One fine spring morning as
Zeus perched upon a cloud and idly looked down at the earth, suddenly he saw a
charming spectacle. Europa, a
beautiful Phoenician princess, had awoken before the dawn, troubled by a dream. Two large landmasses moved into the
shape of two women, each trying to devour the other.
Once
awoken from this strange vision, Europa could not fall back asleep. She summoned her playmates to go with
her to the blooming meadows, where they often met to dance or bathe their fair
bodies at the riverÕs mouth, but this morning they had brought baskets to
gather bouquets of budding wildflowers.
EuropaÕs was woven with gold and showed, oddly enough, the story of Io
in the shape of cow and Zeus touching her lightly with his divine hand to
change her back into a woman. The basket itself was a sight worth seeing and
had been made by none other than Hephaestus, the celestial workman of
Olympus.
Lovely as
the basket was, the flowers that filled it were by far lovelier—the timid
but sweet-smelling narcissus, hyacinth of a most heavenly hue, violets flushed
with deepest purple, and the wild rose most radiant and splendid of all. The girls gathered them delightedly,
meandering here and there throughout the meadow. Each was maiden fairest among the fair, and yet Europa shone
out among them.
As Zeus
watched the pleasant scene as if his own private play, Aphrodite and her little
boy planned a most mischievous prank.
Eros, whom the Romans call Cupid, shot into his unsuspecting heart one
of AphroditeÕs arrows, and at that very instant Zeus fell madly in love with
the maiden he had gazed upon.
According
to legend, Zeus was so enamored by Europa that he decided to seduce and ravage
her. Although Hera was away from
Olympus tending to other business, Zeus thought it best to be cautious and fit
himself with a disguise. And so
before appearing to Europa he turned himself into a bull and mingled with her
fatherÕs herd.
It was
not long until Europa lay her eyes upon the bull, and she was instantly
attracted to him. He wore the
purest ivory coat, and silver circles crowned each brow into horns like the
crescent of an infant moon. He was
as gentle as he was lovely, not fearful but friendly, and so fragrant that the
girls gathered around to caress him and inhale his heavenly scent, which was
sweeter even than the sweetest flower any had picked. Europa sat upon his back, and when she stroked the sides of
his stomach he purred with music more melodious than the sound of any flute or
lyre. The bull leaped up and
rushed to the seashore far too quickly for the other girls to hear Europe call
for them to follow.
As Zeus
approached the ocean with the maiden on his back, he rode not into but over the
water. As he flew the waves grew
smooth, and up from the deep sea rose a parade of strange sea-gods riding
dolphins, water nymphs and Nereids, the most magnificent of mermaids, and the
master of the sea himself.
Europa
grew frightened by the wonderous creatures and the wide waters around them. She clung tightly to the bull with one
arm wrapped around his neck as the other hand collected the skirt of her purple
dress and clutched the wad of cloth close to her hip to keep it dry. Knowing this was no ordinary bull,
Europa screamed for him to let her go.
The bull
responded that she had no reason to be scared, for he was Zeus, the god of all
gods, who had only kidnapped Europa out of such severe love for her. ÒI am taking you to Crete,Ó he said, Òmy
private island. There I will make you the mother of most glorious sons.Ó
Everything
happened, of course, as Zeus had said.
He raped the maiden and she mothered their many children, also serving
as the inaugural queen of Crete.
Many, many years later the continent of Europe was named for the queen to
keep her tragic legacy alive.