Atalanta

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Atalanta (Greek: Αταλάντη, English translation: "balanced") is a character from ancient Greek mythology. Her father, Schoeneus or Iasius (Iasus, Iasion), wanted a son so badly that when Atalanta was born, he left her in the middle of the woods to die. Artemis sent a "she-bear" to suckle her and eventually a group of hunters raised her.

Years later, a beast called the Calydonian Boar was stalking the land. King Oeneus sent his son Meleager to gather up heroes to hunt the Boar. Among many others, Meleager chose Atalanta, who by now was a young woman and a fierce huntress, with whom he fell in love and she loved him, though she did not show it and continued to refuse marriage offers from him.

Atalanta participated in the hunt and struck the first wound, though Meleager killed the boar. Since she had caused the first drop of blood to be shed, Meleager awarded her the hide. According to one account of the hunt, the two centaurs, Hylaeus and Rhaecus, tried to go to sleep with Atalanta but she killed them or that Meleager killed them. Also during the hunt, Eurypylus and Iphicles insulted her, and Meleager killed them also.

Toxeus and Plexippus (Meleager's maternal uncles) grew enraged that the prize was given to a woman. Meleager killed them too in the ensuing argument. Althaea, Meleager's mother, caused his death by throwing the log that was his life into the fire in retribution for the death of her two brothers.

The grief-stricken Atalanta sought out her father who claimed her as his offspring and wanted her to get married. Although a very beautiful maiden, Atalanta felt marriage would be a betrayal to Meleager. 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. Anyone who tried to beat her and failed, however, would be killed. Atalanta agreed, as she could run extremely fast.

She outran many suitors, who were then executed. The suitor Hippomenes (also known as Melanion) knew that he could not win a fair race with Atalanta, but was enthralled by her beauty. Atalanta, too, found him most agreeable both physically and as a person, and so she begged him not to race her (and risk his life), but he could not be dissuaded. Hippomenes then prayed to the goddess Aphrodite for help. The goddess gave him three golden apples (in some variations of apples as instead quince) and told him to drop them one at a time to distract Atalanta. Sure enough, she stopped running long enough to retrieve each apple. It took all three apples and all of his speed, but Hippomenes finally succeeded, winning the race and Atalanta's hand. Some versions hold that she used the golden apple as an excuse to let him win.

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.

Atalanta bore (Ares or Meleager) a son: Parthenopeus, who participated in the campaign of the Seven Against Thebes.

Zeus (or Cybele or Rhea) turned Atalanta and Hippomenes 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.

Handel wrote an opera about the character, Atalanta. Algernon Charles Swinburne wrote his play (in the style of Greek tragedy) Atalanta in Calydon in 1865.

Cartoons

A cartoon version of the story of Atalanta's foot race was included in, Free to Be… You and Me, a record album and illustrated songbook for children, first released in November 1972, and later in 1974 as a television special. It is presented as the story of a Princess Atalanta, whose father the King wants her to marry. The story highlights Atalanta's role as a feminist figure, where she is a skilled athlete and gifted astronomer. She makes an agreement with her father that she will marry only if there is a man as fast as her, confident there is no such man as fast as her.The penalty for losing is death. Meanwhile, a man known only as 'Young John' is seen training, and after seeing he completed a track run before an hourglass expired he feels confident enough to compete in the race. While she beats almost all the men in the foot race, she ties Young John, who is then awarded her hand in marriage by the King. Young John refuses the prize, saying he could not possibly marry the princess unless she wished to marry him, and that he ran the race for the chance to get to know Atalanta. Note this is a retelling of the original myth from a feminist perspective. Atalanta agrees that she could not possibly marry John without first going off to see the world. The two part as friends, going off to travel the world individually. The fable ends with, "Perhaps someday they’ll be married, and perhaps they will not. In any case, it is certain, they are both living happily ever after.”, reinforcing the feminist message of the tale.

In the animated television series Class of the Titans, the character Atlanta is descended from Atalanta and has her super speed and hunting skills.

Comic books

In 2000, the Belgian comic book artist and writer Crisse introduced the first of a series of comic books featuring Atalanta, who is also abandoned by her father but saved by goddesses and nurtured by a bear. She is adopted by the hunters who killed the bear and becomes well known for her fast running. The series focuses mainly on her adventures with the Argonauts whom she accompanies as a means of later joining the Amazons. The series also features Jason, Hercules and other heroes and gods and goddesses of Greek mythology; though the emphasis is mainly on humour (Atalante).

External links

• Rubens's "Atalanta and Meleager" in the Lady Lever Art Gallery

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Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 05:36:41 PST (GMT -0800)
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