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Glite Dictionary
Pasiphae

Pasiphae

1 9.9
A daughter of the sun god Helios, wife of King Minos, and mother of Ariadne and Phaedra
  • proper noun
  • /ˈpæsɪfeɪ/
  • Literature
: Pasífae
  • Pasiphae, the daughter of Helios, has a significant role in ancient Greek legends.

Examples

  • In "Pasiphae," the situation is reversed: the woman longs to copulate with an animal.

    Academic text (1992)

  • In Greek mythology, Pasiphae is known as the wife of King Minos and the mother of the hero Ariadne.

  • Many stories depict Pasiphae's unique relationship with the bull that led to the birth of the Minotaur.

Surface Forms

Pasiphae main

Etymology

Pasiphae comes from Greek parts pas- and -phae, which mean 'all' and 'shining'. So the name 'all-shining' fits her as the daughter of the sun god Helios in the myth.