Atalanta
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| + | '''Atalanta''' is a character from ancient [[Greek mythology]]. | ||
| - | The '''golden apple''' is an element that appears in various national and ethnic folk legends or [[fairy tales]]. Recurring themes depict a hero (i.e. [[Hercules]] or [[Făt-Frumos]]) retrieving the golden [[apple (symbolism)|apple]]s hidden or stolen by a monstrous [[antagonist]]. Alternatively, they are depicted as divine food and the source of immortality in [[Norse 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. | ||
| - | == Greek mythology == | ||
| - | ===Atalanta=== | ||
| - | Five golden Apples were featured in [[Greek mythology]], in which a hunter named [[Atalanta]] raced against a suitor named [[Hippomenes]] who used the golden apples to distract her so that he could win the race: | ||
| - | :''"After Atalanta participated in the hunt and received the pelt, her father claimed her as his offspring and wanted her to get married. Although a very beautiful maiden, Atalanta did not particularly want to marry after an [[oracle]] told her that she will gain bad [[luck]] if she marries. In order to get her a husband, her father made a deal with Atalanta that she would marry anybody who could beat her in a foot race. Atalanta happily agreed, as she could run extremely fast. '' | + | ==Legend== |
| - | :''She outran many suitors. The one that finally became her husband accomplished this through brains, not speed. Hippomenes (also known as [[Melanion]]) knew that he could not win a fair race with Atalanta, so he prayed to [[Aphrodite]] for help. The goddess gave him three golden [[apple]]s (sometimes the fruit was [[quince]] instead) and told him to drop them one at a time to distract Atalanta. Sure enough, she quit running long enough to retrieve each golden apple. It took all three apples and all of his speed, but Hippomenes finally succeeded, winning the race and Atalanta's hand. Unfortunately, Hippomenes forgot to thank the Goddess and she turned them into lions" | + | 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 was a virgin huntress who promised to marry the man who could win a foot race against her-- knowing that no men could beat her. Hippomenes drops the golden apples every once in a while so he could out run Atalanta and he finally wins. | + | 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. |
| - | === The Garden of the Hesperides === | + | 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. |
| - | The Garden of the [[Hesperides]] was [[Hera]]'s orchard in the east, where either a single tree or a grove of trees bearing immortality-giving golden apples grew. Hera placed in the garden a never-sleeping, hundred-headed, [[dragon]], named [[Ladon (mythology)|Ladon]], as an additional safeguard. The eleventh [[The Twelve Labours|Labor of Hercules]] was to steal the golden apples from the garden. | + | |
| - | ===The Judgment of Paris=== | + | 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 (mythology)|Rhea]]) turned Atalanta and Melanion into [[lion]]s 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. |
| - | :''Main articles: [[Judgment of Paris]], [[Apple of Discord]]'' | + | |
| + | Apollodorus also says she wrestled and defeated Peleus at the funeral games for Pelias. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | [[George Frederick Handel|Handel]] wrote an opera about the character, ''[[Atalanta (opera)|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. | ||
| - | [[Zeus]] held a banquet in celebration of the marriage of [[Peleus]] and [[Thetis]]. Left off the guest list was [[Eris (mythology)|Eris]] (goddess of discord), and upon turning up uninvited, she threw or rolled a golden apple into the ceremony, with an inscription that read: καλλίστῃ or, "for the fairest one." Three goddesses claimed the apple: [[Hera]], [[Athena]] and [[Aphrodite]]. Zeus remembered [[Paris of Troy]] as being the most beautiful of mortal men and was aware of the bull-judging contest which was soon to come, in which Paris would be judge. So Zeus sent Ares, who disguised himself as a bull, which was one of his symbols. Ares accepted this duty given by Zeus humorously. Being a god, he appeared perfect in all respects and therefore was awarded the Golden Laurels. Zeus deemed Paris as the judge as he knew that Paris would be a fair and equal judge. He gave the apple to Hermes and told him to deliver it to Paris and tell him that the goddesses would accept his decision without argument, and so the goddesses appeared. Each of the goddesess offered Paris a gift as a bribe in return for the apple. First approached Hera who offered to make him a famous, powerful king; next came Athena, who offered to make him wise, above even some of the gods; and last of all came Aphrodite, who said she would give him the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife, [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] at that time, of Sparta (later to be titled Helen of Troy). Paris chose Aphrodite, which would ultimately lead to the start of the Trojan war. Paris soon went to celebrate the marriage of Helen and Menelaus with his brother. They spent the night there, and Menelaus was called to Agamemnon, and thus Helen and Paris were left alone. In this time they made love, and Helen left Menelaus and sailed to Troy with Paris, thus initiating the [[Trojan War]]. | ||
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Revision as of 22:16, 16 November 2009
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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.
