Atalanta, in Greek mythology, was a renowned swift-footed huntress, probably a parallel and less important form of the goddess Artemis. Traditionally, she was the daughter of Schoeneus of Boeotia or of Iasus and Clymene of Arcadia.
Who was Atalanta?
The abandoned daughter of an Arcadian king, Atalanta was rescued by a bear in the wild and later adopted by hunters. She grew up to be a beautiful woman and a skilled huntress. As a devoted follower of Artemis, the virgin goddess of the hunt, Atalanta also decided to remain a virgin by any means necessary.
Birth of Atalanta
Atalanta became a devoted follower of Artemis, a chaste goddess, and she too was committed to remaining a virgin. As she grew up, so did her beauty, which attracted men of all kinds despite her disinterest. Rhoecus and Hylaeus, two centaurs (half man, half horse), tried to get their way by force. They were no match for the swift and skilled virgin, and she killed them both with her arrows.
Later, she is the only woman to accompany Jason and the Argonauts on the famous quest for the Golden Fleece. Atalanta defeats Prince Peleus of the island of Aegean at the funeral of King Peleus in a wrestling match. She is a fierce competitor.
Myths of Atalanta
The myths of Atalanta are full of adventure, as she protects her chastity against aggressive suitors, becomes the only woman in the quest for the Golden Fleece with Jason and the Argonauts, and kills a huge boar that wreaks havoc in Calydon. The determined and talented huntress is finally reunited with her father and abandons her single life at his request, but not before orchestrating a challenge for the men who want her hand.
The Hunt for the Calydonian Boar
Near Arcadia was the small city of Calydon, ruled by King Eneas. His son, the crown prince, was the handsome Meleager, who had also been on the quest for the Golden Fleece. During that time, he had fallen in love with the beautiful and brave Atalanta, even though he already had a wife.
It was customary in Calydon to sacrifice the first fruits of the harvest to the gods as a sign of gratitude and respect. In a rather careless oversight, King Eneas failed to include the goddess Artemis in the offerings. The offended goddess sent a huge, ugly boar to the city, which began to destroy crops and kill livestock.
King Eneas summoned the bravest and fiercest hunters to fight the boar, including his son Meleager and the experienced huntress Atalanta. The boar’s skin would be the prize for the hunter who could kill it. Many of the men were not thrilled to fight alongside a woman, but Meleager insisted on her inclusion, and the hunt began.
Atalanta was the first to shoot, but the beast was enormous and it would take more than one arrow to kill it. Meleager threw his spear at the boar and was inches away from being killed by the wild beast, but he finally triumphed and was awarded the skin, which he quickly gave to Atalanta. Her uncles, who had also taken part in the hunt, were angry that the prize had gone to a woman.
They declared that if Meleager did not want to keep the skin, then they were next in line for the prize and tried to snatch it from Atalanta. In a fit of rage, Meleager killed the two loud-mouthed uncles. His mother, the queen, was devastated by the death of her brothers and threw a magical log onto a fire that consumed her beloved son.
According to legend, the Fates (the three mythological incarnations of destiny) had previously determined that Meleager would die if the special log burned. A sad end for the prince, and for his mother, who was trampled to death by a wild boar that emerged from the forest.
The race
After the boar hunt, Atalanta had become a famous Calydonian huntress, and due to her celebrity status, it is no surprise that her father, the Arcadian king Iasus, who had abandoned her for being a woman, came forward to reunite with his daughter. Atalanta agreed to return to her father’s house on the condition that she could remain a virgin. But endless suitors came to ask for her hand in marriage, and the king soon changed his mind and insisted that she choose a husband.
Atalanta reluctantly agreed, but she would need a man who could outrun her, which was no easy feat, as she was so fast. The warning was that any loser would be killed. Well, as young men often do, they lined up to take their chances, and quite a few runners for love ended up dead, until Hippomenes came along. A very cunning fellow, with his eye on the bridal prize, he called on the goddess Aphrodite to help him.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was naturally not a big fan of virgins, and agreed to help. She gave Hippomenes three irresistible golden apples. Apples of this kind are a constant theme in Greek mythology; both gods and mortals covet them, and Atalanta was easily susceptible to their tricks. Whenever he took the lead in the race, Hippomenes would throw down a golden apple and swerve to chase it. He won the race with this scheme, and the two were married and later had a son named Parthenopaeus.
Hippomenes, however, in his excitement, forgot to thank the goddess Aphrodite for her help. This was not a brilliant move, as goddesses prefer to be appreciated. She made Hippomenes feel so overwhelmed by lust that he took Atalanta as soon as he saw her, who was in the temple of Zeus.
It was believed at the time that lions could not mate with their own kind, only with leopards. As punishment for their disrespectful acts, both were turned into lions so that they could never mate again. Depending on the version of the story, Zeus or Aphrodite was responsible for this transformation. Either way, the fate of Atalanta and Hippomenes was the same: to live their lives as lions, unable to be reunited.
Modern Influence
Marlo Thomas presented the story of Atalanta in a children’s entertainment project, Free to Be You and Me, in 1974. The 1970s were a time of growing awareness and promises of gender equality. The collaboration with Ms. Foundation included a book, an album, and a television special and featured many famous stars of the time, including Michael Jackson, Alan Alda, and Cicely Tyson. The message was clear: all children are capable of success, and the expression of individuality is positive.
We can look to Atalanta as an ancient inspirational figure who embodies the spirit of strong, brave girls and capable women. She broke stereotypes in ancient Greece long before the term feminism existed. The next time you see a female runner, think of Atalanta running like the wind, her essence flowing through the centuries, liberating women to activate their competitive energy.
