Talos
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| - | In [[Greek mythology]], '''Europa''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] Ευρώπη) was a [[Phoenicia|Phoenician]] woman of high lineage, from whom the name of the [[continent]] [[Europe]] has ultimately been taken. The story of her [[abduction]] by [[Zeus]] in the form of a [[Cretan Bull|bull]] was a Cretan story, as [[Károly Kerényi]] points out; "most of the love-stories concerning [[Zeus]] originated from more ancient tales describing his marriages with goddesses. This can especially be said of the story of Europa." The name Europa occurs in the list of daughters of primordial [[Oceanus]] and [[Tethys (mythology)|Tethys]]; the daughter of the earth-giant [[Tityas]] and mother of [[Euphemus]] by [[Poseidon]], was also named Europa. | ||
| - | ==Abduction== | ||
| - | The [[mythographers]] tell that Zeus was enamored of Europa and decided to seduce or ravish her, the two being near-equivalent in Greek myth. He transformed himself into a tame white bull and mixed in with her father's herds. While Europa and her female attendants were gathering flowers, she saw the bull, caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back, to the island of [[Crete]]. He then revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. Zeus gave her a necklace made by [[Hephaestus]] and three additional gifts: [[Talos]], [[Laelaps (mythology)|Laelaps]] and a [[Pilum|javelin]] that never missed. Zeus later re-created the shape of the white bull in the stars, which is now known as the constellation [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]]. Some readers interpret as manifestations of this same bull the Cretan beast that was encountered by [[Hercules]], the [[Marathonian Bull]] slain by [[Theseus]] (and that fathered the [[Minotaur]]). Roman mythology adopted the tale of the ''[[Raptus]]'', also known as "'''The Abduction of Europa'''" and "'''The Seduction of Europa'''", substituting the god [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] for [[Zeus]]. | ||
| - | According to [[Herodotus]]' rationalizing approach, Europa was kidnapped by [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]]s who were seeking to avenge the kidnapping of [[Io (mythology)|Io]], a princess from [[Argos]]. His variant story may have been an attempt to rationalize the earlier myth; or the present myth may be a garbled version of facts — the abduction of a Phoenician aristocrat — later enunciated without gloss by Herodotus. | + | In the Cretan tales incorporated into [[Greek mythology]], '''Talos''' or '''Talon''' was a giant man of [[bronze]] who protected [[Europa (mythology)|Europa]] in [[Crete]] from [[pirates]] and [[invaders]] by circling the island's shores three times daily while guarding it. |
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| - | The story may also have evolved from the remnants of oral history about the settlement of the island. Cretans were of course great sailors, as all islanders must be, and must have come from some mainland area by raft or ship. They must also have brought their cattle and other livestock with them, since bulls figured prominently in their sports, arts and religious imagery. In the mythological transformation of history, however, roles are reversed, and the bull provides the transportation for the founding mother of the Minoan people. | + | |
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| - | ===Primary sources=== | + | |
| - | *Isidore, ''Etymologiae xiv.4.1'' | + | |
| - | *[[Herodotus]], ''[[Histories (Herodotus)|The Histories]]'', Book 1.2 | + | |
| - | *Eusebius, ''[[Chronicon (Eusebius)|Chronicon]]'', 47.7-10, 25, 53.16-17, 55.4-5'' | + | |
| - | *[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'', 862, translation by A.D. Melville (1986), p.50 | + | |
| - | :: ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'', ii.833-iii.2, vi.103-107 | + | |
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In the Cretan tales incorporated into Greek mythology, Talos or Talon was a giant man of bronze who protected Europa in Crete from pirates and invaders by circling the island's shores three times daily while guarding it.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Talos" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
