Journal Of Hellenic Religion (J. Hell. relig.)

Abstract: The Greek myth of the seduction of princess Europa by Zeus does not fit well in the context of Greek Mythos. Perhaps the Europa myth has evolved over time away from its original origin. Numerous writers from antiquity through to the Middle Ages and the Byzantine era have described, interpreted, and embellished the Europa myth. A classification in chronological order of these changes makes it possible to follow the different versions and interpretations over time. […] All these interpretations and stories around the myth can be catalogued in eight development phases; the original myth, a Phoenician Europa version, an Agenor/Cadmus version, an historical version, a historic Phoenician version, a deification version, an African Europa version, and an embellishment version. These successive versions of the myth, some of them arising in the same periods, strengthen the theory that the origin of Europa has to be found on Crete and the Greek mainland as a pre-Greek goddess and that Europa as a Phoenician princess is the outcome of later developments.