Įnglish pronunciation of the word "Minotaur" is varied. The Minotaur was called Θevrumineš in Etruscan. In contrast, the use of "minotaur" as a common noun to refer to members of a generic "species" of bull-headed creatures developed much later, in 20th century fantasy genre fiction. That is, there was only the one Minotaur. "Minotaur" was originally a proper noun in reference to this mythical figure. In Crete, the Minotaur was known by the name Asterion, a name shared with Minos' foster-father. The word "Minotaur" derives from the Ancient Greek Μῑνώταυρος, a compound of the name Μίνως ( Minos) and the noun ταῦρος 'bull', translated as '(the) Bull of Minos'. The Minotaur was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus. He dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction ĭesigned by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus, on the command of King Minos of Crete. In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( / ˈ m aɪ n ə t ɔːr, ˈ m ɪ n ə t ɔːr/ MY-nə-tor, MIN-ə-tor, US: / ˈ m ɪ n ə t ɑːr, - oʊ-/ MIN-ə-tar, -oh- Ancient Greek: Μινώταυρος in Latin as Minotaurus ) is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man (p 34) or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "part man and part bull". Minotaur bust ( National Archaeological Museum of Athens)
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