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Heracles and the Cretan Bull: The Seventh Labor

In the seventh labor, capturing the Cretan Bull, the primary benefit was to strengthen relations with Crete.

heracles-cretan-bull-seventh-labor

The Cretan Bull, originally sent by the god Poseidon as a good omen for King Minos, ultimately became a formidable threat ravaging the island of Crete. Heracles’ journey to capture alive the creature was not merely a battle against a wild beast but also intertwined with political maneuvers between King Eurystheus and King Minos—two of the most influential rulers of their time.

King Eurystheus’ Command: Subduing the Cretan Bull

King Eurystheus—the monarch assigned by the goddess Hera to “punish” Heracles—consistently devised seemingly “impossible” tasks to penalize the hero. However, the more he challenged Heracles, the more the hero triumphed, enhancing his reputation among the populace and nobility alike. Instead of weakening Heracles, Eurystheus inadvertently boosted the hero’s fame, making him a source of pride across the Peloponnesus peninsula.

The more Heracles was challenged, the more he triumphed

After completing six labors primarily within the Peloponnesus—ranging from slaying the Stymphalian birds to capturing the Ceryneian Hind—Heracles had become a revered figure, simultaneously evoking both resentment and reluctant acknowledgment from Eurystheus. Recognizing that Heracles’ growing influence could become a “double-edged sword,” Eurystheus saw an opportunity to leverage the hero’s reputation to forge significant alliances.

Consequently, King Eurystheus decreed that Heracles journey to the island of Crete to capture the Cretan Bull—a creature Poseidon had sent as a blessing to King Minos but which had turned into a “calamity” wreaking havoc across Crete. According to legend, Crete is the birthplace of Zeus and the cradle of early Greek civilization. King Minos, son of Zeus and Europa, established the first legal system; his formidable army and navy controlled most of the Aegean islands. For Eurystheus, sending Heracles to Crete was akin to “killing two birds with one stone”: he aimed to continually challenge Heracles while simultaneously fostering goodwill with the powerful King Minos, who could potentially support Eurystheus politically or militarily if Heracles succeeded in subduing the Bull.

The Cost and Benefits of Utilizing Heracles

King Eurystheus decreed that Heracles journey to the island of Crete to capture the Cretan Bull
King Eurystheus decreed that Heracles journey to the island of Crete to capture the Cretan Bull

With each labor, Heracles’ reputation and influence expanded. He eradicated numerous threats, from the invulnerable Nemean Lion to the terrifying Stymphalian birds, all of which endangered the people and neighboring kingdoms. For King Eurystheus, Heracles’ fame was a double-edged sword:

  • On one hand, Eurystheus desired Heracles’ failure to “punish” him for the “murder” he had committed (as per Hera’s will).
  • On the other hand, every success of Heracles helped Eurystheus enhance his own prestige among surrounding kingdoms.

In the fifth labor, when Heracles was tasked with cleaning King Augeas’ stables, we witnessed Eurystheus’ strategy of intervening in the internal affairs of another king. This set a precedent for Eurystheus to use Heracles as a diplomatic tool—whenever a kingdom faced a calamity, Eurystheus would propose “assistance” by sending Heracles. Evidently, Heracles became a political instrument for Eurystheus to consolidate his power.

The Abduction of Europa, by Jean François de Troy, 1716

In the seventh labor, capturing the Cretan Bull, the primary benefit was to strengthen relations with Crete. If Heracles could eliminate the dangerous bull, King Minos would owe Eurystheus a favor. In return, Minos could offer political or military support to Eurystheus when needed. Additionally, Heracles’ achievements further demonstrated Eurystheus’ authority, proving that he could command “the mightiest hero in the world” to resolve issues across the region.

The Legend of the Cretan Bull: Sacrifice

The Cretan Bull features prominently in several stories associated with King Minos. In reality, King Minos was the son of Zeus and Europa, a Phoenician princess whom Zeus transformed into a magnificent white bull to “abduct” her to Crete. After the birth of Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthys, Zeus departed, leaving Europa on the island with miraculous gifts:

  1. Talos—a giant bronze guardian of Crete’s shores.
  2. Laelaps, the hunting dog—never failing to catch its prey.
  3. A magical javelin—which never missed its target.

Europa became the queen of King Asterion of Crete. Asterion adopted Europa’s three sons, and upon his death, the brothers vied for the throne. Minos implored the god Poseidon to prove his right to rule. In response, Poseidon sent a magnificent bull from the sea, signaling that Minos was the chosen one. Minos vowed to sacrifice the bull to Poseidon as gratitude.

Zeus under body of a white bull arrested Europa and raped her to give birth of Minos
Zeus under body of a white bull arrested Europa and raped her to give birth of Minos

However, Minos was captivated by the bull’s splendor and deceived Poseidon by substituting the magnificent bull with a less impressive one. This act angered Poseidon, who retaliated by imposing a “double punishment”:

  1. Queen Pasiphae (Minos’ wife) was cursed with an unnatural lust for the bull.
  2. The bull was driven mad, causing destruction across Crete.

The turning point occurred when Minos not only deceived Poseidon but also lost the god’s favor, transforming a “good omen” into a “malevolent sign.”

The Legend of the Cretan Bull: The Curse

Pasiphae: Daedalus sculpting a wooden cow for Queen Pasiphae, by Jean Lemaire, 1659
Pasiphae: Daedalus sculpting a wooden cow for Queen Pasiphae, by Jean Lemaire, 1659

Typically, Poseidon could unleash earthquakes or sea storms to punish Minos, but this time he opted for a more subtle form of vengeance. By enlisting Aphrodite—the goddess of love and desire—Poseidon transferred Minos’ lust for the bull to Queen Pasiphae. Pasiphae, daughter of the sun god Helios and sister to the sorceress Circe, was herself a skilled sorceress. However, Aphrodite’s enchantment exceeded Pasiphae’s control, compelling her to desire the bull and seek to mate with it.

Desperate, Pasiphae turned to Daedalus, the renowned inventor. Daedalus crafted a hollow wooden cow, intricately designed to look lifelike, with a hidden compartment for the queen. This allowed Pasiphae to satisfy her cursed desire, leading to the impregnation of the bull. As a result, Pasiphae gave birth to Asterion, a half-human, half-bull creature known as the Minotaur.

The Minotaur

Immediately after the bull mated with Pasiphae, Poseidon lifted the curse from Pasiphae but further cursed the bull, causing it to go berserk and wreak havoc across Crete. While Minos frantically sought to manage the family scandal (especially dealing with the monstrous Minotaur), the island of Crete fell into chaos due to the Cretan Bull’s rampage. Minos rejoiced upon learning that King Eurystheus intended to send Heracles to capture the beast, as he had numerous other pressing issues to conceal and resolve (including the plan to build the Labyrinth designed by Daedalus to imprison the Minotaur).

Heracles and the Confrontation with the Cretan Bull

Hercules wrestles with the Cretan bull, by Juan Barcelón after Luca Giordano, 1779
Hercules wrestles with the Cretan bull, by Juan Barcelón after Luca Giordano, 1779

Upon arriving in Crete, Heracles likely heard that Daedalus was tirelessly constructing the Labyrinth to “deal with” the aftermath of the Minotaur. Meanwhile, the Cretan Bull continued to destructively roam the island. Despite King Minos’ formidable hunting team, they were powerless against the bull’s immense strength and ferocity, exacerbated by Poseidon’s curse. Within months, the bull had claimed hundreds of lives, destroyed irrigation systems, homes, and vibrant flower fields across Crete.

For Heracles, this was just another “sport” in a series of battles he had grown accustomed to. He had previously slayed the Nemean Lion with its impervious hide, captured the elusive Ceryneian Hind, and eliminated the iron-plumed Stymphalian birds. Compared to these encounters, “capturing a mad bull” seemed relatively straightforward.

Hercules and the Cretan Bull, by Gerard van der Gucht, 18th century
Hercules and the Cretan Bull, by Gerard van der Gucht, 18th century

The Cretan Bull was renowned for its pure white appearance, a gift from Poseidon, but it lacked the invincible hide of the Nemean Lion, the immortality of the Hydra, or supernatural speed. Its only true strength was its unbridled fury, combined with its massive size, making it capable of knocking down anyone in its path. After meeting with King Minos (who was hastily delegating the task to Heracles), Heracles immediately tracked the bull by following the trail of destruction it had left behind.

During the search, Heracles set a trap by provoking the bull—shouting, throwing stones, and taunting it. The frantic bull responded by charging at Heracles. Heracles’ strategy was simple yet effective: wait for the bull to charge, then grasp its horns and overpower it physically.

Heracles waits for the bull to charge, then grasps its horns and overpower it physically.
Heracles waits for the bull to charge, then grasps its horns and overpower it physically.

Visualize Heracles—tall and muscular—charging straight at the frenzied bull, creating a spectacle that would have astonished any Crete residents witnessing the clash. The collision between Heracles and the bull likely echoed across the hills. After hours of intense struggle, Heracles gradually wore the bull down, ultimately subduing it without the need for weapons or magic.

In some accounts, Heracles even rode the Cretan Bull, traversing the Aegean Sea back to Tiryns to present it to Eurystheus. Others suggest he used ropes to bind the bull and transported it by boat. Regardless of the method, the outcome was the same: Heracles swiftly left Crete, ending the bull’s reign of terror, leaving behind brief words of thanks from King Minos—who was still grappling with the terrifying secret within his palace (the Minotaur).

Aftermath and Repercussions

Heracles transported the Cretan Bull to the gates of Tiryns—the capital of King Eurystheus. Upon seeing the formidable creature, Eurystheus was both terrified and intrigued. This might have been the first time Eurystheus appeared genuinely pleased to “welcome” Heracles, as this mission had made King Minos indebted to him in a significant way. Politically, it was a major victory for Eurystheus: he was recognized as a king with the authority to command Heracles, and Heracles had effectively resolved a serious issue in Crete.

However, Hera—who had always harbored animosity towards Heracles—refused to allow Eurystheus to sacrifice the bull as an offering to her. Initially, Eurystheus intended to perform the sacrificial ritual (in line with Poseidon’s original plan) and present the offering to Hera to gain favor. However, Hera flatly rejected the idea upon learning that Heracles was responsible for capturing the bull. She would never accept a “victory” associated with someone she continuously sought to destroy.

Faced with Hera’s refusal, Eurystheus ordered Heracles to release the bull outside the gates of Tiryns. The pure white bull was once again free, wandering towards Attica, near the region of Marathon—a name that would later be famous for the “Battle of Marathon” in Greek history. Here, the Cretan Bull continued its destructive path, wreaking havoc on the local populace and earning the moniker “Marathon Bull.”

Athens had to devise a strategy to confront the newly unleashed menace near its territory. King Aegeus (father of the hero Theseus) sent Androgeus—King Minos’ son and a formidable warrior—to eliminate the Marathon Bull. Tragically, Androgeus was killed by the bull, leading to King Minos’ wrath. Minos blamed Athens for his son’s death, prompting him to wage war against Athens, forcing them to sign a treaty to sacrifice 14 youths annually (or in some accounts, every seven or nine years) to the Minotaur—Pasiphae’s monstrous offspring, born from her cursed union with the Cretan Bull.

The Cretan Bull’s fate concluded in Marathon when Theseus—the heroic prince of Athens—defeated the beast, eliminating the threat to Attica. Theseus went even further: he entered the Labyrinth in Crete, killed the Minotaur, dismantled King Minos’ dark power, and elevated Athens to a formidable power. All these events stemmed from King Minos’ mistake: deceiving Poseidon and refusing to sacrifice the “gifted” bull.

Returning to Heracles, after releasing the Cretan Bull near Tiryns, he seemed unconcerned with the creature’s fate. With the seventh labor completed, he awaited Eurystheus’ next command. His journey continued, and the next labor would take him to Thrace to capture the Mares of Diomedes—a ferocious master who fed his horses human flesh. Heracles’ adventures were far from over, and the complex relationship between the Greek hero and the gods held many more revelations.


In summary, the Cretan Bull—originally a creature bestowed by Poseidon as a good omen for King Minos—became the center of a tragedy: facilitating the birth of the Minotaur and continuing to wreak havoc across Crete and neighboring regions. Heracles, through his extraordinary strength and skill, rescued Crete from the bull’s menace but inadvertently released the Cretan Bull in Marathon, triggering another series of tragic events for Athens. Simultaneously, the bull’s capture strengthened Eurystheus’ authority and established connections between the kingdoms of Crete and Mycenae (Eurystheus’ realm).

The interplay of divine grudges and political strategies makes Heracles’ seventh labor exceptionally compelling. It is not merely a tale of a fierce beast being subdued but also a lesson on human ambition gone awry when confronted with divine power. Above all, it stands as a testament to Heracles’ strength and intelligence, consistently achieving the impossible and gradually moving closer to atoning for his sins and fulfilling his destined greatness through his illustrious Twelve Labors.

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