'MINOTAUR, son of Pasipha6, wife of Minos, by a bull. He lived on man's flesh, for which reason Minos put him in the labyrinth of DTdalus, feeding him with criminals, and afterwards with the youths and maidens sent from Athens. Theseus, by help of Ariadne, killed him, thereby delivering the Athenians from the obligation of sending their children to be eaten. Such is the mythological story. Its meaning is uncertain. It very likely belongs to that class of mythological tales which express a political fact, and the connection in which Theseus stands with the Minotaur adds probability to this theory, for the exploits of Theseus are generally such effects as would be produced in historical times by the course of events in the formation of a polity. Such at least are his exploits in and about Attica, and there appears no sound reason to exclude this from the number. It
may then perhaps be assumed that under the slaying of the Minotaur is shadowed forth the abolition of certain obstacles existing in the way of free intercourse between Athens and Crete. But the descent of the Minotaur from Pasipha6 (rfacrtcpcin) probably a name of the moon, and the Bull, one of the zodiacal signs, may perhaps imply some astronom ical fact connected with the recurrence of the tribute paid to Crete. The affection of Ariadno for Theseus, in mythological language, may be taken to mean a union of Cretan and Attic tribes. Various other interpretations of a more or less fanciful character have likewise been suggested. The monster either in his early adventures, enclosed in the labyrinth, and fighting with or subdued by Theseus, is frequently represented by Greek artists.