Minatour - About Their History

If you have ever read much about Greek mythology, more than likely you have heard a bit about the Minatour. This creature was known as being part bull and yet part man as well. It lived right in the middle of what was known as the Labyrinth, and later this creature would end up being killed. Most people found the creature to be quite fearsome, which is why he was later killed; however, some found that he was beautiful in some ways as well. Here's a closer look at when the Minatour appeared, how it was slain, and the Greek art that has surrounded this creature for many years.

When Did They Appear

Wonder when exactly the Minatour first appeared? Well it started out with Minos, who took the throne in the country of Crete. He prayed to the god, Poseidon, to send along a bull that was totally white to show that he approved of him on the throne. Minos was supposed to actually sacrifice the bull to Poseidon, but because the bull was beautiful, he kept it. Poseidon punished Minos by making his wife, Pasiphae, fall in love with this snow white bull. Later she copulated with this bull, and they had offspring as a result, which was the Minotaur, which was part man and part bull. Later the creature became quite ferocious, so a large labyrinth was made in order to hold in the beast.

The Slaying of the Monster

Every year there were seven males and females brought for the Minatour to eat. In order to put a stop to this, a man named Theseus said that he would kill this creature. If he was able to slay the creature, he told his father, Aegeus, that on his ship he would have a white sail flying and if he died a black sail would be flying. Ariadne, who happened to be Minos' daughter, loved Theseus, and she helped him to get through the labyrinth to get to the creature. Theseus was able to slay the monster, but on his way home he did not remember to put up his white sail, and his father though that he was dead, so he committed suicide, which was a great tragedy.

Greek Art of the Minatour

Throughout the years, there have often been artistic attempts to portray the Minatour. Many have done sculptures and paintings to try to show the way that this creature looked. However, while many have believed that this creature existed, there are also those that believe that it was only a myth, although we may truly never know.

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Title:	Minatour - About Their History
Author:	Joy Stoyle
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Minatour - About Their History