Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The myth of Europe

From 1st January 2002on, we have keen introduced to the Euro. The Euro was named after Europe. Yet who was Europe?
Long, long ago, when the continent of Europe had not been named, there lived a pretty young woman, Europa. Europa was the only daughter of Phoenician’s king Aginora. Her mother was Tilephasa. (Phoenicia was an ancient region in the Middle East, corresponding to modern Libanon, with adjoining parts of Syria and Israel).
Europa and her friends used to go for a walk to the shore of Tiro’s. One day, as they were playing at that place, appeared a white beautiful bull. The princess struck by the beauty of this pretty creature and since he was meek, she started playing with him. In time she felt comfortable enough with the bull to climb upon his back for a ride.
All of a sudden, the bull threw himself at the waves and started swimming, carrying the girl with him. They crossed the water together and arrived eventually at the island of Crete. Upon arriving in Crete the bull revealed his identity. He was the ruller of Olympian gods, Zeus, who transformed himself into a bull, in order to fool Europa during the abduction.
After this she was directed to a palace and there she became a queen. She lived a happy life and bore three sons, two of whom, Minoas and Rodamanthis, became famous and lived beyond this life to be judges of souls in the kingdom of Hades.
It is worth mentioning that the bull that stars in this myth was transformed into the constellation of Taurus.-------------------------------------------------------------

The students of Perama High School gave their own insight into the myth of Europe.






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