Αταλάντη
Charles E.
Mann
“Greek
Myths and their Art” 1907
Ελληνική
Μυθολογία
Αρχαιογνωσία
Edward J. Poynter, " Atalanta's Race "
ATALANTA
There was
once a Greek father who must have been struck by one of Eros' s lead arrows,
and who must also have tasted of the water from the bitter spring in
Aphrodite's garden, for, when he was told that a daughter was born to him, he
said, " Only a girl ! Let her be taken to the mountain and be left to die.
I will have no daughter in my house."
But a bear
that found the baby on the mountain was kinder than her father and did not kill
her. Later, some hunters found her, cared for her and named her Atalanta. She grew
to be a kindly but an independent and courageous young woman. When she learned
the story of her own life, she came to doubt the love and gentleness of the
world and said, " I will never marry." Some people say an oracle
advised her to this course, but that is only another way of saying that she had
made up her mind.
She loved the
fields and the woods and became a great huntress. It is not to be supposed that
such a young woman, would have no suitors. She turned them aside for a time,
but when they became more urgent, she said, " I will be the prize of him
who shall defeat me in race; but death or a single life must be the penalty of
all who try and fail.”
A young man
by the name of Hippomenes was to act as judge in one such contest. He said
tothe young men who were making ready to start, "Can it be that any one
will be so rash as to takeso great a risk for such a prize ? "
Aphrodite had
been observing the life and doings of Atalanta and now called Eros. "Take a
vial of sweet water," she said, "and touch the lips of Atalanta and
Hippomenes and use upon them your silver arrows."
When Atalanta
threw aside her mantle to engage in the race, Hippomenes turned to the young
men and said, "I beg your pardon, I did not know the value of the prize
for which you were competing. Let another be judge, for I wish to enter the contest."
Then
Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite, "O Mother of Love, aid me that I may win
this prize!"
The goddess
picked three golden apples from her garden and sent them to Hippomenes, and Eros
told him how to use them. Even Atalanta did not really wish to have him fail.
When Atalanta was about to pass Hippomenes in the race, he threw down one of
the beautiful golden apples and she stopped to pick it up. When she had nearly
overtaken him again, he dropped a second apple and again Atalanta stopped to
pick it up.
Then
Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite, "Sweet goddess, may the last of thy gifts
not fail me !" but he did not lessen his efforts. The spectators cheered,
and called out, "Now, Hippomenes, relax not, if you would win." He
dropped his third and last apple, and Atalanta again stopped to pick it up.
Hippomenes
won the race and Atalanta became his wife. Perhaps Atalanta changed her mind in
regard to marrying when she saw Hippomenes, and was quite willing to stop each
time a golden apple was dropped, thus permitting herself to be defeated.
These young
people were so happy that they forgot to thank Aphrodite for her aid. In fact
they ignored the gods altogether. This brought swift and terrible punishment.
The mother of the gods, Rhea, was angered by their selfish neglect and changed
them to lions, which she yoked to her chariot and compelled them to draw her
about the world. We would like to believe, however, that there came a time when
Rhea saw that their labor had made them gentle and obedient, and so permitted
them to become a wiser and a happier pair.
ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ
[ ανάρτηση 1 Φεβρουαρίου 2025 :
Αταλάντη
Charles E. Mann
“Greek Myths and their Art” 1907
Ελληνική
Μυθολογία
Αρχαιογνωσία
]
