians and became king of the
     island. During the time when he was king of Crete, Zeus carried off Europa from Phoenicia. Tectamus' son,
     Asterius 3, married Europa and became king, being succeeded in the throne by Europa's son by Zeus, Minos 1.

     After Minos 1, Lycastus 1, his son, became king; and after him his son, the more famous Minos 2, ruled the
     country. But some say Minos 2 was the son of Zeus and Europa. During his reign Crete had conflicts with Athens
     and Megara, which are reflected in the stories of the Minotaur and the abduction of Ariadne by Theseus, and the
     legend of Nisus 1. The architectural creations of Daedalus (the Labyrinth, the Wooden Cow, the Dancing-floor for
     Ariadne) are from this time. Minos 2 died in Sicily killed by King Cocalus or by the daughters of this Sicilian king.

     Minos 2 was succeeded by Idomeneus 1, who became leader of the Cretans during the Trojan War. At his return
     from Troy he was driven out of Crete by the usurper Leucus 1.
 

He said that he had received the kingdom from the gods, and later pursuing a fugitive met his death in Sicily, but now he delivers judgement to the dead in Hades.

                 Zeus, having taken the form of a Bull, carried off the Phoenician princess Europa and took her across the
                 sea to the island of Crete. In Crete Zeus made love to her and she bore sons: Minos 2, Rhadamanthys
                 and Sarpedon 1.

                Minos 2 becomes king.

                 Minos 2 said he had received the kingdom from the gods, and to prove it he said that whatever he
                 prayed for would be granted. Then, while sacrificing to Poseidon, he prayed that a bull might appear
                 from the depths, and he promised to sacrifice it to the god. Poseidon did send him a beautiful bull and
                 Minos 2 became king, but he sacrificed another bull instead, thus upsetting the god.
 
 

      Britomartis.
      (Aphaea,
      Dictynna,
      Laphria.)

                 Some say this story is unlikely because Britomartis was a goddess from the very start, being as she was
                 the daughter of Zeus; they also argue that it is not right to ascribe such an impious deed to Minos 2.

                War against Athens and Megara.

                 What happened to Androgeus, the son of Minos 2, is unclear [see notes about the offspring of Minos 2
                 below]; but some say that because of his death in the Panathenian games Minos 2 waged war against
                 Athens and captured Megara which was then ruled by Nisus 1. This king perished because his own
                 daughter Scylla 2 betrayed him. Nisus 1 had a purple hair on the middle of his head, and an oracle said
                 that when it was pulled out he should die. During the siege Scylla 2 fell in love with the invader Minos 2
                 and pulled out his father's hair and through this treachery Megara was defeated. But when Minos 2 had
                 taken the city he tied the girl by the feet to the stern of the ship and drowned her. Megareus 2, after
                 whom the ciy of Megara is named, came from Onchestus with an army of Boeotians to help Nisus 1 in
                 his war against Minos 2, but was killed in battle.

                 When Minos 2 was at war with Athens and he could not take the city, he prayed to Zeus that he might
                 be avenged on the Athenians. And the city being visited with a famine and a pestilence, the Athenians in
                 obedience to an ancient oracle slaughtered the daughters of the Lacedaemonian Hyacinthus 2, on the
                 grave of Geraestus.

                 The Athenian Procris 2, bribed by a golden crown admitted a lover in her bed and having being
                 discovered by her husband fled to the court of Minos 2. But he fell in love with her. Now if any woman
                 had intercourse with him, it was impossible for her to escape with life; for because Minos 2 had many
                 women, Pasiphae bewitched him, and whenever he took another woman to his bed, he ejaculated wild
                 beasts and the women perished. But Minos 2 had a Swift Dog and a Dart-That-Flew-Straight; and in
                 return for these gifts Procris 2 let herself be bribed again, sharing his bed, but having first given him the
                 Circaean root to drink that he might not harm her. But afterwards, fearing Pasiphae, she came to Athens,
                 and being reconciled with her husband Cephalus 1, she went with him to the chase. And during the
                 hunting she met her death when Cephalus 1, by accident, killed her with the same
                 Dart-That-Flew-Straight, which his wife had got from Minos 2.
 

                Minotaur, Daedalus, Theseus.

                 For the important conflict between Crete and Athens, the story of the Minotaur in the Labyrinth, the role
                 of Daedalus, and how Theseus came to Crete putting an end to the tribute that the Athenians had to send
                 to Crete see all the links just mentioned.
 

                 Pursuing Daedalus Minos 2 meets his death.

                 Daedalus disclosed to Ariadne the way out of the Labyrinth so that she could help Theseus. But on being
                 apprised of the flight of Theseus, Minos 2 shut up the guilty Daedalus and his son in the Labyrinth. But
                 Daedalus constructed wings and with their help made his way safely to Sicily.

                 At this time Crete was the mightiest sea-power. So when Minos 2 learned that Daedalus was hidden in
                 Sicily he decided to make war on that island and preparing a notable naval force he sailed to the west
                 and landed in Sicily. He inmediately send messenger to the court of King Cocalus in Camicus demanding
                 Daedalus for punishment. Cocalus promised to meet all his demands and invited him to a conference
                 bringing Minos 2 to his home as guest. It is said that either King Cocalus or his daughters slew Minos 2
                 while he was bathing. They gave the body to the Cretans explaining that Minos 2 had slipped in the bath
                 and by falling into the hot water had died.

                 Some say that Minos 2 did not know for certain where Daedalus was hiding. So in order to discover
                 Daedalus he carried with him a spiral shell from country to country and promised to reward him who
                 should pass a thread through the shell, believing that only Daedalus could solve such a task. So when he
                 arrived in Sicily he showed the spiral shell to Cocalus, who promised to thread it. Cocalus gave the shell
                 to Daedalus, who fastened a thread to an ant, and, having bored a hole in the spiral shell, allowed the ant
                 to pass through it. In this way Minos 2 understood that Daedalus was with Cocalus and he demanded
                 his surrender. Cocalus promised to meet this demand and entertained him but when Minos 2 had taken
                 his bath he was killed by the king's daughters; or perhaps he was drenched with boiling water.
 

                 Notes about Throne Successions in Crete.

                 The first Cretan kings we meet in mythology are Archedius, Gortys 2 and Cydon 1. These are all sons of
                 Tegeates, who founded Tegea in Arcadia. Tegeates was a son of the impious Lycaon 2, who lived at the
                 time of The Flood [see Mythical Chronology]. The three brothers emigrated from Arcadia to Crete, and
                 it is said that the city Gortyna was named after Gortys 2 and Cydonia after Cydon 1.

                 After them, a son of Dorus 1, Tectamus, sailed to Crete with Aeolians and Pelasgians and became king
                 of the island. During the time when he was king of Crete, Zeus carried off Europa from Phoenicia.
                 Tectamus' son, Asterius 3, married Europa and became king, being succeeded in the throne by Europa's
                 son by Zeus, Minos 1.

                 After Minos 1, Lycastus 1, his son, became king; and after him his son, the more famous Minos 2, ruled
                 the country. But some say Minos 2 was the son of Zeus and Europa. During his reign Crete had conflicts
                 with Athens and Megara, which are reflected in the stories of the Minotaur and the abduction of Ariadne
                 by Theseus, and the legend of Nisus 1. The architectural creations of Daedalus (the Labyrinth, the
                 Wooden Cow, the Dancing-floor for Ariadne) are from this time. Minos 2 died in Sicily killed by King
                 Cocalus or by the daughters of this Sicilian king.

                 Minos 2 was succeeded by Idomeneus 1, who became leader of the Cretans during the Trojan War. At
                 his return from Troy he was driven out of Crete by the usurper Leucus 1. Because of the intrigues of
                 Nauplius 1 [see Agamemnon] the wife of Idomeneus 1, Meda 2, became the lover of Leucus 1 while her
                 husband was fighting at Troy. But, as it is said, Leucus 1 killed her along with her daughter by
                 Idomeneus 1, Clisithyra, and detaching ten cities from Crete, he made himself ruler of them. So when
                 Idomeneus 1, returning from the Trojan War, landed in Crete, Leucus 1 drove him out.
 
 
 
 

                                       Lycastus 1 is son of Minos 1 & Itone. Minos
                                       1 is the son of Zeus & Europa. Itone is
                                       daughter of Lyctius, otherwise unknown.

                                       Ide 1 is daughter of Corybas, only known for
                                       being her father.
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                              Notes about the children of Minos 2.
 

                Acalle.

                Glaucus 4.

                Deucalion 2.

                Catreus.

                Androgeus.

                Xenodice 1.

                Ariadne.

                Phaedra.

                           Acalle was loved by Apollo in the house of Carmanor, and fearing the wrath of Minos 2,
                           who drove her from home to dwell in Libya, she exposed her son Miletus. Carmanor, who
                           once loved Demeter, had before purified Apollo after he had killed Python

                           Glaucus 4, while he was yet a child, in chasing a mouse fell into a jar of honey and was
                           drowned. On his disappearance his father made a great search, but only Polyidus 1 was
                           able to find him by means of divination. But the father of Glaucus 4 wanted his son alive.
                           And then Polyidus 1, applying an herb to the body of Glaucus 4, raised him from the dead.
                           Later Minos 2 would not let Polyidus 1 depart to Argos until he had taught Glaucus 4 the
                           art of divination. Polyidus 1 taught him on compulsion, and when he was sailing away he
                           bade Glaucus 4 spit into his mouth. Glaucus 4 did so and forgot the art of divination.

                           Catreus died at the time when Paris abducted Helen.

                           When Theseus was about to leave Crete, he joined battle with the Cretans at the gate of
                           the Labyrinth and there he slew Deucalion 2 and his bodyguard.

                           Androgeus is said to have been destroyed by the Marathonian Bull. But others say he was
                           killed by competitors after winning the Panathenian games. Still others say he was killed
                           during the war between Minos 2 and the Athenians.
 
 

                           Molus 1 is the father of Meriones, one of the ACHAEAN LEADERS.
 
 

                           The children of Paria lived in the island of Paros.
 
 

                           Euryale 2 is sometimes said to be the mother of Orion.
 
 
 

                           Asterius 5 commanded the Cretans who joined Dionysus 2 in his campaign against the
                           Indians. He never returned to Crete but settled among the Colchians and called them
                           Asterians.