Europa is the daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor in ancient Greek mythology. Legend has it that Zeus seduced her while playing with friends on the beach. In the image of a white bull, and then of a wonderful young man, after the intimate meeting of the two, his sons Minos, Radamant and Sarpedon are born. According to the Odyssey, Minos and Radamant become judges of justice in the underworld of Hades (Aeacus- Judge in the Underworld).
Myth of Europa
The king of the rich Phoenician city of Sidon – Agenor, had three sons and a daughter, beautiful as an immortal goddess. This young beauty was called Europe.
Once Agenor’s daughter had a dream. She saw Asia and the continent, which was separated from Asia by a sea turned into women, fighting for her. Each of them wanted to own Europe. Asia was defeated, which, although it had raised Europe, had to cede it to the other. Europe got scared and woke up; she could not understand the meaning of this dream. Agenor’s young daughter humbly began to pray to the gods that if the dream foretold misfortune for her, they would prevent her misfortune. meadow by the sea. There, in a frenzy, the Sidonian girls picked flowers in their golden baskets. They picked fragrant, snow-white daffodils, colorful crocuses, violets and lilies. Agenor’s daughter, who shone with beauty among her friends like Aphrodite, surrounded by the Charites, took only scarlet roses in her golden basket. As they gathered flowers, the girls began to laugh, play, and sing merrily. Their fresh voices drifted far across the flowering meadow and the azure sea, drowning out its soft caressing clap.
Beautiful Europe could not enjoy a carefree life for long. The son of Cronus, the mighty cloudman Zeus, saw her and decided to steal her. In order not to frighten young Europe with his appearance, he became a beautiful bull. The whole fur of the bull, Zeus, shone like gold, only a silver spot shone like a moonlight on his forehead, and the golden horns of the bull were curved like a new moon when it first appeared in the rays of the purple sunset. The beautiful bull came out on the meadow and with light steps, barely reaching the grass, approached the girls. The girls of Sidon were not afraid; they went around the wonderful animal and began to pet it affectionately. The bull approached Europe, licked her hands and lingered around her. His breath had a pleasant smell of ragweed, all the air was soaked with this fragrance. Europa stroked the bull with her gentle hand on the golden fur, hugged his head and kissed him. The bull lay at the beautiful girl’s feet, as if begging her to get on it.
Laughing, Europe sat on the broad back of the bull. The other girls also wanted to go up to her. But suddenly the bull got up and ran quickly to the sea. He kidnapped the one he wanted. The Sidonians were frightened and shouted loudly. Europe, on the other hand, reached out to them and called for help; but the Sidonian maidens could not help her. The golden-horned bull flew like the wind. He threw himself into the sea and swam like a dolphin in its azure waters. And the waves of the sea receded before him, and their splashes slid like diamonds from his fur, without wetting it. Wonderful nereids emerged from the depths of the sea; they gather around the bull and swim with it. The god of the sea himself, Poseidon, surrounded by sea deities, sails forward in his chariot, tames the waves with his trident, leveling the way at sea for his great brother Zeus. Trembling with fear, Europe sits on the back of the bull. With one hand she clings to his golden horns, and with the other she curls the end of her purple dress so that the sea waves do not wet her. But she is afraid in vain; the sea roars flatteringly and its salty splashes do not reach it. The sea wind blows away Europe’s curls and waves its light cover. The coast is further and further away; behold, he is already hiding in the bluish distance. Only the sea and the blue sky are everywhere. Soon the shores of Crete emerge in the distance. The bull – Zeus, quickly swam up to him with his precious cargo and went ashore. Europa became the wife of Zeus and has lived on the island of Crete ever since. From Zeus she gave birth to three sons: Minos, Radamant and Sarpedon. The fame of these strong and wise sons of the thunderer Zeus spread throughout the world.
Exposed according to Mosh’s poem “Idylls”
