Crete

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"Several names are used for this civilization, “Aegean” being the most inclusive. It is frequently called “Minoan,” after its most famous king and most brilliant age, though strictly speaking the term is anachronistic if used before 1500 b.c. At present there seems to be a tendency to apply “Cretan” or “Minoan” to that aspect of the civilization which definitely belongs to the island of Crete, “Helladic” to that of the mainland, and “Cycladic” to that of the islands. " --Gardner's Art Through the Ages (1926) by Helen Gardner

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a creature that was half-man and half bull. It dwelt in the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze constructed by King Minos of Crete and designed by the architect Daedalus to hold the Minotaur. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus.
Illustration: The Minotaur (1885) by George Frederic Watts

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Rhombicuboctahedron by Leonardo da Vinci

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry, and music). Crete was the centre of the Minoan civilization, the earliest civilization in Europe, comprising the first palaces in Europe.

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+"Several names are used for this civilization, “[[Aegean]]” being the most inclusive. It is frequently called “[[Minoan]],” after its most famous king and most brilliant age, though strictly speaking the term is anachronistic if used before 1500 b.c. At present there seems to be a tendency to apply “[[Crete|Cretan]]” or “Minoan” to that aspect of the civilization which definitely belongs to the island of Crete, “[[Helladic]]” to that of the mainland, and “[[Cycladic]]” to that of the islands. " --''[[Gardner's Art Through the Ages]]'' (1926) by Helen Gardner
+|}
+[[Image:The Minotaur.jpg|thumb|right|200px|
+In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Minotaur''' was a creature that was [[half-man]] and half [[bull (mythology)|bull]]. It dwelt in the [[Labyrinth]], which was an elaborate maze constructed by King [[Minos]] of [[Crete]] and designed by the architect [[Daedalus]] to hold the Minotaur. The Minotaur was eventually killed by [[Theseus]].
+<br>Illustration: ''[[The Minotaur]]'' (1885) by George Frederic Watts]]
 {{Template}}
-:''[[Minotaure]], [[half-creatures]], [[legendary creature]]''
+'''Crete''' is the largest and most populous of the [[Greek islands]], the [[List of islands in the Mediterranean|fifth]]-largest island in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], and one of the thirteen [[Modern regions of Greece|administrative regions of Greece]]. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own [[Mantinada|poetry]], and [[Cretan music|music]]). Crete was the centre of the [[Minoan civilization]], the earliest [[civilization]] in [[Europe]], comprising the first palaces in Europe.
-# A [[monster]] with the head of a [[bull]] and the body of a man.
+==See also==
-# '''The Minotaur''', a minotaur who dwelled in the [[labyrinth]] in [[Crete]] and who was killed by [[Theseus]].
+*[[Minoan frescoes depicting dolphins in Queen's Megaron at Knossos]]
+*[[Cretan dialect]]
+*[[List of Greek islands]]
+*[[List of novels set in Crete]]
+*[[List of rulers of Crete]]
+*[[Mantinada|Mantinades]]
+*[[Music of Crete]]
-In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Minotaur''' was a creature that was half [[human|man]] and half [[bull (mythology)|bull]]. It dwelt in the [[Labyrinth]], which was an elaborate maze constructed by King [[Minos]] of [[Crete]] and designed by the architect [[Daedalus]] to hold the Minotaur. The Minotaur was eventually killed by [[Theseus]].
-"Minotaur" is [[Greek language|Greek]] for "Bull of Minos." The bull was also known as '''Asterius''' or '''Asterion''', a name shared with Minos's foster father.
-Before Minos became king, he asked the Greek god [[Poseidon]] for a sign, to assure him that he, and not his brother, was to receive the throne. Poseidon agreed to send a white bull on condition Minos would sacrifice the bull back to the god. Indeed a bull of unmatched beauty came out of the sea. King Minos, after seeing it, instead sacrificed another bull, hoping that Poseidon would not notice. Poseidon was very angry when he realised what had been done so he caused Minos's wife [[Pasiphae]] to be overcome with a fit of madness in which she fell in love with the bull. Pasiphae went to [[Daedalus]] for assistance, and Daedalus devised a way for her to satisfy her passions. He constructed a hollow wooden cow covered with cowhide for Pasiphae to hide in and allow the bull to mount her. The result of this union was the Minotaur. In some accounts, the white bull went on to become the [[Cretan Bull]] captured by [[Heracles]] for one of his labours.
-The Minotaur had the body of a man and the head and tail of a bull. It was a fierce creature, and Minos, after getting advice from the [[Oracle|Oracle at Delphi]], had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. It was located under Minos' palace in [[Knossos]].
-Now it happened that [[Androgeus]], son of Minos, had been killed by the [[Athens|Athenians]], who were jealous of the victories he had won at the [[Panathenaic Games|Panathenaic festival]]. To avenge the death of his son, Minos waged war and won. He then demanded that seven Athenian youths and seven maidens be sent every ninth year to be devoured by the Minotaur. When the third sacrifice came round, [[Theseus]] volunteered to go to slay the monster. [[Ariadne]], Minos' daughter, fell in love with Theseus and helped him get out of the maze by giving him a ball of thread, allowing him to retrace his path. Theseus killed the Minotaur (with a magical sword Ariadne had given him) and led
-the other Athenians back out the labyrinth. (Plutarch, ''Theseus,'' 15&#8212;19; Diod. Sic. i. I6, iv. 61; Apollodorus iii. 1, 15).
-Minos, angry that Theseus was able to escape, imprisoned Daedalus and his son [[Icarus (mythology)|Icarus]] in the labyrinth. They were able to escape by building wings for themselves, but Icarus died during the escape.
-Sometimes the Minotaus is represented as a bull witha a human torso instead of a head, like a bull version of the [[Centaur]].
-=== Interpretations ===
-The contest between Theseus and the Minotaur was frequently represented in Greek art. A Knossian [[didrachm]] exhibits on one side the labyrinth, on the other the Minotaur surrounded by a semicircle of small balls, probably intended for stars; it is to be noted that one of the monster's name, was Asterius.
-The ruins of Minos' palace at Knossos have been found, but the labyrinth has not. The enormous number of rooms, staircases and corridors in the palace has led archaeologists to believe that the palace itself was the source of the labyrinth myth.
-Some modern mythologists regard the Minotaur as a solar personification and a Greek adaptation of the [[Baal]]-[[Moloch]] of the [[Phoenicia]]ns. The slaying of the Minotaur by Theseus in that case indicates the abolition of such sacrifice by the advance of Greek civilization.
-According to A. B. Cook, Minos and Minotaur are only different forms of the same personage, representing the sun-god [[Zeus]] of the Cretans, who depicted the sun as a bull. He and J. G. Frazer both explain Pasiphae's union with the bull as a sacred ceremony, at which the queen of Knossos was wedded to a bull-formed god, just as the wife of the Tyrant in Athens was wedded to [[Dionysus]]. E. Pottier, who does not dispute the historical personality of Minos, in view of the story of [[Phalaris]] considers it probable that in Crete (where a bull-cult may have existed by the side of that of the [[double axe]]) victims were tortured by being shut up in the belly of a red-hot brazen bull. The story of [[Talos]], the Cretan man of [[brass]], who heated himself red-hot and clasped strangers in his embrace as soon as they landed on the island, is probably of similar origin.
-A political interpretation has that the Greeks freed themselves from the tributes and the power of Crete.
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Crete

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