Europa (mythology) facts for kids
Europa is a famous figure from Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Agenor, the king of Phoenicia, and his wife Telephassa. Her story is well-known because of the powerful god Zeus.
Zeus fell in love with Europa. To hide his actions from his wife, Hera, Zeus changed himself into a gentle bull. Hermes, another god, helped by making a herd of cattle, including Zeus, graze near a beach in Sidon. This was where Europa often played.
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The Abduction by Zeus
While Europa was playing by the sea, Zeus, in his bull form, approached her. He looked very calm and friendly. Europa was not scared and even climbed onto his back. Suddenly, Zeus swam away into the sea, carrying Europa with him. He swam all the way to Matala on the island of Crete. Once they arrived, Zeus showed Europa his true form as the mighty god.
Europa's Children
Europa and Zeus had three sons together. Their names were Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon. These sons later became important figures in Greek myths.
How Europe Got Its Name
An ancient prophecy by the goddess Aphrodite said that a new continent would be named after Europa. This is why the continent we know today as Europe carries her name. It's a lasting reminder of her story!
Other Versions of the Story
The oldest known story about Europa can be found in the ancient Greek poem, the Iliad by Homer. In this version, Europa is said to be the daughter of Phoinix. Other old stories about her include "Europa" by Moschos and the "Metamorphoses" by Ovid.
What Happened to Europa's Brothers?
After Europa was taken, her father, King Agenor, sent his sons to search for her. They looked everywhere but could not find her. One of her brothers, Cadmus, asked the Oracle of Delphi for help. The Oracle told him to stop searching for Europa. Instead, she advised him to follow a special cow and build a city where it lay down. Cadmus followed this advice and founded the famous city of Thebes, Greece in a region called Boeotia.
Europa as Queen of Crete
Some stories say that Europa stayed on Crete. There, she married a king named Asterion. Asterion did not have any children of his own. So, he adopted Europa's sons, Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon, as his own. Europa then became the queen of Crete.
Europa in Ancient Art
People have been showing Europa's story in art for a very long time. The oldest known paintings that clearly show Europa and the bull date back to the 7th century BC. This shows how important and popular her myth was even thousands of years ago.
Images for kids
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The birthplace of Europa, Tyre, Lebanon
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The Abduction of Europa by Rembrandt, 1632
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A scene of Zeus as a bull taking Europa, from an ancient Apulian red-figure dinos (a type of vase). It's from around 370 – 330 BCE and is now in the Eskenazi Museum of Art.
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Nova et accurata totius Europæ descriptio (A New and Accurate Description of All Europe) by Fredericus de Wit (1700).
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Europa shown on the 2013 Europa Series of euro banknotes.
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Europa with her clothes blowing in the wind (a style called velificans), from a mosaic in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
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Europa on the Bull by Carl Milles (1926).
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Europa by Léon de Pas (1997), outside a council building in Brussels.
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Europe by May Claerhout (1999).
See also
In Spanish: Europa (mitología) para niños
