in antiquity, a fabulous monster much talked of by the poets, feigned to be half man and half bull.

The minotaur was brought forth by Pasiphaë, wife of Minos king of Crete. It was shut up in the labyrinth of that island, and at last killed by Theseus.

Servius gives the explanation of this fable: he says that a secretary of king Minos, named Taurus, "bull," having an intrigue with the queen (Pasiphaë) in the chamber of Daedalus, she was at length delivered of twins; one of whom resembled Minos, and the other Taurus. This occasioned the production to be reputed monstrous.