King Minos of Crete hated the Minotaur because it was the offspring of his wife, Pasiphae, who had coupled with a bull.  Poseidon, Greek god of the oceans, made Pasphaei fall in love with the bull to punish the tyrannical King Minos.  Instead of killing the Minotaur, Minos had a labyrinth built in the palace and imprisoned the Minotaur there.  The King extracted a sacrifice of seven young men and women per year for nine years fro the city of Athens because his some had been killed by a bull in Athens.  The victims were fed to the Minotaur.  In the third year, Theseus  son of the king of Athens, volunteered to replace one of the young men destined for death.  Minos' daughter fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of string and a sword.  When Theseus entered the labyrinth, he tied the string to the door and unrolled the ball as he made his way through the labyrinth.  After a fierce battle, Theseus killed the Minotaur and retraced his steps by following the string and escaped with the young men and women.  He returned to Athens WITH the King's daughter and they lived happily ever after.