Atlas
The Titan who was condemned to hold the celestial sphere on his shoulders for eternity. His name became synonymous with endurance and with books of maps.
The Myth of Atlas
Atlas was a second-generation Titan, son of Iapetus and brother of Prometheus. During the Titanomachy, Atlas led the Titans' forces against the Olympians. When the Titans lost, Zeus imposed a unique punishment on Atlas: he was condemned to stand at the western edge of the world and hold up the sky for all eternity.
Atlas stood at the ends of the earth, bearing the enormous weight of the heavens. Only once did he nearly escape his burden. When Heracles needed the golden apples of the Hesperides, he convinced Atlas to fetch them while Heracles temporarily held the sky. Atlas, tasting freedom, tried to leave Heracles with the burden, but Heracles tricked him into taking it back.
In another myth, Perseus turned Atlas to stone using the head of Medusa, and he became the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. The image of Atlas bearing the world became one of the most enduring symbols of strength and endurance in Western culture.
Parents
Iapetus and Clymene
Children
The Hesperides, Calypso, Maia
Symbols
Fun Fact
Books of maps are called "atlases" because the geographer Mercator put an image of Atlas on the cover of his 1595 map collection.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Atlas
🏔 titanTitan condemned to hold the sky
The Titan condemned to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders at the western edge of the world for eternity.
Hyperion
🏔 titanTitan of heavenly light, observation
Titan of light and father of the sun, moon, and dawn. Hyperion was one of the original twelve Titans, embodying the celestial light that preceded the Olympians.
Menoetius
🏔 titanHubris, Recklessness
A second-generation Titan struck down by Zeus for his violent pride during the war between gods and Titans.
Prometheus
🏔 titanpunishment
Titan who stole fire from the gods for humanity and was chained to a mountain where an eagle ate his liver daily.
Helios
🏔 titanThe all-seeing Titan of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day and saw everything that happened on earth below.
Crius
🏔 titanTitan of constellations
Crius was the Titan associated with the constellations — one of four brothers who held Uranus at the corners of the earth during his castration.
Prometheus
🏔 titanTitan of forethought, champion of mankind
The Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, earning eternal punishment. Prometheus is one of mythology's greatest rebels and benefactors.
Kronos
🏔 titanTitan, father of the Olympians
King of the Titans who ruled during the mythological Golden Age. Kronos overthrew his father Ouranos and was in turn overthrown by his son Zeus.
Gyges
🏔 titanhundred-handed earth-born power
One of the three Hecatoncheires, the hundred-handed giants born of Gaia and Uranus.
Menoetius
🏔 titanTitan of violent anger and rash action
A Titan struck down by Zeus for his hubris and violent temper during the war between Titans and Olympians.
Kratos
🏔 titanstrength, might, power
The personification of strength and ruling power, son of Pallas and Styx, divine executor of Zeus's commands.
Coeus
🏔 titanTitan of intellect
Coeus was the Titan of rational intelligence and the celestial axis — grandfather of Apollo and Artemis through his daughter Leto.