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Europa was a figure in Greek mythology. She was originally a Phoenician princess, the daughter of King Agenor and Queen Telephassa of Tyre (modern-day Lebanon) View.
She became famous primarily because of her abduction by Zeus, who had fallen in love with her beauty.
Myth of Europa
Abduction by Zeus: Zeus, captivated by Europa’s charm, transformed himself into a magnificent white bull. He mingled with her father’s cattle, drawing Europa’s attention while she was gathering flowers by the sea. Europa, enchanted by the gentle and docile nature of the bull, climbed onto its back. Zeus then seized the opportunity, charging into the sea and carrying Europa across the waters to the island of Crete View.
Life in Crete: On Crete, Zeus revealed his true identity to Europa, and they became lovers. Zeus gifted Europa three notable sons: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. Minos would later become the legendary king of Crete, known for his association with the labyrinth and the Minotaur.
Legacy: Europa’s name has a significant legacy in Western civilization. The continent of Europe is named after her, symbolizing her importance in ancient mythology and cultural history. She is often depicted in classical art as a symbol of beauty and a subject of Zeus’s divine intervention.
Europa’s Family Origins and Connections
Sources provide varying accounts of Europa’s lineage, but consistently identify her as Phoenician, linked to an Argive ancestry descending from Io, the nymph beloved by Zeus who was transformed into a heifer.
Europa is typically described as the daughter of King Agenor of Tyre, a Phoenician ruler. The poet Moschus mentions her mother as Queen Telephassa (“far-shining”), while other versions cite Argiope (“silver-faced”) as her mother.
Some versions, such as the Iliad, present Europa as the daughter of Phoenix, son of Agenor. In these accounts, she also has two brothers:
- Cadmus, who introduced the alphabet to Greece
- Cilix, who gave his name to Cilicia, a region in Asia Minor.
The author of Bibliotheke adds Phoenix as a third brother, suggesting that Phoenix named his children after his siblings. In this interpretation, there might be two Europas: one the niece of the other, both loved by Zeus, which could explain some of the confusion in the accounts.
After Zeus carried Europa to Crete, she had three sons with him: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. Minos and Rhadamanthus later became judges of the Underworld alongside Aeacus of Aegina.
In Crete, Europa also married Asterion (or Asterius) and became the mother or stepmother to his daughter, Crete. According to Pausanias, the poet Praxilla also mentioned that Europa had a son named Carnus.
