The Muses sang about Europa, whom Zeus chose to be Crete’s first queen. Her father was the king of Tyre and a descendent of Io. Zeus went to Europa disguised as a white bull and carried her across the sea to Crete, where she lived “in glory and delight to the end of her days” (142). Her sons Minos and Sarpedon “became great kings” (142), and her son Rhadamanthus was famed for his wisdom and became a judge for Hades after his death.

Europa’s brother Cadmus sought an oracle at Delphi to find his sister but was told to give up the search and remain in Greece, where a white cow would lead him to the site of a new kingdom. He followed the cow to the future site of Thebes. There, a dragon that guarded a spring devoured his men, but Athena instructed him to sow a field with the dragon’s teeth, which sprouted fierce warriors. Athena next told Cadmus to throw a rock among them, and they began to fight among themselves until only five were left. They were loyal to Cadmus and helped build Thebes into a great, seven-gated city.