Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull

Hercules
The Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull
The mythical story of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull
by Gustav Schwab

The Myth of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull
King Minos of Crete had promised Neptune (Poseidon), god of the sea, to offer to him whatever animal should first come up out of the water, for he declared he had no animal that was worthy for so high a sacrifice. Therefore the god caused a very beautiful ox to rise out of the sea.

But the king was so taken with the noble appearance of the animal that he secretly placed it among his own herds and offered another to Neptune. Angered by this, the god had caused the animal to become mad, and it was bringing great destruction to the island of Crete. To capture this animal, master it, and bring it before Eurystheus, was the seventh labor of Hercules.

The 12 Labors of Hercules - Picture of Hercules and the Cretan Bull

When the hero came to Crete and with this intention stepped before Minos, the king was not a little pleased over the prospect of ridding the island of the bull, and he himself helped Hercules to capture the raging animal. Hercules approached the dreadful monster without fear, and so thoroughly did he master him that he rode home on the animal the whole way to the sea.
With this work Eurystheus was pleased, and after he had regarded the animal for a time with pleasure, set it free. No longer under Hercules' management, the ox became wild again, wandered through all Laconia and Arcadia, crossed over the isthmus to Marathon in Attica and devastated the country there as formerly on the island of Crete. Later it was given to the hero Theseus to become master over him.

The Legend of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull

Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull - The 12 Labors of Hercules
The twelve labors of Hercules, or Heracles, involved dangerous tasks relating to the Nemean lion, the Hydra, the Ceryneian Hind, the Erymanthian Boar, the Augean stables, the Stymphalian Birds, the Cretan Bull, the Mares of Diomedes, the Belt of Hippolyta, the Cattle of Geryon, the Apples of the Hesperides and Cerberus. The mythical story of each of the 12 Labors of Hercules can be discovered via the following articles:

Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull - A Myth with a Moral
Many of the ancient Myth Stories, like the legend of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull, incorporate tales with morals that provided the old story-tellers with short examples of exciting tales for kids and children of how to act and behave and reflected important life lessons. The characters of the heroes in this type of fable demonstrated the virtues of courage, love, loyalty, strength, perseverance, leadership and self reliance. Whereas the villains demonstrated all of the vices and were killed or punished by the gods. The old, famous myth story and fable, like Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull, were designed to entertain, thrill and inspire their young listeners...

The 12 Labors of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull

The Magical World of Myth and Legend

The Short Story and Myth of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull
The story of the 12 Labors of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull is featured in the book entitled Myths and Legends of All Nations edited by Logan Marshall published in 1914 by the John C. Winston Company, Philadelphia. The stories of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull are translated form the the German works of of Gustav Schwab. The stories of the Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull are translated form the the German works of of Gustav Schwab. Learn about the exciting adventures and dangerous quests undertaken by the mythical characters that feature in the hero myths, fables and stories about the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece and Rome that are available on this website.

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Seventh Labor of Hercules, the Cretan Bull

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