He shirked the indignity of death throes
when Minos cut his throat. Poseidon stopped
forbidding clouds from crossing Crete. They dropped
enough rain in one day to check the drought.
So murderous Minos managed to eke out
a few more months in power. Merchants brought
Egypt the tale of how Hupakoë caught
the white bull, how the blubbering king performed
the sacrifice, and how the sprung clouds stormed.
Asterion was too enraged to mourn.
War seemed the only way to show the scorn
he felt for Minos and avenge the creature
who rescued him and was his dearest teacher.
The weeping queen addressed Asterion:
Remember his parting words. While everyone
was sound asleep or making love, he wrote
stern wisdom in the sand. I still can quote