Hercules the Hero: Understanding the Myth
Christine House
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Give FeedbackThe Seventh Labor: the Cretan Bull
For the seventh labor, Eurystheus ordered Hercules to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the island of Crete to capture a bull which was wreaking havoc over the lands around the capitol of Knossos. This bull had been given to Minos, the king of Crete, by Poseidon [po-SI-don], to be offered as a sacrifice. King Minos thought the bull too beautiful to kill, so he substituted another bull for sacrifice. When he learned of the exchange, Poseidon was incensed and sent the bull on his rampage. He also caused Minos wife Pasiphae [pa-SI-fa-e] to fall in love with the bull and give birth to the Minotaur which lived in the Labyrinth of Daedalus.
Hercules arrived at Knossos on the island of Crete and easily wrestled the bull into submission. He brought the beast back to Tiryns while Eurystheus hid in his bronze pot. The bull was released to roam the countryside. He crossed the Isthmus of Corinth, settled in the vicinity of Marathon and killed any one who crossed his path. According to some sources, one of the first unfortunates to meet the Minotaur was the son of Minos, who had been visiting Athens.