Atalanta
The swift-footed huntress who drew first blood against the Calydonian Boar and was only beaten in a footrace by divine trickery.
The Legend of Atalanta
Atalanta was abandoned at birth by her father, who wanted a son, and raised by a she-bear sent by Artemis. She grew into the swiftest mortal alive and the deadliest hunter in Greece. She sailed with the Argonauts (in some versions), wrestled Peleus and won, and drew first blood against the Calydonian Boar — the monstrous beast ravaging Calydon that the greatest heroes of Greece gathered to hunt. Meleager, who struck the killing blow, awarded Atalanta the hide, sparking a deadly quarrel among the hunters. An oracle warned her that marriage would bring ruin, so she declared she would marry only the man who could outrun her — losers would die. Suitor after suitor fell until Hippomenes (or Milanion) prayed to Aphrodite, who gave him three golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. During the race, he dropped them one by one, and Atalanta paused to pick each up, losing by a step. They married but were later transformed into lions by Zeus or Aphrodite for desecrating a sacred temple.
Explore Further
Atalanta
🗡 herospeed, independence
The only woman among the Argonauts in some traditions, a virgin huntress raised by bears who could outrun any man and demanded a footrace as the price of marriage.
Atalanta
🗡 heroSwift-footed huntress
A heroine raised by bears who could outrun any mortal man. Atalanta joined the Argonauts, slew the Calydonian Boar, and would only marry a man who could beat her in a race.
Hippomenes
🗡 heroNone recorded
Suitor who defeated Atalanta in a footrace using three golden apples from Aphrodite
Eurytion
🗡 heroHunting, archery
Argonaut and skilled hunter who later participated in the Calydonian Boar Hunt
Melanion
🗡 heroRacing, Love, Hunting
Arcadian hunter who won Atalanta in a footrace by using golden apples given by Aphrodite.
Bellerophon
🗡 heroThe hero who tamed Pegasus
The Corinthian hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slew the Chimera, but fell from heaven when he tried to reach Olympus.
Parthenopaeus
🗡 heroSeven Against Thebes, Youth, Arcadia
Young Arcadian hero, one of the Seven Against Thebes, who died at the city walls before seeing his homeland again.
Idas
🗡 herostrength
Strongest of the Argonauts, who kidnapped his bride from Apollo and later died fighting the Dioscuri.
Arcas
🗡 heroKingship, hunting, Arcadia
Eponymous founder and king of Arcadia who was nearly tricked into eating his own transformed mother
Tydeus
🗡 heroThe ferocious warrior who forfeited immortality
A hero of savage courage who fought as one of the Seven Against Thebes but lost Athena's gift of immortality in his final moment.
Meleager
🗡 heroHero whose life was bound to a burning log
The leader of the Calydonian Boar Hunt whose fate was tied to a charred brand — when it burned out, he died.
Peleus
🗡 heroMortal who married a goddess
The king of Phthia who wrestled and won the sea-nymph Thetis, fathering Achilles — the greatest warrior of the Trojan War.