Europe: from the young girl to the continent
If you hear the name "Europe", what springs to mind? The geographic area?The continent to which the name refers? Most certainly. This reflex response shouldn't come as a surprise, really. Though who would stop to think that behind this name originally there was a girl? A young woman of such astounding beauty that one day she was abducted by the gods themselves? And that it was no coincidence that this same young woman later gave her name to this illustrious continent.
The number of times the word Europe is pronounced every single day, is immeasurable. The "European Community", "Europe without borders", "it is your Europe", the "European Union", etc. It is inflected into all possible different ways. To such an extent even, that people have stopped asking themselves a question that, all things considered, is important – if not fundamental: why does the continent bear this name? Back to the origins…
Europa: a girl beautiful enough to make the gods grow pale with envy
Let us turn back to anecdotal history for a minute here. In Ancient Greek mythology, the daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor was named Europa. She was said to live on the Asian seaboard of the Mediterranean. At least, even if her feet ever really walked this earth, her mind was continually occupied elsewhere. Day after day she spent walking along the seashore, dreaming of long voyages and adventure, staring at the far horizon for hours on end.
Zeus, King of the Gods according to Greek mythology, had long since remarked the profound beauty of the princess and had noted her insatiable thirst for "elsewhere". He rapidly fell for her charms – as was his wont. One day, when Europa was once again enjoying a stroll along the beach, Zeus suddenly rose from the sea in the shape of a powerful bull and took her with him to the island of Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, far into the Mediterranean. He then regained his human shape en she in turn fell in love with him. She stayed at Zeus' side and bore him three sons (Minos, Rhadamantus and Sarpedon).
The symbolism of the myth
The legend of the princess Europa establishes an obvious parallel with historical, economic and cultural realities of that time. Indeed this was the period during which the "focus of civilisation" gradually moved from the Middle East towards more western regions – which were later referred to as Europe. Therefore the move or abduction of the princess from the Asian tot the Greek side of the Mediterranean symbolises this movement of civilisation power.
A more concrete illustration of this myth can be found on one of the symbols of the EU: its single currency. Indeed, if you ever have the occasion to check out the Greek two-euro coin, you will see an engraving of a bull carrying a young woman on its back – and now you also know the origin of this striking image…