This unhappy monster, with the body of a man and the head and horns of a bull, was the result of a broken promise and unnatural desire.This unhappy monster, with the body of a man and the head and horns of a bull, was the result of a broken promise and unnatural desire. His story began when Minos of Crete sought the throne of that kingdom. To impress the Cretans, Minos told them that the gods would answer any prayer he addressed to them, and challenged the Cretans to put him to the test. The Cretans told him to ask Poseidon, Lord of the Ocean, to send him a bull out of the sea, and followed him to the seashore to watch him make this seemingly absurd request. Minos prayed fervently for it to be granted, and promised that if the bull appeared then he'd sacrifice it to the glory of Poseidon. |