Europa stood still
on the rise of the hill. She looked out across the
shore and peacefully watched the sacred bulls as they wandered along
the shore. She often came here with her escort of nymphs. They watched
over her so that they could protect her from the evils of the world and
protect her virginity until she married. Europa sat down on the grass
and wistfully wished that she could find an adventure or something in
this world that did not treat her as a pampered princess. As daughter
of King Agenor, she had been
sheltered her whole life from the world and she
had lived in beauty but it was only here on this hillside by the beach
that she truly felt free.
It was then she saw amongst the sacred bulls one that stood out from the others. His stance was majestic and his skin was more than white. The skin was brilliant and there was no marking or dirt to foul the purity of the image. For many years she had come to watch the bulls ever since she had been a small child. They were peaceful and kind. These bulls never sought to test their horns on one another and they were not afraid of humans. Looking at this bull, Europa felt the desire to touch him, to pet his snowy skin, and to perhaps make a wreath of flowers for so noble a beast.
Taking the flowers she had gathered earlier, she began to weave a wreath of flowers from them for the bull's neck. The bull she had been watching had separated from the rest of the herd, and was rolling in the sand, yet not a grain of it stuck to his white skin.
Having completed the wreath, Europa looked to see if her guardians would come with her or stop her, since bulls could be dangerous. However, the nymphs had fallen asleep in the noon sun. Their skin was cooled by the gentle breeze rising from the sea. The nymphs had fallen asleep among the flowers. Slowly, Europa walked down the hillside to the bull. His eyes were large and dark but they were not fearsome. They had a calm, docile look in them that seemed to beckon her to come closer. The bull stood still as Europa slowly edged towards him, hoping to not spook him with any swift movements. Just as slowly, she began to put the wreath around his neck.
It was then the bull moved, nudging her hand gently before lowering his head. It was as if he were willingly accepting the wreath of flowers. Europa was careful not to catch the wreath on the curled horns on his head. The horns were polished and as pale as ivory; they seemed to gleam in the midday sun. The bull cautiously stepped towards her. The bull was much larger than he had appeared from the hillside and he stood almost a head taller than her. Europa softly pet the chest of the bull, his hide felt soft and smooth. She could not understand why people thought these creatures to be dangerous. This bull was so friendly and he seemed to want her to pet him. It was then the bull decided to lay down on the beach, lowering his head while his eyes watched her. He seemed to be almost beckoning her to sit on his back with his dark eyes.
Smiling, Europa stroked his magnificent head before climbing atop him. She sat on him as a man might, straddling his large girth and hugging his neck.
The bull quickly rose from where he was sitting and Europa nearly lost her balance in surprise. She felt as though she were extremely high up and for the first time a slight fear entered her heart. The bull carefully walked along the beach as though he was being cautious of his burden. Calming herself, Europa wondered for a moment what had compelled her to climb atop this bull because now she did not know how she was to get off without hurting herself or scaring the bull.
Europa trembled with uncertainty and she realized that the bull had changed direction. He was heading straight into the sea. It was then she heard the cries of her guardians and she began to suspect that this bull was no normal one. The bull seemed to fly across the water as her clothes billowed out behind her. Grasping his horn with one hand and his neck with the other, she looked back in distress calling out to the nymphs who guarded her but already the shoreline was disappearing.
Finally, after riding the bull through what seemed like a horrible storm that could not touch them, he stopped on another shore. She was alone without protection and true terror filled her as she realized that, while she may have dreamed of more than the pampered life of a princess, she never truly wanted to be without protection. The bull sat down allowing her to get off his back. She ran away from the shore and the bull crying for anyone to hear her, but on this isolated shore no one could hear her. Turning back to the bull, she instead saw a man who had the most perfect form she had ever seen. She blushed shyly at the sight of his nudity because she had never seen a man before. He walked forward, gently touching the wreath of flowers around his neck.
His voice seemed to thunder with authority as he said, "I am pleased with this gift." Now close enough, he wrapped Europa in his arms and he smiled down at her. "I am Zeus and I have chosen to gift you with with my favor."
Zeus leaned down, kissing her passionately before she could protest the King of the Gods.
Author's Note: With this story I wanted to keep the story as close as I could to the version in Ovid's Metamorphoses. I also chose to make the rape part of it not as completely overt and I did this by doing the perspective from Europa's point of view rather than from Zeus' point of view. Zeus planned this whole event out by sending Hermes (Mercury) out to the shore to drive the bulls to Europa so that he might go in disguise and steal her. It bothered me more that he planned to abduct a virgin and rape her rather than if it had been a random act. This way, people new to the material will be wondering exactly where the story is going.
The thing I most wondered about when I first translated this in my Latin class was how on earth a sheltered girl thought it would be a good idea to ride a bull. What I attempted to do was to make it seem like a certain level of persuasion was used on Europa to where she was not thinking about the consequences of what would happen if she got on a bull, much less a god in disguise. This story is extrememly deceptive on the part of Zeus and this seems to be a track record with him. He seduces a woman, impregnates her, and then leaves the women to the wrath of his wife, Hera(Juno). I also chose to use the Greek names, not only because the name of a planet (Zeus is Jupiter in the Roman form) seducing a woman seems strange in my mind but also I am more familiar with the names in this form.
It was then she saw amongst the sacred bulls one that stood out from the others. His stance was majestic and his skin was more than white. The skin was brilliant and there was no marking or dirt to foul the purity of the image. For many years she had come to watch the bulls ever since she had been a small child. They were peaceful and kind. These bulls never sought to test their horns on one another and they were not afraid of humans. Looking at this bull, Europa felt the desire to touch him, to pet his snowy skin, and to perhaps make a wreath of flowers for so noble a beast.
Taking the flowers she had gathered earlier, she began to weave a wreath of flowers from them for the bull's neck. The bull she had been watching had separated from the rest of the herd, and was rolling in the sand, yet not a grain of it stuck to his white skin.
Having completed the wreath, Europa looked to see if her guardians would come with her or stop her, since bulls could be dangerous. However, the nymphs had fallen asleep in the noon sun. Their skin was cooled by the gentle breeze rising from the sea. The nymphs had fallen asleep among the flowers. Slowly, Europa walked down the hillside to the bull. His eyes were large and dark but they were not fearsome. They had a calm, docile look in them that seemed to beckon her to come closer. The bull stood still as Europa slowly edged towards him, hoping to not spook him with any swift movements. Just as slowly, she began to put the wreath around his neck.
It was then the bull moved, nudging her hand gently before lowering his head. It was as if he were willingly accepting the wreath of flowers. Europa was careful not to catch the wreath on the curled horns on his head. The horns were polished and as pale as ivory; they seemed to gleam in the midday sun. The bull cautiously stepped towards her. The bull was much larger than he had appeared from the hillside and he stood almost a head taller than her. Europa softly pet the chest of the bull, his hide felt soft and smooth. She could not understand why people thought these creatures to be dangerous. This bull was so friendly and he seemed to want her to pet him. It was then the bull decided to lay down on the beach, lowering his head while his eyes watched her. He seemed to be almost beckoning her to sit on his back with his dark eyes.
Smiling, Europa stroked his magnificent head before climbing atop him. She sat on him as a man might, straddling his large girth and hugging his neck.
The bull quickly rose from where he was sitting and Europa nearly lost her balance in surprise. She felt as though she were extremely high up and for the first time a slight fear entered her heart. The bull carefully walked along the beach as though he was being cautious of his burden. Calming herself, Europa wondered for a moment what had compelled her to climb atop this bull because now she did not know how she was to get off without hurting herself or scaring the bull.
Europa trembled with uncertainty and she realized that the bull had changed direction. He was heading straight into the sea. It was then she heard the cries of her guardians and she began to suspect that this bull was no normal one. The bull seemed to fly across the water as her clothes billowed out behind her. Grasping his horn with one hand and his neck with the other, she looked back in distress calling out to the nymphs who guarded her but already the shoreline was disappearing.
Finally, after riding the bull through what seemed like a horrible storm that could not touch them, he stopped on another shore. She was alone without protection and true terror filled her as she realized that, while she may have dreamed of more than the pampered life of a princess, she never truly wanted to be without protection. The bull sat down allowing her to get off his back. She ran away from the shore and the bull crying for anyone to hear her, but on this isolated shore no one could hear her. Turning back to the bull, she instead saw a man who had the most perfect form she had ever seen. She blushed shyly at the sight of his nudity because she had never seen a man before. He walked forward, gently touching the wreath of flowers around his neck.
His voice seemed to thunder with authority as he said, "I am pleased with this gift." Now close enough, he wrapped Europa in his arms and he smiled down at her. "I am Zeus and I have chosen to gift you with with my favor."
Zeus leaned down, kissing her passionately before she could protest the King of the Gods.
Author's Note: With this story I wanted to keep the story as close as I could to the version in Ovid's Metamorphoses. I also chose to make the rape part of it not as completely overt and I did this by doing the perspective from Europa's point of view rather than from Zeus' point of view. Zeus planned this whole event out by sending Hermes (Mercury) out to the shore to drive the bulls to Europa so that he might go in disguise and steal her. It bothered me more that he planned to abduct a virgin and rape her rather than if it had been a random act. This way, people new to the material will be wondering exactly where the story is going.
The thing I most wondered about when I first translated this in my Latin class was how on earth a sheltered girl thought it would be a good idea to ride a bull. What I attempted to do was to make it seem like a certain level of persuasion was used on Europa to where she was not thinking about the consequences of what would happen if she got on a bull, much less a god in disguise. This story is extrememly deceptive on the part of Zeus and this seems to be a track record with him. He seduces a woman, impregnates her, and then leaves the women to the wrath of his wife, Hera(Juno). I also chose to use the Greek names, not only because the name of a planet (Zeus is Jupiter in the Roman form) seducing a woman seems strange in my mind but also I am more familiar with the names in this form.
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The Rape of Europa by Naso, Publius
Ovidius. Metamorphoses.
Trans. Samuel Garth, et al. New
York: Globusz. 2 Mar. 2009 <Web Source>.