Irlandos at 17:57, March 31, 2006

2006-03-31T17:57:53Z

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In [[Greek mythology]], '''Atlas''' was a member of a race of [[Giant (mythology)|giant]] gods known as [[Titan (mythology)|Titans]].

==Mythology==
===Kinship===

Atlas was the son of the Titan [[Iapetos]] and the [[Oceanid]] [[Clymene]]. Atlas had three brothers — [[Prometheus]], [[Epimetheus]] and [[Menoetius]]. With different goddesses he was the father of the [[Hesperides]] sisters, [[Maera]], [[Hyas]], the [[Hyades]] sisters, [[Kalypso]] and the [[Pleiades]] sisters. A late mythographer, Hyginus, (''Fabulae'' 82, 83) says that [[Dione]] was also a daughter of Atlas.

===Punishment===

Atlas led the Titans in one of their [[Titanomachy|wars]] against the [[Twelve Olympians|Olympians]]. His brothers Prometheus, Epimetheus and Menoitios weighed the odds and betrayed the other Titans by an alliance with the Olympians. When the Titans were defeated, [[Zeus]] condemned Atlas to stand at the western edge of the earth and hold up the heavens on his shoulders, to prevent the two from resuming their primordial embrace.

===Variations===

In a late story, a giant named Atlas tried to drive a wandering [[Perseus]] from the place where the Atlas mountains now stand. Perseus revealed [[Medusa]]'s head, turning Atlas to stone. As is not uncommon in myth, this account cannot be reconciled with the far more common stories of Atlas' dealings with [[Heracles]], who was Perseus' great-grandson.

According to [[Plato]], the first king of [[Atlantis]] was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a mortal son of [[Poseidon]].

===Encounter with Herakles===

One of the hero [[Heracles]]' [[The Twelve Labours|Twelve Labors]] involved the acquisition of some of the golden apples which grow in [[Hera]]'s garden, tended by the Hesperides and guarded by the dragon [[Ladon]]. Herakles went to Atlas, the father of the Hesperides, and offered to hold the heavens for a little while in exchange for the apples, to which Atlas agreed. Upon his return with the apples, however, Atlas attempted to trick Herakles into carrying the sky permanently by offering to deliver the apples himself. Herakles, suspecting Atlas didn't intend to return again, pretended to agree to Atlas' offer, asking only that Atlas take the sky again for a few minutes so Herakles could rearrange his cloak as padding on his shoulders. When Atlas set down the apples and took the heavens upon his shoulders again, Herakles took the apples and went on his way.

In some versions, Herakles instead built two great [[Pillars of Hercules|pillars]] to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated [[Prometheus]].

==Etymology==

The etymology of the name ''Atlas'' is uncertain and still debated. Some derive it from the Proto-Indo-European root *tel, 'to uphold, support'; others suggest that it is a pre-Indo-European name. Since the Atlas mountains fell in the region inhabited by Berbers, it could be that the name as we know it is taken from Berber.

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Greek mythological people]]

Atlas - Revision history

Irlandos at 17:57, March 31, 2006