Myth of Europa (2024)

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What does the myth of Europa explain? ›

Definition. Europa is a figure from Greek mythology who later gave her name to the continent of Europe. In one popular version of her story Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted by Zeus and whisked off to Crete; King Minos, he of the labyrinth and Minotaur fame, would be one of the results of Zeus' rape.

In the story of Europa, the god-king spots the girl Europa picking flowers, and decides he must have her. Zeus turns himself into a docile white bull, and when the girl climbs upon his back, he swims away to Crete. It is on the island that Europa is 'seduced' (raped) by the god, and bears his children.

According to the legend, Europa was the epitome of feminine beauty on Earth. Zeus once saw her on the seashore of Phoenicia playing with her friends. He was so captivated by her beauty that he fell in love with her and developed a strong desire to possess her.

Europa's father was heartbroken and sent her brother Cadmus to find her and bring her home. Cadmus sailed over the sea and eventually arrived in Greece. He never did find his sister but it was Cadmus who brought the alphabet to the Greeks. The continent of Europe got its name from the princess Europa.

The worship of Baal was popular in Egypt from the later New Kingdom in about 1400 bce to its end (1075 bce). Through the influence of the Aramaeans, who borrowed the Babylonian pronunciation Bel, the god ultimately became known as the Greek Belos, identified with Zeus.

The woman with a bull symbolizes Europe. The motif stems from the Greek myth about a princess called Europa, who was carried away by Zeus disguised as a bull. He swam with her to the continent of Europe, which was named after her.

The reason Zeus married Hera, even though she was his sister, was because he fell in love with her and found her for very beautiful and attractive. Although it is not clear whether Hera had a love interest in the king of the gods or wanted to become the queen of the gods, Hera agreed to marry him.

Zeus, though a prominent figure in Greek mythology, is mentioned in the Bible only to highlight the futility of idolatry and the stark contrast between false gods and the living God of the Bible.

The beauty of Europa inspired the love of Zeus, who approached her in the form of a white bull and carried her away from Phoenicia to Crete. There she bore Zeus three sons: Minos, ruler of Crete; Rhadamanthys, ruler of the Cyclades Islands; and, according to some legends, Sarpedon, ruler of Lycia.

Europa's surface is blasted by radiation from Jupiter. That's a bad thing for life on the surface – it couldn't survive. But the radiation may create fuel for life in an ocean below the surface. The radiation splits apart water molecules (H2O, made of oxygen and hydrogen) in Europa's extremely tenuous atmosphere.

Was Europa an African princess? ›

In Greek mythology, Europa (/jʊəˈroʊpə, jə-/; Ancient Greek: Εὐρώπη, Eurṓpē, Attic Greek pronunciation: [eu̯. rɔ̌ː. pɛː]) was a Phoenician princess from Tyre and the mother of King Minos of Crete. The continent of Europe is named after her.

In Hesiod's Theogony, he describes Zeus as being married to seven immortals: Metis, Themis, Eurynome, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Leto, and last, Hera.

Reportedly, he had been turned into a woman as the result of having struck and wounded mating snakes. When Tiresias returned to the site of the transformation seven years later to see if the “spell” could be reversed, Tiresias did indeed see the same snakes coupling and was changed back into a man.

In Euripides' The Bacchae, Cadmus is given a prophecy by Dionysus whereby both he and his wife will be turned into snakes for a period before eventually being brought to live among the blest.

Europa was the daughter of the King Agenor of Sidon. She had the continent of Europe named for her. Somewhat miraculesly Hera was distracted during her affair with Zeus and never punished her for it. One night Europa had a dream.

Europa was considered an example of the maximum beauty of the human being in Greece. For this reason, many different characters sought her out and fell in love with her, including the god Zeus. Etymologically, her name derives from the Greek roots eurys (which means wide or broad) and ops (which means face or eye).

The Rape of Europa is a famous painting undertaken by Titian between 1560 and 1562, with the oil on canvas work depicting a tale from Greek mythology. The Rape of Europa depicts the abduction of the beautiful Phoenician princess Europa by Zeus, with the god having transformed himself into a bull to undertake the deed.

1. Greek Mythology. a Phoenician princess loved by Zeus: he, disguised as a white bull, carries her off across the sea to Crete. 2. the fourth largest satellite of Jupiter: discovered in 1610 by Galileo.