The Rape of Europa

The Story

One day, Europa is playing at the water’s edge, gathering flowers with her companions.

Her attention is caught by the sight of a bull with a glistening hide who is browsing peacefully amongst her father’s herd. His gentle and majestic air strikes her as interesting.

Unsuspecting that this bull is none other than Zeus himself (who has assumed this shape specifically to deceive her because he has become enamoured with her), she approaches trustingly and caresses the animal, who gallantly kneels before her.

She climbs playfully onto his mighty back and begins to wreathe flowers around his powerful horns.

Suddenly the bull rears to his feet and bounds into the waves, carrying the weeping virgin across the vast sea. They finally reach the southern coast of Crete, at Gortyna where, under a tree, Zeus takes her as his mistress.

Later, Europa gives birth to Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. All three are later adopted by the King of Crete who subsequently becomes her husband.

Watch this video. Listen for what is not mentioned.

How does this painting make you feel about the treatment of Europa — the woman being raped? Consider the depiction of the bull, all wide-eyed and innocent effectively saying “who me?”. Consider the little Cupid: mimicking and/or possibly mocking Europa as if to say, “this is all part of Love” — does this not somehow diminish our concern for Europa’s evident terror?

How does having others minimize an experience affect the victim?