Lure¹: Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Taurus is a northern constellation² between Aries and Orion containing Hyades and Pleiades. Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters on or about April 20.

In ancient Greece, there was no name for the European continent. However, there was a kingdom called Phoenicia with two rich capitals named Tyler and Sidon. King Agenor had a pretty daughter called Europa.

Europa often dreamed that a strange woman said to her, “Let me take you to meet Zeus. You are doomed³ to be his lover.” At that time, Zeus only had one woman, Hera, but he did not love her much. As a result, he felt depressed⁴ everyday. Fortuna Clotho decided⁵ to help Zeus find his lover. She knew that the God of Fire had a priceless long skirt. Clotho took this skirt to Zeus and suggested Europa to him. In the beginning, Zeus refused, but he was soon deeply attracted to Europa’s beauty when he met her and fell in love with her immediately. Zeus pretended to be a prince from a neighboring country and pretended to send the skirt to Clotho. But Europa did not know he was Zeus and refused because she always thought of the words of the strange woman in her dreams.

One morning, Europa went to the grassland⁶ near the beach with her friends as usual. When they picked up flowers and happily wove garlands, a large and strong ox came to them. Europa was soon attracted by this noble and fabulous-looking animal. It looked like delicate and brilliant artwork with a crescent-shaped birthmark on the forehead and golden hair. Its blue eyes were twinkling with ardor⁷. Europa could not resist this feeling and eagerly jumped on the back of the ox while calling out to her friends, but the others were scared. At that moment, the ox flew into the sky. The friends shouted to her and Europa felt lost. Ox or Taurus flew across the beach until they arrived at an island.

Suddenly, Taurus transformed into a handsome man and told her he was master of the island. If Europa promised to marry him, he would protect and love her forever. But she still refused because she remembered the woman’s promise.

When the sun rose, Europa was left alone on the island. She shouted at the sun, “Poor Europa, are you really willing to marry the king of monsters? Nemesis⁸, why don’t you put Taurus in front of me and let me break its horn?”

All of sudden, the strange woman appeared behind her and said, “My pretty girl, take it easy. The Taurus you cursed just now will send his horn to you. I am Venus and my son Cupid has shot through your heart and Zeus’. It is Zeus that took you here. You become the God of continent and your name will last forever. We will call this place Europa.” She came to realize and believe in Clotho’s arrangement. This is the fairytale of Taurus, which symbolizes⁹ beauty and love.

星座起源的美丽传说：金牛的诱惑

在非常遥远的古希腊时代，欧洲大陆还没有名字，那里有一个王国叫腓尼基王国，首府泰乐和西顿是块富饶的地方。国王阿革诺耳有一个美丽的女儿叫欧罗巴。

欧罗巴常常会梦到一个陌生的女人对自己说：“让我带你去见宙斯吧，因为命运女神指定你做他的情人。”那时候宙斯还只有赫拉一个妻子，而且宙斯并不爱他的妻子，他整日处在郁郁寡欢之中，命运女神克罗托觉得帮助宙斯找到幸福。她知道火神有一件长襟裙衣，淡紫色的薄沙上用金丝银线绣了许多神祗的生活画面，价值连城，而且美不胜收。克罗托把这件衣服要过来，让宙斯去送给欧罗巴。起初宙斯兴致不大，但当他见到欧罗巴时，不禁为她的美色深深吸引，宙斯无可自拔的爱上了这个欧陆公主。他以一位邻国王子的身份去提亲，并把神衣送给了欧罗巴。但是欧罗巴并没有答应他，她心里一直想着命运女神的承诺。

一天清晨，欧罗巴像往常一样和同伴们来到海边的草地上嬉戏。正当它们快乐的采摘鲜花、编织花环的时候，一群膘肥体壮的牛来到了片草地上，欧罗巴一眼就看见牛群中那一只高贵华丽的金牛。牛角小巧玲珑，犹如精雕细刻的工艺品，晶莹闪亮，额前闪烁着一弯新月型的银色胎记，它的毛是金黄色的，一双蓝色的眼睛燃烧着情欲。那种无形的诱惑让欧罗巴难以抗拒，她欣喜地跳上牛背，并呼唤同伴一起上来，但是它们没有人敢像欧罗巴一样骑上牛背。正在这个时候，金牛从地上轻轻跃起，渐渐飞到了天上。同伴们惊慌的喊着欧罗巴的名字，欧罗巴也不知所措，金牛飞跃沙滩，飞跃大海，一直飞到一座孤岛上。这时候紧牛变成了一个俊逸如天神的男子，他告诉她，他是克里特岛的主人，如果欧罗巴答应嫁给他，他可以保护她。但是欧罗巴没有答应他，她心里一直想着命运女神的承诺。

一轮红日冉冉升起，欧罗巴被一个人撇在了孤岛上，她向着太阳的方向怒喊到：“可怜的欧罗巴，你难道愿意嫁给一个野兽的君王做侍妾吗？复仇女神，你为什么不把那头金牛再带到我面前，让我折断她的牛角！”突然，她的背后传来了浅笑，欧罗巴回头一看，竟是梦中那个陌生的女人。美丽的女人站在她面前说到：“美丽的姑娘，快快息怒吧，你所诅咒的紧牛马上就会把他的牛角送来让你折断的。我是美神维纳斯，我的儿子丘比特已经射穿了你和宙斯的心，把你带到这里来的正是宙斯本人。你现在成了地面上的女神，你的名字将与世长存，从此，这块土地就叫做欧罗巴。”欧罗巴这才恍然大悟，终于相信了命运女神的安排。而十二星座中的金牛座也由此得名，成为爱与美的象征。