Zeus, in love with Europa and changed into a bull, kidnapped his fiancee and took her over the sea to Crete, where he changed again into a handsome young boy. As a Crete ruler he promised her protection in return for her love and devotion. A bit confused she said yes. The next morning when she was mourning her deed, Aphrodite came and told the truth about her kidnapping. At the same time, she cheered her up by telling her that the rest of the world, where she had been living, would be called Europe. Europa, a mortal, gave birth to three Zeus’s sons: Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon.
Allegory of an element Water, The Knight's Hall, Brežice Castle, Frančišek Karel Remb (1675–1718), early 18th century.
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