Minotaur
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In Greek mythology, the Minotaur, also known as Asterion or Asterius, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as describe
The Minotaur on an Attic black-figure kylix tondo from c. 515 BC with a kalos inscription.
Pasiphaë and baby Minotaur, Attic red-figure kylix found at Etruscan Vulci. Italy. Currently at the Cabinet des Médailles, Paris
Tondo showing the victory of Theseus over the Minotaur in the presence of Athena from c. 435 BC
Theseus dragging the Minotaur out of the Labyrinth, red-figure kylix from c. 440–430 BC
Pasiphaë
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In Greek mythology, Pasiphaë was the daughter of Helios, queen of Crete, and mother of the Minotaur. After her husband Minos failed to sacrifice the Cretan Bull to Poseidon as promised, the god cursed
Minotaur
…instead to keep him. Minos believed that the god would accept a substitute sacrifice. To punish Minos, Poseidon arranged with Aphrodite for Minos's wife, Pasiphaë, to fall in love with the bull. Pasiphaë had the master craftsman, Daedalus, fashion for her a hollow wooden cow, into which she climbed to let the…
Pasiphaë nursing the infant Minotaur, red-figure kylix found at Etruscan Vulci, 4th century BC
Daedalus presents the artificial cow to Pasiphaë: Roman fresco in the House of the Vettii, Pompeii, 1st century CE.
Pasiphaë sits on a throne, a Roman mosaic from Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Pasiphae entering the hollow cow by Giulio Romano (15th century)