The Myth of Europa

Europa, the daughter of Agenor and Telephassa, was so beautiful that Zeus fell in love with her and managed to impress her thanks to a daring plan. One beautiful morning, as Europa was playing in the flowery meadows with her female companions, Zeus approached the girls transformed into a white and tame bull, having a sweet expression and a golden crescent on his forehead. The girls were charmed by the presence of Zeus as a bull and started examining him with awe. Europa, smiling and joyful jumped on his back and immediately the animal rushed to the sea. Zeus had achieved his goal and was travelling with his beloved Europa on his back. To please the god, the seas went calm, dolphins were jumping around the divine bull and the Nereids were dancing. The final destination was Crete and in particular Gortyna where Zeus was joined in a "sacred marriage" with Europa, beneath a plane tree which has never lost its leaves ever since.

The union of Europa and Zeus resulted in the birth of three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. Then Zeus gave Europa for marriage to the king of Crete, Asterios, and they adopted the children of Zeus, whom they raised with great love, and who inherited the kingdom of Asterios. It was said that Zeus so loved Europa that gave her three priceless presents. The first was Talos, a magical man made of bronze, who served as a guard on Crete, the second was Laelaps, a dog that excelled at the hunt, and the third and final gift was a javelin that always hit its target.

Upon death, Europa was honoured by gods and man alike. It was also said that one of the continents on earth was named after her as Europe. She was worshipped with the name of Hellotis and at the celebrations, the Hellotia a celebration of joy for the blossoming of nature, people used to weave wreaths around her thighs as an indication of fertility.
According to another similar version, Europa seems to be the personification of a brilliant meteor or a bright star. Europa, the daughter of Telephassa, "the one who shines from afar", might have been a figure for the moon, each morning eloping with the solar bull and each night appearing brilliant on the dark sky.