Atalanta
Atalanta was born the daughter of Iasus. Rather wanting a son, and rather disappointed at having a daughter, Iasus left Atalanta on a mountain to die from exposure. However, a bear mother came out of the woods and raised Atalanta as a cub.
When Atalanta was six years old, some hunters came upon her in the woods while she was picking berries. They took her back to the human world and taught her such things as hunting, and she excelled at it. She was soon superior to other men as a hunter.
One day a great boar hunt was called on in Calydonia by Oeneus, the king. It was a result of a curse brought on by Artemis, because Oeneus did not sacrifice to her. Atalanta came to Calydonia to participate. Oeneus' son, Meleager, fell in love instantly with the beautiful girl. The men in the hunt did not want to allow Atalanta to be in the hunt, but Meleager insisted. The boar killed three hunters before Atalanta wounded it critically with an arrow. Meleager finished off the boar, and gave the skin to Atalanta as a trophy. Meleager's relatives wanted the skin for themselves, but Meleager fought to allow Atalanta to keep it. In the struggle, Meleager was killed.
After the hunt and Meleager's death, Atalanta had several adventures, including sailing for a while with the Argonauts. She had many men ask for hand in marriage, but in order to avoid getting married, she challenged the suitors to a footrace. Since no man could beat her, she never married. Aphrodite was jealous of Atalanta's beauty, and scornful of her refusal to be married, so she found a man to beat her. His name was Hippomenes. Aphrodite gave him three golden apples to roll in front of Atalanta during the race. When Atalanta paused to pick them up, Hippomenes won the race. Atalanta agreed to marry him, and the couple had a child together, named Parthenopaeus.
ACTIVITIES:
Atalanta activity
KEY TEST WORDS: (Know the material behind these items.)
None
FOOTNOTES:
None
SOURCES:
James Isaacs
Edith Hamilton's Mythology
"Manual of Mythology" by Alexander S. Murray.