in fabulous history, was a celebrated monster, half man and half bull. The minotaur was the fruit of Pasiphaë's amour with a bull. Minos having refused to sacrifice a white bull to Neptune, an animal which he had received for that purpose from the god, this offended Neptune, and he made Pasiphaë, the wife of Minos, enamoured of the bull, which had been refused to his altars. Daedalus prostituted his talents in subserviency to the queen's unnatural desires, by which means Pasiphaë'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 whom 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 intricacies of the labyrinth.

The fabulous tradition of the Minotaur, and of the infamous commerce of Pasiphaë, has often been explained. Some suppose that Pasiphaë 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. Pasiphaë some time afterwards brought forth twins, 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 also the fable of the Minotaur.