Atalanta
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Wikipedia
Featured:  |
Atalanta is a character from ancient Greek mythology.
Family Atalanta is the daughter of Schoineus or Iasos, (or Mainalos) a Boeotian (according to Hesiod) or an Arcadian (according to Apollodorus) Princess. Apollodorus is the only one who gives an account of Atalanta’s birth and upbringing. King Iasos wanted a son; when Atalanta was born, he exposed her and left her in the wild. A she-bear suckled and cared for Atalanta until hunters found and raised her. She was later reunited with her father.
Legend
Her father, Schoineus or Iasius, wanted a son so badly that when Atalanta was born, he left her on a mountain top to die. Artemis sent a "she-bear" to suckle Atalanta, who learned to fight and hunt as a bear would. Some stories say that eventually (name needed) found her and raised her.
Atalanta, having grown up in the wilderness, became a fierce huntress and was always armed. It is said that she took an oath of virginity to the goddess Artemis. When two centaurs Rhoikos and Hylaios tried to rape her, Atalanta killed them.
CALYDONIAN BOAR HUNT: When Artemis was forgotten at a sacrifice by King Oineus, she sent a wild boar that ravaged the land, destroyed men and cattle and prevented the crops from being sown. Atalanta joined Meleager and many other famous heroes on a hunt. Many of the men were angry that a woman was joining the hunt, but Meleagros, though married, lusted for Atalanta, persuaded them to join Atalanta in the chase. Several of the men were killed before Atalanta was the first to hit the boar and draw blood. After Meleager finally killed the boar with his spear, he awarded the boar skin to Atalanta. Meleagros’ uncles, Plexippus and Toxeus, were angry and tried to take the skin from Atalanta. In his anger, Meleagros killed his uncles. In her grieving, Meleagros’ mother Althaia “kindled the brand,” and Meleagros died.
After the Calydonian Boar Hunt, Atalanta was discovered by her father. He wanted her to be wed, but Atalanta, uninterested in marriage, agreed to marry only if her suitors could outrun her, though fully armed, in a footrace. King Schoineus agreed and many young men died in the attempt until Melanion (or Hippomenes) came along. Melanion asked the goddess Aphrodite for help and she gave him three golden apples to toss as Atalanta caught up, in order to slow her down. Melanion tossed the apples every time Atalanta came near him and in this way came to marry Atalanta. Eventually they had a son Parthenopaios, who was one of the Seven against Thebes. Zeus (or Cybele or Rhea) turned Atalanta and Melanion into lions after they made love together in one of his temples. Other accounts say that Aphrodite changed them into lions because they did not give her proper honor. The belief at the time was that lions could not mate with their own species, only with leopards, thus Atalanta and Hippomenes would never be able to remain with one another.
Apollodorus also says she wrestled and defeated Peleus at the funeral games for Pelias.
In some versions of the quest for the Golden Fleece, Atalanta sailed with the Argonauts as the only female among them, suffered injury in the battle at Colchis and was healed by Medea. Other authors claim Jason would not allow a woman on the ship.
Handel wrote an opera about the character, Atalanta. Robert Ashley also wrote an opera, Atalanta (Acts of God), with loose allegorical connections to the myth. Other works based on the myth include a play by Algernon Charles Swinburne written (in the style of Greek tragedy) Atalanta in Calydon in 1865.
