Europa was the
beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king of Tyre, Agenor. Zeus, the King of
the gods according to Greek mythology, saw Europa as she was gathering flowers
by the sea and immediately fell in love with her.
Overwhelmed by love for
Europa, Zeus transformed himself into the form of a magnificent white bull and
appeared in the sea shore where Europa was playing with her maidens. The great
bull walked gently over to where Europa stood and knelt at her feet. The
appearance and movements of the bull were so gentle that Europa spread flowers
about his neck and dared to climb upon his back overcoming her natural fear of
the great animal.
But suddenly, the bull
rushed over the sea abducting Europa. Only then the bull revealed its true
identity and took Europa to the Mediterranean island of Crete. There, Zeus cast
off the shape of the white bull, and back into his human form, made Europa his
lover beneath a simple cypress tree. Europa became the first queen of Crete and
had by Zeus three sons: King Minos of Crete, King Rhadamanthus of the Cyclades
Islands, and, according to some legends, Prince Sarpedon of Lycia. She later
married the king of Crete, who adopted her sons, and she was worshiped under
the name of Hellotis in Crete, where the festival Hellotia was held in her
honour. At last, Zeus reproduced the shape of the white bull, used by Zeus to
seduce Europa, in the stars. Even today we can recognize its shape in the
constellation Taurus.
The name Europa was
given to one of Jupiter's 16 original moons. Europa is special, because it is
one of the few moons in our solar system that may have liquid water.
Who was Europa?
Some say that the
father of this Phoenician princess was Agenor, but others say that it was
Phoenix, who some claim was her brother. Her mother is unknown.
Agenor was by birth an
Egyptian, but he departed to Phoenicia and reigned there. According to some
Agenor is the son of Poseidon & Libya, but others say that his parents were
Belus & Anchinoe. King Belus of Egypt was son of Poseidon & Libya, and
was also the father of Aegyptus and Danaus. His mother Libya was, in turn,
daughter of Epaphus & Memphis, and King Epaphus of Egypt, from whom sprang
the Libyans and the Ethiopians, was the founder of the city of Memphis in Egypt
and the son of Zeus & Io, the girl who was once turned into a cow, but who
is one of the Three Main Ancestors. If Phoenix would be considered to be the
father of Europa, everything would amount to the same, because Phoenix, after
whom Phoenicia is called, is said to be the son either of Agenor or of Belus,
and we would, also in this way, arrive to Io. Nothing is known about Europa's
presumptive mothers.
How Was She Abducted?
When Zeus turned
himself into a Bull, mounted Europa on his back he conveyed her through the sea
from Phoenicia to Crete. However, some say that the Bull who carried Europa was
the same Cretan Bull that Heracles enjoined in one of his labours, which in
turn could be the same Bull, that was sent by Poseidon to King Minos of Crete,
and that later, consorting with the king's wife Pasiphae, became the progenitor
of the Minotaur.
Europa's Brother Search
for Her
When Europa disappeared
on the back of the Bull, Agenor sent out his sons in search of her, ordering
them not to return until they had found their sister.
Cilix, Europa's brother
went out in his search and ended up in Cilicia in Asia Minor, a region called
after him, where he became king after giving up the search.
Cadmus, another of
Europa's brothers, went with his mother Telephassa to Thrace and stayed there
for some time, before coming to Boeotia, where he founded the city of Cadmea,
which was later called Thebes. For when Telephassa died Cadmus went to Delphi
to inquire about Europa, and the Oracle told him not to worry about her sister,
but instead, following a cow, found a city wherever the animal would lay down
to rest. And the cow rested in the spot where today the city of Thebes is.
Another brother,
Thasus, having sailed from Tyre in his search of Europa, gave up and settled in
an island off Thrace and founded a city, Thasus, called after himself.
Meanwhile, another brother, Phoenix set out for Africa, and remained there.
Europa's Family
After having children
with Zeus, Europa married Asterius 3, son of Tectamus, son of Dorus, son of
Hellen, son of Deucalion, the man who survived the Flood. Tectamus had sailed
to Crete with Aeolians and Pelasgians, becoming on his arrival king of the
island, and it is during the time when he was king of Crete that Zeus carried
off Europa from Phoenicia. Tectamus' mother was daughter of Cretheus, son of
Aeolus, brother of Dorus. Presents to Europa. Zeus gave Europa presents. One of
them was a wonderful dog called Laelaps which was so swift that no beast could
escape it. He also gave her Talos, a creature made of bronze, who was meant to
be the warder of Crete.
Last Heard of Europa
When after some time
Cadmus, now king of Cadmea (the future Thebes) married Harmonia, Europa gave
her a Necklace which she had received it from Zeus. That was probably the last
time someone heard of Europa, and her death was never reported.
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