Hyginus, Fabulae 185: the race of Atalanta and Hippomenes/Melanion

Hyginus, Fabulae 185: the race of Atalanta and Hippomenes/Melanion

1st century BCE - 1st century CE

Mythography

Literary source

ATALANTA. Schoeneus is said to have had a most beautiful daughter, Atalanta, who by her swiftness used to surpass men in the race. She asked her father that she might remain a virgin. And so, since she was sought by many in marriage, her father set up a contest, that her suitors should contend with her first in a footrace; then a limit being set, that the man, unarmed, should flee, and she should pursue him with a weapon; the one she overtook within the limits of the course, she should kill, and fix his head up in the stadium. When she had overtaken and killed many, she was finally defeated by Hippomenes, son of Megareus and Merope. For he had received from Venus three apples of exceptional beauty, and had been instructed how to use them. By throwing them down in the contest. He had slowed up the speed of the girl, for as she picked them up and admired the gold, she lost time, and gave victory to the youth. Schoeneus willingly gave him his daughter because of his ingenuity, but as he was taking her home, forgetting that he had won by the favour of Venus, he did not give thanks to her. While he was sacrifice to Jove Victor on Mount Parnassus, inflamed with passion through the anger of Venus, he lay with Atalanta in the shrine, and Jupiter because of this changed them into lion and lioness, animals to whom the gods deny intercourse of love.

Mary Grant, The Myths of Hyginus, Kansas 1960.

ATALANTA. Schoeneus Atalantam filiam uirginem formosissimam dicitur habuisse, quae uirtute sua cursu uiros superabat. ea petiit a patre ut se uirginem seruaret. itaque cum a pluribus in coniugium peteretur, pater eius simultatem constituit, qui eam ducere uellet prius in certamine cursu<s> cum ea contenderet, termino constituto, ut ille inermis fugeret, haec cum telo insequeretur; quem intra finem termini cons<ec>uta fuisset, interficeret, cuius caput in stadio fi<g>eret. plerosque cum superasset et occidisset, nouissime ab Hippomene Megarei et Meropes filio uicta est. hic enim a Venere mala tria insignis formae acceperat, edoctus quis usus in eis esset. qui in ipso certamine iactando puellae impetum alligauit. illa enim dum colligit et ammiratur aurum, declinauit et iuueni uictoriam tradidit. cui Schoeneus ob industriam libens filiam suam dedit uxorem. hanc cum in patriam duceret, oblitus beneficio Veneris se uicisse, grates ei non egit. irata Venere in monte Parnasso cum sacrificaret Ioui Victori, cupiditate incensus cum ea in fano concubuit, quos Iuppiter ob id factum in leonem et l<e>am conuertit, quibus di concubitum Veneris denegant.

Herbert I. Rose (ed.), Hygini Fabulae, Leiden 1933.