Seventh Labour: Cretan Bull
Whistling merrily at his success so far, Hercules was then sent to capture the bull by Eurystheus as his seventh task. He sailed to Crete, whereupon the King Minos, gave Hercules permission to take the bull away and offered him assistance (which Hercules declined because of pride) as it had been wreaking havoc on Crete by uprooting crops and leveling orchard walls. Hercules sneaked up behind the bull and then used his hands to throttle it (stopping before it was killed), and then shipped it back to Athens. Eurystheus, who hid in his pithos at first sight of the creature, wanted to sacrifice the bull to Hera, who hated Hercules. She refused the sacrifice because it reflected glory on Heracles. The bull was released and wandered into Marathon, becoming known as the Marathonian Bull. Theseus would later sacrifice the bull to Athena and/or Apollo. Eurystheus sent Hercules to bring back the man-eating Mares of Diomedes.
Read more about this topic: Labours Of Heracles
Famous quotes containing the words seventh and/or bull:
“Then, anger
was a crease in the brow
and silence
a catastrophe.
Then, making up
was a mutual smile
and a glance
a gift.
Now, just look at this mess
that you’ve made of that love.
You grovel at my feet
and I berate you
and can’t let my anger go.”
—Amaru (c. seventh century A.D.)
“Not only the bull attacks his enemies with curved horn, but also the sheep, when harmed fights back.”
—Propertius Sextus (c. 50–16 B.C.)