Claudius Aelianus, Varia Historia 13. 1: Atalanta’s upbringing and her life in the forest

Claudius Aelianus, Varia Historia 13. 1: Atalanta’s upbringing and her life in the forest

2nd/3rd century CE

Anecdote Collection

Literary source

The Arcadian relation concerning Atalanta Daughter of Jasion is this ; Her Father exposed her as soon as born, for he said he had not need of Daughters but Sons. But he to whom she was given to be exposed did not kill her, but going into the Mountain Parthenius laid her down by a Spring, where there was a Rock with a Cave, over which there was a place full of Oaks ; thus the Infant was destined to death, but not deserted by Fortune : For soon after a she-Bear robbed by Huntsmen of her Whelps, her Udder swoln and opprest with fulness of Milk, came by a certain divine providence, taking delight in the Child gave it suck ; whereby at once the Beast eased her own pain, and nourished the Infant : and came again, being opprest with Milk ; and being no longer Mother of her own, became Nurse to one that nothing belonged to her. The same Huntsmen who before had taken her Whelps watch'd her, and searching every part of the Thicket, when the Bear according to her custome was gone to the Pastures to get food, stole away Atalanta, not yet so called (for they gave her that name afterwards) and she was bred up amongst them with wild food : And by degrees her stature encreased with her years, and she affected Virginity, and shunned the conversation of men, and delighted in the desart, making choice of the highest of the Arcadian Mountains, where there was a Valley well furnished with water and tall Oaks, as also fresh gales and a thick wood. Why should it seem tedious to hear the description of Atalanta's Cave, more then that of Calypso in Homer? In the hollow of the cliff there was a Cave very deep fortified at the entrance with a great precipice ; along it crept Ivy, and twined about the young Trees, upon which it climbed. Saffron also grew about the place in a young thick Grove, with which also sprung up the Hyacinths, and many other flowers of various colours, which not onely feasted the eye, but the odours which they exhaled round about into the air, did afford a banquet also to the smell. Likewise there were many Laurels, which being ever verdant were very delightful to the sight ; Vines also growing thick and full of Bunches before the Cave, attested the industry of Atalanta, springs ever running clear and cool to the touch and tast flowed there abundantly. These contributed much benefit to the Trees we speak of, watering them and enlivening them continually. In fine, the place was full of beauty and majesty, such as argued the prudence of the Virgin.

The skins of Beasts were Atalanta's bed, their flesh her food, her drink water. She wore a careless Vest, such as Diana not disdained. For she said that she imitated her as well in this as in determining to live alwaies a Virgin. She was exceeding swift of foot, so that not any Beast could run away from her, nor any man that layed wait for her, was able (if she would run away) to overtake her. She was beloved, not onely of all those who saw her, but also of those who heard the report of her. If therefore it be not tedious we will describe her person. But tedious it cannot be, since hereby we may arrive at some degree of skill in Rhetorick. Whilest she was yet a child, she exceeded in stature those who were Women grown ; for Beauty she went beyond all other of the Peloponnesian Virgins of that time. Her look was masculine and fierce, occasioned partly by eating the flesh of wild Beasts, (for she was very couragious) partly by her exercise on the Mountains. She had nothing of an effeminate loose disposition, neither did she come out of the Thalamus [where Virgins are educated] nor was one of those who are brought up by Mothers or Nurses. She was not corpulent ; for by Hunting and other Exercise she preserved herself in a good Constitution. Her Hair was Yellow, not by any Womanish Art or Die, but by Nature. Her Face was of a ruddy Complexion, somewhat tanned by the Sun. What Flower is so beautiful as the countenance of a modest Virgin? She had two admirable properties, an irresistible Beauty, and an awfulness. No timid person could fall in love with her, for such durst not look upon her, so much did her splendour dazle the beholders. That which caused her to be admired, besides other things, was her reservedness. For she exposed not her self to view, unless accidentally in following the chase, or defending herself from some man ; in which action she broke forth like lightning, then immediately hid herself in the thickest of the wood. On a time it happened that two bold young-men of the neighbouring Country, Centaurs, Hyleus and Rhecus, in love with her, came in a frolick to her. They had no players on the Flute in this frolick, nor such things as the young men use in Cities upon the like occasion, but took with them lighted Torches, the sight whereof might have frighted a multitude, much more a lone Maiden. Then breaking boughs from the Pine trees, they twined them about them, and made themselves Garlands of them, and with continual clashing of Weapons as they went along the Mountains, set fire on the Trees in their way to her, presenting her with injuries instead of Nuptial Gifts. She was aware of their Plot, for she beheld the fire from her Cave, and knowing who those revellers were, was nothing terrified with the sight : but drawing her Bow, and letting fly an Arrow, chanced to kill the first, who falling down, the other assaulted her, not in mirth, but as an Enemy to revenge his friend and satisfie his passion. But he met with another vindictive Arrow from her hand. Thus much of Atalanta Daughter of Jasion.

Thomas Stanley, Claudius Aelianus. His Various History, London 1665.

λόγος οὗτος Ἀρκαδικὸς ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἰασίωνος Ἀταλάντης. ταύτην ὁ πατὴρ γενομένην ἐξέθηκεν: ἔλεγε γὰρ οὐ θυγατέρων ἀλλ᾽ ἀρρένων δεῖσθαι. ὁ δὲ ἐκθεῖναι λαβὼν οὐκ ἀπέκτεινεν, ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ Παρθένιον ὄρος ἔθηκε πηγῆς πλησίον: καὶ ἦν ἐνταῦθα ὕπαντρος πέτρα, καὶ ἐπέκειτο συνηρεφὴς δρυμών. καὶ τοῦ μὲν βρέφους κατεψήφιστο θάνατος, οὐ μὴν [p. 143] ὑπὸ τῆς τύχης προυδόθη: ὀλίγῳ γὰρ ὕστερον ὑπὸ κυνηγετῶν ἀφῃρημένη τὰ ἑαυτῆς βρέφη ἄρκτος ἧκε, σφριγώντων αὐτῇ τῶν μαζῶν καὶ βαρυνομένων ὑπὸ τοῦ γάλακτος. εἶτα κατά τινα θείαν πομπὴν ἡσθεῖσα τῷ βρέφει ἐθήλασεν αὐτό, καὶ ἅμα τὸ θηρίον ἐκουφίσθη τῆς ὀδύνης καὶ ὤρεξε τροφὴν τῷ βρέφει. καὶ οὖν καὶ αὖθις ἐπαντλοῦσα τοῦ γάλακτος καὶ ἐποχετεύουσα ἐπεὶ τῶν ἑαυτῆς μήτηρ οὐκ ἔμεινε, τῆς μηδέν οἱ προσηκούσης τροφὸς ἐγένετο. ταύτην οἱ κυνηγέται παρεφύλαττον οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπιβουλεύσαντες τῷ θηρίῳ ἐς τὰ ἔκγονα αὐτῆς, καὶ αὐτὰ ἕκαστα τῶν δρωμένων κατασκεψάμενοι, ἀπελθούσης κατὰ συνήθειαν κατά τε ἄγραν καὶ νομὴν τῆς ἄρκτου, τὴν Ἀταλάντην ὑφείλοντο, καλουμένην τοῦτο οὐδέπω: αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἔθεντο αὐτῇ τὸ ὄνομα. καὶ ἐτρέφετο ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῖς ὀρείῳ τῇ τροφῇ. κατὰ μικρὸν δὲ αὐτῇ τὰ τοῦ σώματος μετὰ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀνέτρεχε: καὶ ἤρα παρθενίας καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὁμιλίας ἔφευγε καὶ ἐρημίαν ἐπόθει, καταλαβοῦσα τῶν ὀρῶν τῶν Ἀρκαδικῶν τὸ ὑψηλότατον, ἔνθα ἦν καὶ αὐλὼν κατάρρυτος καὶ μεγάλαι δρῦς, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πεῦκαι καὶ βαθεῖα ἡ ἐκ τούτων σκιά. τί γὰρ ἡμᾶς λυπεῖ καὶ ἄντρον Ἀταλάντης ἀκοῦσαι, ὡς τὸ τῆς Καλυψοῦς τὸ ἐν Ὁμήρῳ; καὶ ἦν ἐν κοίλῃ τῇ φάραγγι σπήλαιον ἓν καὶ βαθὺ πάνυ, κατὰ πρόσωπον δὲ βαθεῖ κρημνῷ ὠχύρωτο. κιττοὶ δὲ αὐτὸ περιεῖρπον, καὶ ἐνεπλέκοντο οἱ κιττοὶ μαλακοῖς δένδροις καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν ἀνεῖρπον. κρόκοι τε ἦσαν περὶ τὸν τόπον ἐν μαλακῇ φυόμενοι καὶ βαθείᾳ τῇ πόᾳ. συνανέτελλε δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὑάκινθος καὶ ἄλλη πολλὴ χρόα ἀνθέων οὐ μόνον ἐς ἑορτὴν ὄψεως συντελεῖν δυναμένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀσμαὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τὸν ἀέρα τὸν κύκλῳ κατελάμβανον: καὶ παρῆν τῇ τε ἄλλῃ πανηγυρίζειν καὶ κατὰ τὴν εὐωδίαν ἑστιᾶσθαι. δάφναι τε ἦσαν πολλαί, φυτοῦ διὰ τέλους ἀκμάζοντος ἡδεῖαι προσιδεῖν κόμαι: ἄμπελοι δὲ πάνυ σφόδρα εὐθενούντων βοτρύων πρὸ τοῦ ἄντρου τεθηλυῖαι τὸ φιλεργὸν τῆς Ἀταλάντης ἐπεδείκνυντο. ὕδατά τε διατελῆ καὶ ἀεὶ ῥέοντα καὶ καθαρὰ ἰδεῖν καὶ ψυχρά, ὅσον γε ἁψαμένῳ τεκμήρασθαι καὶ καταγνῶναι πιόντι, χύδην καὶ ἀφθόνως ἐπέρρει: τὰ δὲ αὐτὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐς ἀρδείαν τοῖς δένδροις τοῖς προειρημένοις ἦν ἐπιτήδεια, συνεχῶς ἐπιρρέοντα καὶ ἐς τὸ ἔμβιον αὐτοῖς συμμαχόμενα. ἦν οὖν τὸ χωρίον χαρίτων ἀνάμεστον, καὶ σεμνότατόν τε ἅμα καὶ σώφρονα παρθενῶνα ἐδείκνυεν. ἦν δὲ ἄρα τῇ Ἀταλάντῃ στρωμνὴ μὲν αἱ δοραὶ τῶν τεθηραμένων, τροφὴ δὲ τὰ τούτων κρέα, ποτὸν δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ. στολὴν δὲ ἤσθητο ἀπράγμονα καὶ τοιαύτην, οἵαν μὴ ἀπᾴδειν τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος: ἔλεγε γὰρ ζηλοῦν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐν τούτῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ παρθένος εἶναι διὰ τέλους ἐθέλειν. ἐπεφύκει δὲ ὠκίστη τοὺς πόδας, καὶ οὐκ ἂν αὐτὴν διέφυγεν οὔτε θηρίον οὔτε ἐπιβουλεύων αὐτῇ ἄνθρωπος: φυγεῖν δ᾽ ἐθέλουσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὐκ ἄν τις αὐτὴν κατέλαβεν. ἤρων δὲ αὐτῆς οὐχ ὅσοι μόνον αὐτὴν εἶδον, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη καὶ ἐκ φήμης ἠρᾶτο. φέρε δὲ καὶ τὸ εἶδος αὐτῆς, εἴ τι μὴ λυπεῖ, διαγράψωμεν: λυπεῖ δὲ οὐδέν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκ τούτων προσγένοιτ᾽ ἂν λόγων τε ἐμπειρία καὶ τέχνη. μέγεθος μὲν γὰρ ἔτι παῖς οὖσα ὑπὲρ τὰς τελείας ἦν γυναῖκας: καλὴ δὲ ἦν, ὡς οὐκ ἄλλη τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ παρθένων τῶν τότε. ἀρρενωπὸν δὲ καὶ γοργὸν ἔβλεπε, τοῦτο μὲν καὶ ἐκ τῆς θηρείου τροφῆς, ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι γυμνασίων. κορικόν τε καὶ ῥαδινὸν οὐδὲν εἶχεν: οὐ γὰρ ἐκ θαλάμου προῄει, οὐδὲ ἦν τῶν ὑπὸ μητράσι καὶ τίτθαις τρεφομένων. [p. 145] τὸ δὲ ὑπέρογκον τοῦ σώματος οὐδὲ τοῦτο εἶχε καὶ μάλα γε εἰκότως, ἅτε ἐν τοῖς κυνηγεσίοις καὶ περὶ αὐτὰ τὰ γυμνάσια τὸ πᾶν σῶμα ἐκπονοῦσα. ξανθὴ δὲ ἦν αὐτῆς ἡ κόμη οὔ τι που πολυπραγμοσύνῃ γυναικείᾳ καὶ βαφαῖς ἅμα καὶ φαρμάκοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἦν φύσεως ἔργον ἡ χρόα. πεφοίνικτο δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἡλίων αὐτῇ τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐρυθήματι ἐῴκει ἄντικρυς. τί δὲ οὕτως ὡραῖον ἂν γένοιτο ἄνθος, ὥσπερ οὖν τὸ πρόσωπον αἰδεῖσθαι πεπαιδευμένης παρθένου; δύο δὲ εἶχεν ἐκπληκτικά, κάλλος ἄμαχον, καὶ σὺν τούτῳ καὶ φοβεῖν ἐδύνατο. οὐδεὶς ἂν ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ἠράσθη ῥᾴθυμος ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐτόλμησεν ἀντιβλέπειν τὴν ἀρχήν: τοσαύτη μετὰ τῆς ὥρας κατέλαμπεν αἴγλη τοὺς ὁρῶντας. δεινὴ δὲ ἦν ἐντυχεῖν τά τε ἄλλα καὶ τῷ σπανίῳ. οὐ γὰρ ἂν αὐτήν τις εὐκόλως εἶδεν: ἀλλ᾽ ἀδοκήτως καὶ ἀπροόπτως ἐπεφάνη διώκουσα θηρίον ἢ ἀμυνομένη τινά, ὥσπερ ἀστὴρ διᾴττουσα, εἶτα ἀπέκρυπτεν αὑτὴν διαθέουσα ἢ δρυμὸν ἢ λόχμην ἤ τι ἄλλο τῶν ἐν ὄρει δάσος. καὶ οἵ ποτέ οἱ τὴν ὅμορον οἰκοῦντες, μεσούσης τῆς νυκτός, ἐρασταὶ θρασεῖς καὶ κωμασταὶ βαρύτατοι, ἐπεκώμασαν δύο τῶν Κενταύρων, Ὑλαῖός τε καὶ Ῥοῖκος. ἦν δὲ ἄρα ὁ κῶμος αὐτῶν οὔτε αὐλητρίδες οὔτε αὐτὰ δήπου τὰ τῶν μειρακίων τῶν κατὰ πόλιν, ἀλλὰ πεῦκαι μὲν ἦσαν, καὶ ταύτας ἐξάψαντες καὶ ἀναφλέξαντες ἐκ τῆς πρώτης τοῦ πυρὸς φαντασίας ἐξέπληξαν ἂν καὶ δῆμον, μήτι γοῦν μίαν παρθένον. κλάδους δὲ πιτύων νεοδρεπεῖς ἀποκλάσαντες, εἶτα τούτοις διαπλέξαντες ἑαυτοὺς εἰργάζοντο στεφάνους. συνεχῶς δὲ καὶ θαμινὰ ἐπικροτοῦντες τοῖς ὅπλοις διὰ τῶν ὀρῶν, συνεκκάοντες καὶ τὰ δένδρα ἐπὶ τὴν παῖδα ἔσπευδον, κακοὶ μνηστῆρες, σὺν ὕβρει καὶ οἴστρῳ τὰ ἕδνα τῶν γάμων προεκτελοῦντες. τὴν δὲ οὐκ ἔλαθεν ἡ ἐπιβουλή: ἰδοῦσα δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἄντρου τὸ πῦρ καὶ γνωρίσασα οἵτινές ποτε ἄρα ἦσαν οἱ κωμασταί, μηδὲν διατραπεῖσα μηδὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ὄψεως καταπτήξασα τὸ μὲν τόξον ἐκύκλωσεν, ἀφῆκε δὲ τὸ βέλος καὶ ἔτυχε τοῦ πρώτου μάλα εὐκαίρως. καὶ ὃ μὲν ἔκειτο, ἐπῄει δὲ ὁ δεύτερος οὐκέτι κωμαστικῶς ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη πολεμικῶς, ἐκείνῳ μὲν ἐπαμῦναι θέλων, ἑαυτοῦ δὲ ἐμπλῆσαι τὴν ὁρμήν. ἀπήντησε δὲ ἄρα καὶ τούτῳ τιμωρὸς ὁ τῆς κόρης οἰστὸς ὁ ἕτερος. καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς Ἰασίωνος Ἀταλάντης τοσαῦτα.

Rudolf Hercher (ed.), Claudii Aeliani de natura animalium libri xvii, varia historia, epistolae, fragmenta, vol 2, Leipzig 1866.