in Fabulous History, a celebrated monster, half a man and half a bull, according to this verse of Ovid,

Semibovemque virum, semivirumque bovem.

It was the fruit of Pasiphae's amour with a bull. Minos refused to sacrifice a white bull to Neptune, an animal which he had received from the god for that purpose. This offended Neptune, and he made Pasiphae the wife of Minos enamoured of this fine bull, which had been refused to his altars. Daedalus prostituted his talents in being subservient to the queen's unnatural desires; and by his means, Pasiphae's horrible passions were gratified, and the Minotaur came into the world. Minos confined in the labyrinth this monster, which convinced the world of his wife's lasciviousness, and reflected disgrace upon his family. The Minotaur usually devoured the chosen young men and maidens which the tyranny of Minos yearly exacted from the Athenians. Theseus delivered his country from this tribute, when it had fallen to his lot to be sacrificed to the voracity of the Minotaur; and by means of Ariadne, the king's daughter, he destroyed the monster, and made his escape from the windings of the labyrinth.—The fabulous tradition of the Minotaur, and of the infamous commerce of Pasiphae with a favourite bull, has been often explained. Some suppose that Pasiphae was enamoured of one of her husband's courtiers called Taurus; and that Daedalus favoured the passions of the queen, by suffering his house to become the retreat of the two lovers. Pasiphae some time after brought twins into the world, one of whom greatly resembled Minos and the other Taurus; and in the natural resemblance of their countenance with that of their supposed fathers, originated their name, and consequently the fable of the Minotaur.