Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology (Facts on File Library ...

The Rape <strong>of</strong> Europa. Titian, 1559–62 (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston)
Sarpedon (though Homer cites only the first
two as their issue). Zeus gave Europa three
presents: the bronze man <strong>of</strong> Talos, which protected
the isl<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> Crete; a javelin that never
missed its mark; <strong>and</strong> a hound that always found
its prey. The hunting dog <strong>and</strong> javelin were later
given to Procris. Afterward, Europa married
King Asterius <strong>of</strong> Crete, <strong>and</strong> her children by
Zeus were adopted by him <strong>and</strong> brought up in
his household; they eventually inherited his
kingdom. Minos, or possibly a descendant <strong>of</strong>
the same name, was the king <strong>of</strong> Crete involved
in another myth in which a bull features promi-
Europa
nently, that <strong>of</strong> the Minotaur. Rhadamanthys
was said to have introduced a legal system to
Crete <strong>and</strong> married Alcmene, mother <strong>of</strong> Heracles.
Minos <strong>and</strong> Rhadamanthys became judges
in Hades after their deaths.
In classical art Europa’s abduction by Zeus in
the shape <strong>of</strong> a bull was a popular theme. Ovid’s
Fasti describes the young yellow-haired Europa
being carried on the bull’s back; gradually becoming
aware <strong>of</strong> her predicament, she holds the bull’s
mane in one h<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> her garments are blown
in the wind as they travel across the sea to Crete.
The Ovidian passage is quite similar to many