Atalanta and Others

Mythology
Maynard

Read p. 182- 187 and answer the following questions.

1. What are the circumstances of Atalanta’s birth and upbringing?

● The only one who tells us about her birth is Apollodorus. King Iasos desired a son, but when
Atalanta was conceived, he abandoned her on a mountaintop to die. According to legend,
Atalanta was suckled and cared for by a she-bear until she was discovered and adopted by
hunters, in which she learnt to fight and hunt like a bear.

2. List three adventures Atalanta has.

● Killing Centaurs, hunting the Calydonian Bear, winning a wrestling match in honor of Pelias,
uncle of Jason.

3. What declaration does Atalanta make about marriage?

● She dislikes men but would only marry a man who can outrun her in a footrace.

4. How does Melanion (Hippomenes) win her as his bride?

● He fools her by distracting her with three golden apples.

5. What becomes of Atalanta and her husband?

● They have a son called Parthenopaeus, who went on to become one of the seven against
Thebes. Because of an affront to the gods, they were transformed into lions.

Read the following myths. Briefly summarize the stories and answer the following question for each:
What lesson(s) about love does the story reveal?

6. Glaucus and Scylla p. 305-307

● Glaucus fell in love with the nymph Scylla, but she did not like him. As a result, he requested
that the witch Circe concoct a love potion. Circe, on the other hand, falls in love with Glaucus,
only to be scorned by him. Enraged, Circe concocted a toxin and dumped it into Scylla's
swimming tub, turning her into a hideous monster.
This story reveals that love can be vengeful.

7. Pomona and Vertumnus p. 308-309

● Vertumnus disguised himself as an old woman and came to Pomona. Pomona didn't like
anything except fruits and orchids and gardening. Vertumnus agreed to be a gardener with her
and together they fell in love.
This story shows that people will change a lot for love.

8. Hero and Leander p. 316

● Leander was a young man from Abydus, a town on the Hellespont, and Hero was an Aphrodite
Priestess in Sestus, on the opposite coast. Every night, Leander swam across to her, led by the
sun, some tell of the lighthouse in Sestus, some of the torch Hero always kept burning on top
 of a pole. The light was swept out by the wind one very stormy night, and Leander died as a
result. Hero later finds his body and kills herself.
This story shows that love can be so strong that one doesn't wanna live without.

9. Marpessa and Idas p. 318

● Marpessa was carried away by Idas with consent to marry him. Then Apollo fell in love with
her and made her choose which one she would marry. Marpessa chose Idnas.
This story shows that true love will not be diminished even when confronted by a god.