In Greek mythology, Europa was the daughter of Agenor, King of Tyre. Zeus, the king of the gods, enraptured by Europa, disguised himself as a bull and appeared to her in this transmogrified form.

The Princess, deceived by this seemingly-innocent and friendly creature, garlanded the animal with flowers and climbed upon its back. Zeus then carried her off to sea towards the island of Crete, where he resumed his natural form and ravished her.