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Person Number One – EUROPA

The Greek mythological heroine after whom Europe is named

Our starting point is the ancient Greek mythological heroine, Europa. Europa was a
Phoenician princess. On the beach one day with her maidens she was seen by Zeus;
king of the Greek gods. Smitten with her beauty, he transformed himself into a bull.
Europa was equally smitten by his beauty, stroked his back and put flowers on it.
Then, in trepidation, she sat on his back. Zeus-bull walked into the waves and swam
away, with Europa on his back; as the Roman poet Ovid wrote “she gripped one horn

in her right hand while clutching the back of the beast with the other” while “her
fluttering draperies billowed behind on the sea breeze.” Zeus carried her from
Phoenicia (Southern Lebanon) to the island of Crete. She married Zeus, bore him
three sons, then married the king of Crete who adopted her sons and made her
queen. When she died Zeus transformed her into a constellation and joined her as
the bull, Taurus.

It is not known when, how or why Europa was adopted as the name for “Europe”,
which was first only the Greek name for minor provinces to their west, but was used
as the name of the continent from the time of Charlemagne, although the name
th
“Christendom” was more commonly used until as late as the 18 century. There are
interesting parallels between the myth of Europa and the actual history of Europe,
themes common to both. The obvious one is transformation; Zeus becomes a bull
(though this was surprisingly common in Greek mythology). Europa’s life is
transformed. Europe too would experience repeated transformations; from Rome to

Christendom; from Christendom to secularism; ; colonization; industrialization.
Another theme is restlessness; Europa climbs onto the bull’s back, does not try to
flee, though fearful she embraces change. Europe was colonized by barbarian
invaders, Angles, Saxons, Fransks, Goths, Vandals, Huns, Vikings. Their migrations
brought a restless element to European history. Sea-voyaging is another theme.
Europa crosses the sea from Asia (Phoenicia) to Europe (Crete). Europe has a longer

coastline than any other continent despite being the smallest. (I’ll continue to call it a
continent even though strictly speaking Europe it isn’t, but actually a large peninsular
stuck on the western part of the continent of “Eurasia”). Sea-faring played an
important part in European history. Think of Rome, a mighty empire based on a sea,
the Mediterranean; the Vikings; the Crusades; the voyages of exploration;
colonization. River trade and transport too; Europe’s rivers are geographically well-
suited for criss-crossing the whole continent.

These common themes are the stuff of myth and poetry, not history. Europa is a

name and a myth, no more. Yet myths have a way of burrowing into our minds. For