Zeus saw Europa gathering flowers and immediately fell in love with her. Zeus transformed himself into a white bull and carried Europa away to the island of Crete. He then revealed his true identity and Europa became the first queen of Crete.
Europa's brother, Cadmus, went on a quest to find his disappeared sister. Upon consult of the oracle of Delphi, he was advised to travel until encountering a cow. He was to follow this cow and to found a city where the cow would lay down; this city became Thebes.
Cilix, Europa's other brother, also searched for her and settled down in Asia Minor. The land was called Cilicia after him.