A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

MINOTAURUS;

the Minotaur, was a Monster, being half Man and half Bull, brought forth by Pasiphaé, Minos his Wife, after she had engendred with a Bull, by the subtle Means of Dedalus, who made a Wooden Heifer, wherein he inclosed her that she might be covered by the Bull: This Monster was put into the Labyrinth, and by Minos his Order fed with Man's Flesh, but he was at last killed by Theseus, who had been sent thither to be devoured by him. Lu∣cian unravels to us the Fabulous part of this Story; saying, That Pasiphaé hearing Daedalus discoursing concerning Taurus, which is one of the Twelve Signs, was mightily taken with what

he said; which gave the Poets occasion to say, that she was in Love with a Bull, whom by his means she enjoy'd. Diodorus Siculus says, that Taurus was one of Minos his Captains, who had to do with Pasiphaé, and whose Amours were countenanced by Daedalus, that she was brought to Bed of Two Children, one of which resem∣bled Minos, and the other Taurus, and that they were both called by the Name of Minotaur; that from the said Taurus his using of the Athe∣nians very severely, in the War which Minos declared against them, to revenge the Death of his Son Androgeus, they feigned that he fed up∣on their Flesh. Philochorus relates that the Mi∣notaur was a very cruel Officer under Minos, who in wrestling overcame all those that came against him at those Funeral Games, instituted by Minos to the Ghost of his Son Androgeus, and that he won the Prize which consisted of some Tribute-Children, from hence came the Fiction of the Poets, that he was fed with the Children sent yearly from Athens to Creet, by way of Tribute, for killing Androgeus.