In Greek mythology Europa was the woman that Zeus seduced in the form of a white bull. She was the mother of King Minos of Crete, a woman with Phoenician origin of high lineage, and for whom the continent Europe was named.

The story of her abduction by Zeus in the form of a white bull was a Cretan story. As Cark Kerényi (a Hungarian scholar in classical philology and one of the founders of modern studies of Greek mythology) has written, many of the love stories concerning Zeus originated from more ancient stories describing his love affairs and marriages with goddesses. Concerning the tale of Europa, this idea is especially true.

More Info: phoenicia.org