Atalanta
Schoeneus married in Arcadia and entreated the gods to send him a son.
When his spouse bore him a daughter, he became so enraged that he took
the child from her mother, carried her into the wilderness, and left her
there. The child was nourished by a bear until she was found by some
hunters, who took her away, brought her up, and named her Atalanta.
Atalanta grew in beauty and strength and became a vigorous huntress,
surpassing all men and youths in daring, swiftness, and skill. Like
Artemis, she chose to live unmarried and paid no attention to the youths
who solicited her hand. When hard pressed she at last made this
condition. He only should have her as wife who surpassed her in running;
but those who were defeated should die.
Hard as the condition was, the beauty of the maiden attracted a crowd of
suitors. Among them was Hippomenes, who came not to take part in the
race, but to deride the youths who would risk their lives by such folly.
But when the race began and he saw the beautiful huntress, he himself
was smitten with love and hoped that none of the youths would win the
prize, so that he might take Atalanta home as his wife. The race was
finished. The maiden returned with the wreath of victory on her head,
but the youths were taken away to suffer death.
Then Hippomenes stepped forward and said: "It was not much glory, O
Atalanta, to surpass those. Now I wish to race with you. Should fortune
favor me, it will be no shame for you to be beaten by one who is great
grandson of Poseidon, god of the waters, and whose courage is not
inferior to his skill. But should you win, your name will be honored in
future days."
Atalanta looked upon the bold youth, and as he was pleasing in her sight
she was uncertain whether she wished his victory or his defeat. Then she
said: "What divinity, O youth, seeks your destruction by giving you the
desire to race with me? Those foolish ones, they tried and now must die.
At least let me warn you to seek some other maiden. If you reject my
advice, I bespeak for you the help of the gods that you may be the
winner."
While the beautiful huntress thus spoke, Hippomenes called to Venus, who
suddenly stood by his side, unseen by Atalanta. She gave him three
golden apples gathered in the gardens of the Hesperides, and told him
how to use them. The trumpet sounded and both started swiftly over the
course. What a sight it was to watch the beautiful creature whose feet
scarcely touched the ground! "Look," said one, "she could skim over the
waving wheat without bending it, or fly over the sea without wetting the
soles of her feet." The encouraging shouts of his friends greeted the
youth.
Hippomenes was overjoyed at the greetings, and Atalanta noticed it with
pleasure. It seemed unendurable to her to be beaten, but it was even
more painful to beat and thereby sacrifice Hippomenes' life. For a long
time they ran side by side. At last Hippomenes threw an apple to the
ground. The maiden saw the rolling gold and stooped to pick it up. The
delay threw her back in the race, but she soon caught up with the youth.
He threw the second apple. Running out of her course she seized it and
Hippomenes gained further advantage. He was nearing the goal when he
heard the distant applause of his friends. The maiden put forth all her
power and soon flew past Hippomenes with burning cheeks, so that his
death seemed inevitable. Then he supplicated the goddess and threw the
third apple, which rolled far out of the course. The maiden would have
left it, but Aphrodite (Venus) induced her to get it. The goddess made
the task so difficult that Hippomenes reached the goal first. The judges
crowned him and Atalanta, as she had promised, gave him her hand.
The day of their marriage was the day of ruin for both, for they wholly
forgot the goddess and neither made thank-offerings nor remembered her
kind assistance. Aphrodite therefore decreed a severe penalty. The angry
goddess changed them into a pair of lions and harnessed them to her
golden chariot.