Europe - the mythology of Ancient Greece

Rembrandt, Guido Reni, Titian, Paolo Veronese, François Boucher, Valentin Serov ... It seems that the list can be continued indefinitely. "What can unite these great artists?" - you ask. Only one thing - the abduction of Europe ...

Dream the day before

Once a beautiful Europe - a Phoenician princess - had an amazing dream. She stands with her head down, and in front of her are two women. They argue about something hot. Words can not be disassembled. She listens and understands that one of them is called Azil (Asia), and she is her mother. She nurtured and nurtured her, so she has the right to live with a beautiful daughter. But the second, suspicious stranger, does not back down, and resolutely declares that Europe (Greek mythology) will be presented to her by the supreme god - Zeus, and she will be called by her name.

The young maiden awoke in horror: what is the hidden meaning of the dream? And that hour she went to pray, humbly asking the gods to save her from possible misfortunes ...

stroll

Time passed. I dressed Europe (mythology) in purple with gold clothes and went for a walk with friends to the seashore. There, on the fat, dense green flowering meadows, beautiful Sidonians maidens gathered flowers. Bright violets, tender lilies, snow-white daffodils - which only was not in their golden baskets. The daughter of Agenor did not yield to them either in beauty or in dexterity, and even on the contrary, like Aphrodite, shone with her splendor, grace. In the basket she had only scarlet roses ...

Collecting flowers, they easily, with a laugh, joined hands and started, stomping, to dance. Their merry young voices carried the wind far, far away: both in the fields, and through the meadows, and along the blue sea. They seemed to drown out and fill the whole space. Can not hear them and the son of Crohn - mighty Zeus ...

Abduction of Europe

Suddenly, unknown from where on the meadow is a huge bull, dazzling white with a curved in the form of a crescent golden horns. Who is he, this unexpected visitor? Where did he come from and where is he holding the way? The girls approached closer and began to watch the wondrous animal with some apprehension. Never before have they seen him. It seems that their unrestrained fun and loud voices brought him here. Well, let's play together! But the bull, peacefully waving its tail, bypasses the young beauties and approaches Europe. His breath was surprisingly light and fragrant.

- What is it? Thought the princess. "Is it really ambrosia?"

The air around was filled with the scent of immortality. She could not resist the daughter of King Agenor, and she also stroked the wonder beast, gently embracing and kissing his mighty neck and head. A beautiful bull lay at the feet of the girl, thereby inviting her to sit on his back. Having understood the hint, laughing, not suspecting anything, she perched on the mighty back of the golden-eared. Immediately the eyes of the peaceful animal poured blood, he jumps up and rushes to the shore of the sea.

The escape

Scared Sidonians. They started shouting, calling for help. But all is useless. The bull already jumped into the sea ...

The Europe was also frightened (the mythology of Ancient Greece is famous for its combination of love and drama). But she had no choice but to sit quietly on her back, whether of an animal, or ... She holds her hand with the golden horn, and the second picks up the edge of her dress, so as not to get wet from the salty waves. Excess her fears: Poseidon himself - the god of the sea and the brother of Zeus - rushes ahead in his chariot, so that no sea creature will prevent the bull so that no salty drop falls on the princess. Even the sea breeze, not wanting to quarrel, pacified its sharp impulses.

There was not the slightest doubt in Europe: God himself took the form of her formidable kidnapper. But which one? In the palace of her father she saw a lot of strangers: some were from Libya, others from Assyria, others from Egypt. She only distinguished them by their clothes. Obviously, God decided to outwit all, and took the image of a bull, so that the father, after listening to the story of the abduction, did not guess where to look for the daughter. Here the golden-haired turned his head, and - Oh, a miracle! - not a drop of fury in the eyes, only bottomless depth, some kind of thoughtfulness and kindness. They became almost human ...

The long-awaited beach

The native shores have long since disappeared from view. They were surrounded only by the endless water desert. Suddenly, in the distance, a rocky shore appeared. The beast swam faster. "No, this is not Egyptian land," the prisoner suggested. King Sidon - Agenor (and the Ocean in ancient Roman legends) - once said that the place of the confluence of the Nile River in the sea more like a palm - flat, without a single hollow or mountains. It's more like an island ...

It was the island of Crete. Finally, the wanderers got out on land. The bull allowed Europe to descend, and shook himself. A hail of cold splashes covered her from head to foot. Seeing nothing and not understanding what was happening, she began to wipe her eyes quickly, her face. When I came to, I saw a beautiful young man with a diadem on his head. Zeus - that was the miracle bull!

Many years passed. Europe (Greek mythology) and remained to live in Crete, and gave birth to the thunderer of three sons: Minos, Radamanf and Sarpedon. Since those times immemorial, they have given us their starlight from the constellation of Taurus, the divine bull, which the supreme god placed in heaven as a sign of his unshakable love for Europe.

The kidnapping was not a gift for his father, King Agenor. His wife - Telefass (and Tethys in Roman mythology) - went with their sons to seek their beloved daughter and sister. But their attempts were unsuccessful. They never found it.