Europa1.0000_Reid

Europa.
Daughter of King Agenor of Tyre and sister of Cadmus, Europa was desired by Zeus (Jupiter). He instructed Hermes (Mercury) to drive a herd of cattle to the seashore, where Europa was playing. There, Zeus disguised himself as a handsome white bull and with feigned gentleness enticed the girl to climb onto his back. He then swam out to sea, carrying Europa away to Crete, where she bore him Minos, Rhadamanthys, and, in some accounts, Sarpedon. Zeus then gave Europa in marriage to the Cretan king, Asterion. She was later worshiped on Crete as a goddess, and the bull became the constellation Taurus. The abduction of Europa was one of the many conquests of Zeus depicted in the tapestry woven by Arachne in her contest with Athena. (Ov. Met. 61-145)