The myth of Atalanta speaks of a strong and self-sufficient female figure, rare in Greek mythology, known as the beautiful hunter, because she devoted herself to hunting, an activity she loved and practiced with great dexterity.
According to the myth of Atalanta, at birth, the oracle said that if she ever married, she would become an animal, she was the daughter of Esqueneu and Clumene, two characters from the culture of Beocia, in western Greece. the father was expecting a child and did not want to have a daughter.
- The father had no scruples and abandoned his little girl on a mountainside since he was born.
- However.
- A bear sympathized with the child.
- The myth of Atalanta tells that the animal was breastfeeding and caring for him.
- Until some hunters found him and decided to adopt him.
“It’s our decisions that show who we really are, more than our abilities. “JK Rowling-
The myth of Atalanta says that this woman was not characterized by being very feminine, her wild origin has made her passionate about nature and hunting, she became a beautiful woman, but she did not want to be like the others, so she decided to do it. dedicate her life to the goddess Artemis, protector of hunting, and imitate the deity in everything.
The cult of Artemis required her to remain a virgin throughout her life, and Atalanta had no problem with that, she also invited her to stay between the mountains and fields and devote herself entirely to hunting, as a result, Atalanta developed a great physical skill. and learned to handle weapons with great skill, especially darts.
The myth of Atalanta tells that on one occasion two centaurs named Hileo and Reco tried to rape the girl for its beauty, the centaurs were beings who had human head, arms and trunk, as well as body and horse feet. Most were savages and allowed therself to be dominated by their animal passions, the girl looked at them and beat them.
Atalanta was a woman passionate about fighting and adventure, and is said to have been the only woman to accompany Jason and the expedition of the Argonauts.
However, what made her famous was her participation in the hunting of the boar in Calido, it is said that the other hunters refused to let her accompany them, but the hero Meléagro allowed the girl to join the group.
The myth of Atalanta points out that he was the first to cause harm to the beast, a fact meléagro testified, it was this hero who eventually killed the animal, but gave the skin to the woman, in honor of the bravery he had shown.
Subsequently, Meléagro’s uncles challenged the award given to the young woman for considering her unworthy, however, the hero confronted her loved ones and ended up killing them for opposing her decision, then returned the boar’s skin to Atalanta, who has since become highly respected by all.
As a servant of the goddess Artemis, the oracle at the time of her birth and her own personality, Atalanta was reluctant to join a man, however, the suitors were numerous and harassed her frequently. who would only marry the man who could beat her in a race. However, if the man lost, he would kill him.
Despite the terrible warning, many have signed up for a sporting competition with her, however, all, without exception, were defeated. There were already many accounts until a young man named Hipomene appeared, whom Aphrodite, the goddess of love, wanted to help.
Aphrodite gave her golden apples, which came from the famous Garden of the Hesperides, then, when the race took place, the young man began to drop the apples one by one and Atalanta, delighted by the beauty of these magnificent fruits, stopped to pick up every time Hippomens dropped them, so she wasted time and was defeated.
The two young men married and were happy to hunt and fight side by side for a while, however, they made love in the temple of Cibeles, goddess of Mother Earth, and she became angry, so she turned the couple into lions and ordered them to take out the car forever. The fountain of the cibeles, in madrid’s Paseo del Prado, recalls the myth of Atalanta.