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Greek Mythology
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Europa, the godmother of a whole continent
19-02-2013 16:53Europa (meaning wide face) is the daughter of Agenor of the dynasty of Inachids, sister of the major founder of Thebes Kadmos and cousin of Danaos king of Argos, who was abducted to Crete by Zeus and centuries later gave her name to the continent of Europe.
Zeus fell in love with her when he saw her gathering flowers with her helpers in Phoenicia, and turned himself into a bull and got in her father’s herd. Europa saw the bull, caressed his flanks and eventually got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea with Europa on his back, to the island of Crete.
Europa became the first queen of Crete and Zeus fathered three sons by her, Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. He gave her some marvellous gifts: a necklace made by Hephaistos, Talos a huge man of bronze who guarded the Cretan shores, Laelaps an infallible hunting-dog and a javelin that never missed.
Zeus after their affair arranged for Europa to marry Asterios, king of Crete, who adopted her divinely originated sons and had no further children by her. The continent of Europe bears the name of the first queen of Crete and also the smallest of the moons around the planet Jupiter is named after her.
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