The Greeks named Europe for the princess Europa, who, according to myth, so charmed Zeus that he transformed himself into a bull and carried her off from the Middle East to Crete. Zeus promised her that their sons would rule "over all men on earth." Europe has often seemed, in another sense of the word, no more than a myth. Although Europeans have often spoken of their common culture, Europe has been mostly a word on the map, a name for a continent that gave birth to both the world's greatest cultural achievements and its bloodiest wars. Suddenly, however, the elusive goal of European unity seems within reach. The 12 nations of the European Community have agreed to merge into a Common Market by the end of 1992. Many believe that political unity will necessarily follow. And now the dramatic eclipse of communism raises the prospect that Eastern Europe may join. Here, Steven Lagerfeld describes the journey to 1992; Josef Joffe points to the formidable obstacles that remain.