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The Minotaur or Minotauros was the son born of lust to Queen Pasiphae of Crete and a bull. He had the body of a man and the head of a bull and was more beast than human. The creature was banished by King Minos to reside in the centre of a labyrinth in Knossos built by the ingenious architect Daedalus and his son Icarus. The Minotaur was nursed by Queen Pasiphae as a child but grew to devour humans, so he was safely put away in the maze contrived so carefully and trickily that it was impossible for anyone that entered to navigate or escape it. The Athenians were forced to pay a tribute to King Minos by sacrificing seven of their maidens and seven of their men, unarmed, to the Minotaur every nine years. The Minotaur eventually fell prey to the sword of Theseus. It is also rumoured that the Minotaur was in fact the offspring of King Minos but his unsightly and grotesque appearance was shameful to King Minos and was the reason why the Minotaur was banished under the pretext of inspiring fear and cannibalistic capabilities.
Contents
The Story of the Bull
Minos competed with his brothers for the throne and prayed to Poseidon for a gift to prove to Cretans that he was worthy of the throne because the gods favored him. Poseidon sent him a white bull from the sea on a condition that it be sacrificed for him. Minos kept the bull for himself because of its strength and beauty and sacrificed another one of his bulls. Poseidon was outraged and cursed that Queen Pasiphae fall in love with the bull and lust it. She used the help of Daedalus to build a wooden cow into which she fit herself to trick the bull into thinking that it was actual cow and have sex with her. Then she birthed the Minotaur with the head of a bull and body of a man. The best literary version of this story has been depicted, rather salaciously, by Ovid in the Heroides where Pasiphae's daughter talks about the love her mother fashioned for the bull saying "The bull's form disguised the god, Pasiphae, my mother, a victim of the deluded bull, brought forth in travail her reproach and burden."
The Proclaimed Hero
Theseus was a volunteer during the nine-year sacrifice run. He wanted to put his people out of their misery by killing the Minotaur or die trying. Customarily these sixteen people were displayed to Minos before their departure to Knossos. Minos' daughter, Ariadne, who was also present was enchanted by Theseus and helped him by asking Daedalus to reveal the way around the maze. She handed him a sword and a spool of thread to make his way back. Thesus succeeded in his attempt to kill the Minotaur and returned victorious.
Connection to the House of Leaves
On page 111 of the 2000 American novel House of Leaves, the Minotaur is spoken of fondly by Zampano and almost deliberately the whole passage has been struck. He talks about how Minos develops a paternal love for the tender beast. This is perhaps a very subtle clue about Zampano's personal life with him filling the shoes of King Minos. The Minotaur could also be a representation Johnny himself because like the Minotaur Johnny was a deformed child raised by an insane mother and lives in his own labyrinth of sex, drugs and pointless fights. The point is the struck passages are not to elude the readers of its purpose but rather draw more attention. Most people would interpret the house's changing dimensions as a manifestation of the explorers' thoughts, memories, fears and perception. In keeping with that, Navidson's Minotaur is Delial. The dying Sudanese girl is his daunting memory and consumes Navidson when he is in the dark and fearful hallways. The Minotaur is, without question, a very personal outset because there is no physical existence of a monster in the house. The labyrinth is also a recurring theme in the story pertaining to the labyrinth in the house and the Minotaur's labyrinth.
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