Many characters in mythology-like Midas or Arachne-try tochallenge, disobey, or even insult the gods. Some characters,however, try to change or avoid fate, or destiny. The ancientGreeks believed that fate was so powerful that even Zeus had tobow to it .

• What clever method does Atalanta [at d lan'tdJ invent to try toavoid her fate?

Retold byRex Warner

AtalantaThe huntress Atalanta, whom Meleager,l

before he died, had loved, could run fastereven than the fastest runners among men.Nor was her beauty inferior to her swiftnessof foot; both were beyond praise.

When Atalanta asked the oracle aboutwhom she ought to marry, the god replied:"Do not take a husband, Atalanta. If you do,it will bring disaster on you. Yetyou will notescape, and though you will continue to live,you will not be yourself."

Terrified by these words, Atalanta lived inthe dark woods unmarried. There were manymen who wished to marry her, but to them,in their eagerness, she said: "Noone can haveme for his wife unless first he beats me in arace. If you will, you may run with me. If anyof you wins, he shall have me as a prize. But

1. Meleag~r [mel'e a'j;)rl: warrior famous for killing awild boar sent by the goddess Artemis to destroy thefields of his city in Greece.

those who are defeated will have death fortheir reward. These are the conditions for therace."

Cruel indeed she was, but her beauty hadsuch power that numbers of young men wereimpatient to race with her on these terms.

There was a young man called Hippom-enes,2 who had come to watch the contest. Atfirst he had said to himself: "What man in hissenses would run such a risk to get a wife?"and he had condemned the young men forbeing too madly in love. But when he sawher-a face and a body like Aphrodite's own-he was lost in astonishment and, stretchingout his hands. he said: "I had no right toblame the young men. I did not know whatthe prize was for which they were running."

As he spoke his own heart caught on firewith lovefor her and, in jealous fear, he hopedthat none of the young men would be able to

beat her in the race. Then he said to himself:"But why should not I try my fortune? Whenone takes a risk, the gods help one."

By now the race had started, and the girlsped past him on feet that seemed to havewings. Though she went fast as an arrow, headmired her beauty still more. Indeed shelooked particularly beautiful when running.In the breeze her hair streamed back over herivoryshoulders; the ribbons with their brightborders fluttered at her knees; the white ofher young body flushed rose-red, as when apurple awning is drawn over white marbleand makes the stone glowwith its own color.While Hippomenes fixed his eyes on her, shereached the winning post and was crownedwith the victor's garland. The young men,with groans, suffered the penalty of death ac-cording to the agreement which they hadmade.

Their fate, however, had no effect on Hip-pomenes. He came forward and, fixing hiseyes on Atalanta, said: "Why do you win aneasy glory by conquering these slow movers?Now run with me. If I win, it will be no dis-grace to you. I am a king's son and Poseidonis my great-grandfather. And, if you defeatme, it will be an honor to be able to say thatyou defeated Hippomenes."

As he spoke, Atalanta looked at him witha softer expression in her eyes. She wonderedwhether she reallywanted to conquer or to beconquered. She thought to herself: "Whatgod, envious of beautiful young men, wantsto destroy this one and makes him seek mar-riage with me at the risk of his dear life? Inmy opinion, I am not worth it. It is not hisbeauty that touches me (though I might easilybe touched by that); it is because he is stillonly a boy.And then there is his courage, andthe fact that he is willing to risk so much forme. Why should he die, simply because hewants to live with me? I wish he would go,while he still may, and realize that it is fatal

to want to marry me. Indeed he deserves tolive. If only I were happier, if only the fateshad not forbidden me to marry, he would bethe man that I would choose."

MeanwhileAtalanta's father and the wholepeople demanded that the race should takeplace. Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite andsaid: "0 goddess, you put this love into myheart. Now be near me in my trial and aidme!"

A gentle breeze carried his prayer to thegoddess and she was moved by it. Little time,however, remained in which she could helphim. But it happened that she had just re-turned from her sacred island of Cyprus,3where in one of her temple gardens grows agolden apple tree. The leaves are gold; thebranches and the fruit rattle with metal asthe wind stirs them. Aphrodite had in herhand three golden apples which she had justpicked from this tree. Nowshe came down toearth, making herself visible only to Hip-pomenes, and showed him how to use theapples.

Then the trumpets sounded and the tworunners darted forward from the startingpost, skimming over the sandy course withfeet so light that it would seem they mighthave run over the sea or over the waving headsof standing corn. The crowd shouted theirapplause. "Now, Hippomenes," they cried,"run as you have never run before! You areWinning." It would be difficult to say whetherHippomenes or Atalanta herself was mostpleased with this encouragement. For sometime Atalanta, though she might have passedthe young man, did not do so. She ran by hisside, looking into his face. Then, half unwill-ingly, she left him behind. He, with parchedthroat and straining lungs, followedafter; stillthe winning post was far in the distance; andnow he took one of the golden apples which

Aphrodite had given him and threw it in herway. The girl looked with wonder at the shin-ing fruit and, longing to have it, stopped run-ning so that she could pick it up. Hippomenespassed her and again the spectators shoutedout their applause. Soon, however, Atalantamade up the ground that she had lost andagain left Hippomenes behind. He threw thesecond apple, once more took the lead andonce more was overtaken. Now they were insight of the winning post, and Hippomenes,with a prayer to Aphrodite, threw the last ap-ple rather sideways, so that it went some dis-tance from the course. Atalanta seemed to

hesitate whether she should go after it or not,but Aphrodite made her go, and, when shehad picked up the apple, she made it heavier,handicapping the girl not onlyby the time shehad lost but by the weight of what she wascarrying. This time she could not catch upHippomenes. Hepassed the winning post firstand claimed her as his bride.

Then, indeed, Hippomenes should haveoffered thanks to Aphrodite, but he forgot en-tirely the goddess who had helped him, nei-ther giving thanks nor making sacrifice.

Aphrodite was angry and determined tomake an example of them both. On their wayto the home of Hippomenes they came to aholy temple, sacred to the mother of the gods,great Cybele.4 No mortal was allowed to passthe night in this temple, so hallowed5 was thespot; but Aphrodite put it into the hearts ofHippomenes and Atalanta, who were tiredfrom their journey, to rest there all night andtreat the temple of the goddess as though itwere a common inn. So in the most holy ofthe temple's shrines, where wooden images ofthe ancient gods turned away their eyes inhorror at the profanation,6 they rested to-gether. But the terrible goddess, her headcrowned with a crown of towers, appeared tothem. She covered their necks, which hadbeen so smooth, with tawny manes of hair;their fingers became sharp claws, and theirarms turned to legs. Most of their weight wentto their chests, and behind them they sweptthe sandy ground with long tails. Instead ofthe palace they had hoped for, they lived inthe savage woods, a lion and a lioness, terribleto others but, when Cybeleneeded them, tameenough to draw her chariot, champing theiron bits between their gnashing jaws.

4. Cybele [sib';) leI: goddess of plentifulness.5. hallowed: sacred.6. profanation [prof';) na'sh;)nl: act of disrespect.