Cretan Bull

myminifactory

This modern limestone sculpture brings to life the Cretan Bull, a legendary creature that plays a pivotal role in multiple Greek myths. The Cretan Bull is a bull that appears in both the myth of the Labours of Heracles and the myth of the Minotaur, two famous stories from Greek mythology. It was this very bull that Pasiphae fell deeply in love with, and the creature's powerful presence left her pregnant, ultimately giving birth to the Minotaur. During the Labours of Heracles, King Eurystheus orders Heracles to capture the Cretan Bull and bring it back, but the hero is given permission by King Minos to take the animal from Crete. Minos was more than happy to get rid of the bull that had been destroying his crops, and Heracles successfully captures the creature with ease, sending it back to Eurystheus without any trouble at all. When Eurystheus sees the animal, he hides inside a large jar out of fear, but later orders its sacrifice to Hera, only for the goddess to refuse, thinking that it would bring further glory to Heracles. Instead, Eurystheus lets the bull loose, and it makes its way to Marathon, earning itself the name Marathonian Bull. Later, Theseus, son of King Aegeus of Athens, sets out on a mission to capture the bull. He travels to Marathon and successfully catches the creature, before returning to Athens where he sacrifices it to Athena or Apollo.