Minotaur

Profile

The Minotaur is recalled by Dante in Canto XII of the Inferno as the infamy of Crete, a monstrous being half man and half bull, born of Pasiphaë, wife of Minos king of Crete, and of a bull of which she had become enamored. According to the myth, he fed on human flesh, to such a point that Minos imposed upon Athens an annual tribute of fourteen young people, seven male and seven female, to be given to him as food. Dante represents him as reduced to pure bestiality, with nothing human about him, so much so that his rage is defined as bestial wrath. At verse 25 of Canto XII, Virgil and Dante see him biting and tearing himself in the landslide that introduces the circle of violence. The Minotaur is also recalled in Canto IX of the Inferno (v. 54) as a term of comparison with Theseus, who, thanks to the help of Ariadne, killed him and freed his own land from the tribute.