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The legend of the Minotaur is one of the most enigmatic in all of World mythology, but it has also been very influential. The story of the half-man and half-bull in the labyrinth in Crete has fascinated people for thousands of years and is one of the best-known myths from the Classical World. It appears that this myth was most likely based on historical precedents.

====Theseus and the Minotaur====

The son of King Aegeus, Theseus, volunteered to be sent to Crete. He believed that he had the strength and power to kill the fearsome half-bull and half-man. After some time, Theseus finally persuaded the king to send him to Crete. Minos received the young Athenian and, on account of his royal birth, treated him with respect. Theseus told the Cretan king that he would kill the creature. However, the monarch was not afraid, he knew that the Athenians could not escape the maze that was escape-proof. However, Minos was unaware that his daughter Adriane had fallen in love with Theseus and agreed to help him in his quest. She gave him a ball of string or thread before he went into the labyrinth. The Athenians then went into the maze and used the string, which was still being held by Ariadne to mark the way back to the entrance of the labyrinth.<ref>Morford, Mark PO, and Robert J. Lenardon. Classical mythology (Oxford, Oxford University Press, USA, 1999), p 113</ref>

====The historicity of the Minotaur====

There is a great deal of evidence that suggests that there is some basis for the myth in real life. The name Minos was found on a clay tablet. It does not refer to a king but was the title of the consort of the queen. The myth of the maze that was the home and the prison of the half-man and half-bull may have some basis also in fact. So far, archaeologists have not found any evidence of a maze. Some have suggested that the sprawling palace complexes of the Minoans inspired the legend of the maze. However, archaeologists have found evidence of a dancing floor. Homer mentions this in his epic poem, the Iliad. It appears that young people may have performed intricate dances on this floor that were of religious significance. It appears that the dancing floor was an intricate mosaic, and it morphed into a maze in the imagination of storytellers and poets. The frescoes that have been uncovered at the Minoan palaces have helped clarify the myth's roots. Paintings and figurines, dating from 1700 to 1400 B.C., show young men vaulting over bulls. This is a ritual that was named Tauro-kathapsia.

====Conclusion====

This tale has influenced western culture for centuries and has given us the concept of the labyrinth. The myth of the Minotaur almost certainly is based on events and practices from the Minoan civilization. The half-man and the half-bull story is probably a Greek interpretation of a historical culture that they imperfectly understood. This story taught people to fear the Gods, like so many other fables. It can be regarded as one of the many myths told around the world that told of humans and animals' hybrids. The story of Theseus and the Minotaur inspired many artists and was adopted by the Romans, including the Etruscans. This tale allows us to understand something of the history of the Minoans and also the mindset of the Greeks and their values. The life and death of the Minotaur was also a political fable.

====Further Reading====