CRETAN BULL, THE This white bull had been presented by Poseidon to King Minos of Crete, and by Minos placed among the herd of cattle sacred to the sun. This angered the sea god, as Minos had begged the bull as a sacrifice, to be made to Poseidon, but instead kept the animal, seemingly insulting the sea god by putting it with cattle sacred to Helios. As a result of this, Poseidon caused the Cretan Bull to become wild, and it broke from its stall and ran off, pursued by Minos' wife, Pasiphae, whom Poseidon had cursed with an unnatural desire for the bull. Finally securing the beast in a meadow, Daedalus held it while the queen fulfilled her desire.