Atalanta V

Atalanta I am Atalanta, daughter of Iasion and Clymene. I have always valued my freedom over everything. My father, whatever his name was, left me on a wild mountainside to die of cold and hunger. It was all because he was bitterly disappointed to have a daughter and not a son. But then, animals proved kinder than humans. A she-bear, which was sent by Artemis, took care of me as her own, nursed me, and kept me warm until I grew into an active, daring, little girl. I experienced the company of a lot of people. I have lived a hunter’s life. I have met Meleager, Oeneus’s son, who loved me, but I never felt the same way for him. Instead, we became good friends. We helped each other in hunting. But then, he was killed by his own mother at some reasons I know involved me. Because of that the Calydonian boar hunt ended in tragedy. Since then, I promised myself not to marry anymore. Not long after that, I discovered who my parents were, and have lived with them since then. But my father still wasn’t too happy about me, not being a son to him, wanted to marry me off quickly. I had a great many suitors. I decided that whoever could beat me in a foot race, would be the one I will marry. I certainly knew that there was no one who was faster than me even existed. I have always outrun all men, killing them all. Along comes Hippomenes. He had three golden apples with him. He feared that he would not be able to beat me in the race and went to Aphrodite for help. Aphrodite came up with the plan of the golden apples. When we raced, he used them as distractions, threw them one by one as we raced and I was tempted to pause and gather them all up. Well, as expected, he was the one who won the race. I knew my free days alone in the forest and my athletic victories were over.

Not long after, an irate deity turned us both into lions for we disgraced a deity by making love in a sacred temple. Thus, we were not able to mate with each other, separating ourselves forever. Arianne Marie Perez IV-Sun