In Greek mythology, Poseidon sent Minos the bull he was expected to sacrifice.
Minos wanted divine proof that he should rule Crete. He prayed to Poseidon, who sent a beautiful white bull out of the sea. Minos was supposed to sacrifice it, demonstrating his obedience and the god’s support for his kingship.
Minos instead preserved the bull among his own herds. In the myth, this failure to honour the divine command leads to punishment: Pasiphae develops her unnatural desire for the animal, and the Minotaur is born from their union.
This bull is sometimes confused with the bull later captured by Heracles or with the animal associated with Marathon. Greek mythology contains several famous bulls, but Poseidon’s sea-sent animal is the one directly connected with the Minotaur’s origin.