Gods,Heroes,Myths Greek Mythology Homer's epics,Expeditions

"Hercules, you will go to Crete," Eurystheus said to Hercules, "and bring me the wild bull of King Minos. The goddess Hera herself, who watched over Hercules, chose the monsters he was sent to face or defeat through the thoughts of Eurystheus. This time, she believed that Hercules would hesitate and not confront Poseidon's bull. However, she was mistaken.

But who was this bull?

At that time, Minos, a very well-known king, ruled Crete. One day, he was sitting alone on the shore, gazing at the calm sea, which belonged to the god Poseidon/Neptune. Then, an idea seized him. It was a strange idea:

"If I see something emerge from the sea, I will sacrifice it to the god Poseidon."

As soon as he thought this, he suddenly saw the calm sea roil before him and a bull appear from the waves! The bull swam to the shore, and then King Minos' eyes filled with admiration. He had never seen such a beautiful and impressive bull! It was black, with shiny hair, large horns, strong legs, and an impressive appearance.

"It is a shame to sacrifice this beautiful bull," he thought, forgetting his promise. "I will keep him in my herd and sacrifice another bull." However, Poseidon/Neptune became angry because Minos did not keep his promise. He made the bull furious, causing it to run into the nearby forest. From that day on, Poseidon/Neptune's wild bull became the terror of Crete. It killed any creature it encountered, whether animal or human.

It is said that the fearsome Minotaur was the offspring of this wild beast. Eurystheus sent Hercules to Crete to capture it and bring it to Tiryns.

After a long journey, Hercules arrived in Crete. He prepared a trap for the bull, and when he saw it emerging from thick foliage and charging at him with its horns, he skillfully threw the rope and managed to trap its head and one of its front legs. When the wild animal fell to the ground, he struck it on the head with his club to daze it and tied it up calmly. Then he hoisted it onto his strong shoulders, loaded it onto a ship, and transported it to Tiryns.

Eurystheus released the bull. After some time in the Peloponnese, the bull crossed the Isthmus of Corinth and reached Attica, in the region of Marathon. There, the bull once again became a source of fear and death until Theseus, another hero, took on the task of killing it.