LP0064 - The Cretan Bull - Daedalus, Cephalus, & Megacles, from Tzetzes' Chiliades

Legendary Passages #0064 - The Cretan Bull - Daedalus, Cephalus, & Megacles, from Tzetzes' Chiliades. Last time we covered the stories of sanctuaries in Thebes. This time we hear several tales concerning the Bull of Minos, the Dog of Cephalus, and the Olympics. The Bull of Crete ties into several myths. Not only was retrieving it the seventh labor of Heracles, but it also became the Marathon bull, and was the sire of the Minotaur. We also get more background on Daedalus, exiled from Athens for jealously slaying the son of his sister Perdix. Minos gave sanctuary to Daedalus, and with the slave Naucrate he had a son named Icarus. Daedalus helped Queen Pasiphae commit adultery with either a bull, or with General Taurus, causing the Minotaur to be born. For this, Daedalus and his son were imprisoned, and eventually escaped either by ship, or by flying. Icarus died, and was buried by Heracles on the island of Icaria. Daedalus fled to Sicily, but soon Minos followed him there. As King Minos was taking a bath, the daughters of Cocalus added boiling water, and Minos died. The second story concerns Cephalus and his wife Procris. After a misunderstanding, she fled to Crete, and as a reward for helping Minos, she received a magic spear and a dog that could catch anything. Procris gave these to her husband Cephalus, who sent the dog after the uncatchable Teumessian Fox, so the gods turned both animals into stone. Cephalus took the magic spear hunting with him, and when Procris went to fetch him, he thought she was a wild animal. The magic of the spear was that it never missed. The last tale concerns Megacles, son of the noblewoman Coesyra, who won third place in the Olympics for horse-racing. The Olympics were founded by Heracles in Olympia, just next to the Augean Stables in Elis, and took place every fifty months. Next time, more stories of Heracles carved onto The Chest of Cypselus. http://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades1.html#19 The Cretan Bull, a Legendary Passage, from Tzetzes' Chiliades, translated by Ana Untila. 1.19 - 1.21 1.19 CONCERNING THE BULL OF MINOS (STORY 19) Minos was a son of Asterion Zeus. Since the beginning of the world kings were called Zeus as well. Just like the star of Zeus, which came quickly when he was born To foretell he would have a destiny of a lion. It appears only in front of kings who wear a crown. After the death of the king Asterion, Minos was not permitted to rule Crete after him Because, they say, the kingdom must be given by the gods. A strange sign from the sea would be revealed to him. Minos promised that, whatever it was, it would be sacrificed to Poseidon. Then a beautiful bull appeared from the sea And he was given immediately the kingdom of the Cretans. He sacrificed to Poseidon another bull That he asked to be brought from his herd. That bull was said to have laid with his wife Pasiphae Even though she was involved in intercourse with Daedalus artificial inventions, She gave birth to Minotaur, a beast half man and half bull. - Daedalus was a son of Eupalamus and Alcippe. He was a craftsman and sculptor in Attica. He threw from Attica’s citadel The son of his sister Perdix, whose name was Attalus. He was being a disciple alongside his uncle Daedalus. He was the first to make an artificial serpent’s jaw Which could catch a small piece of wood. When his uncle saw that, Being envious of the child’s genius, he killed him. He went to Minos. There, with the slave Naucrate He had a son, Icarus. Minos detained them For having helped his adulterer wife. He was about to kill them, that’s why he imprisoned them. They escaped from the prison Having put wings upon them, they flew through air. Icarus fell into the sea when he left. The Icarian Sea, where he fell, was named after him. Daedalus was saved in Caminus of Sicily. In Sicily came Minos looking for him. Minos was killed by the daughters of Cocalus; By pouring upon him boiling waters he immediately froze. Now, I should say about the bull and