Abandonment in the forest

In the beautiful and green region of Arcadia, lived King Iasos and Queen Klymeni. When their daughter, Atalante, was born, her parents decided to leave her in the forest because they wanted a son. Thus, little Atalanta found herself alone and unprotected, exposed to the elements.

Rescue from a bear

But in the forest lived a bear with a big heart. The bear found the little cub and took care of her like her own child, offering her food and protection. Atalante grew up strong and fast, learning to survive on her own.

Hunter

One day, as Atalante was running in the forest, some hunters saw her. They, impressed by her skills, took her to them and taught her all the secrets of hunting. Atalante became a wonderful hunter, known throughout the region for her accuracy and speed.

Calydonian Boar

During the same period in the city of Kalydona, King Oeneas forgot to honour the goddess Artemis in a great festival. Artemis, angry, sent a huge and ferocious boar to destroy the city and the surrounding fields. The king called upon the bravest heroes from all over Greece to help him. Among them was Atalante, known for her accuracy with the bow and her speed.

The success of Atalante

The boar was so big and strong that no one could face it alone. The heroes gathered in the forest of Kalydona and started the hunt. Many heroes were injured in their attempt to confront him. But Atalanta was fearless and quick. She managed to approach the boar and wound him with an arrow in his side. The other heroes helped her and eventually defeated the beast.

Price

Meleagros, one of the strongest heroes, was impressed by Atalanta's bravery and promised her the skin of the boar as a prize. The other heroes, however, were not happy with Meleagros' decision to give the skin to Atalanta, because they believed that a woman should not receive such an honor. However, Meleagros defended his decision, saying that Atalante deserved it more than anyone else.

Reuniting with the family

After returning from the boar hunt, Atalanti met her biological parents, who recognized her and welcomed her back into their family. As was their custom at the time, they urged her to marry.  But Atalanta loved her freedom and did not want it, but her parents insisted. So she made a condition: she would only marry the one who would beat her in a race.

Hippomenes

Many men tried and failed. But one of them, Hippomenes, had a secret weapon: three golden apples given to him by the goddess Aphrodite. During the fight, Hippomenes threw the golden apples on the ground. Atalanta, enchanted by their beauty, stopped to pick them up. Thus, Hippomenes managed to defeat her and Atalante married him, recognizing his cleverness and perseverance.

Lions

The couple matched and loved each other and all seemed well. Then one day Aphrodite, who was furious because Hippomenes had failed to thank her for the golden apples, cast a magical spell on the newlyweds, forcing them to embrace tenderly in the temple of Zeus. The king of the gods saw the couple in his temple and as punishment turned Hippomenes into a lion and Atalanta into a lioness.

Despite their transformation, the two heroes continued to live with bravery and love, proving that with true love and faith they can overcome any difficulty. Thus, the story of Atalanta continues to inspire young and old alike, teaching the value of bravery, cleverness and true love.