Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetos and Klymene. This would make him a member of an older generation, Zeus and other Olympians – which makes it difficult to say how he ended up siding with Kronos in his war against them since they were all born at around the same time.
After the Olympians won their war against the Titans, Atlas and other members were individually punished. Since he was well-known for his great stature and endurance, Atlas had to hold up the sky from Earth’s surface to be punished.
Before this warrant of banishment, Atlas fathered numerous offspring, including Kalypso (Pleiades), Hyades (Hesperides), and others. The Titans were a race of divine beings descended from primordial deities in ancient Greek mythology.
They were sometimes allies and sometimes rivals. In the Titanomachy, they lost to Zeus and other gods of Mount Olympus in war.
The Greek Myths Surrounding Atlas
Atlas was the Titan god of stability and weight, who held up the sky and the land on his shoulders. He was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
After the other Titans were overthrown and imprisoned inside the “girdle of the Oceanids”, Atlas and his ally Epimetheus had a contest for who could hold up the heavens better.
Atlas was successful, but Epimetheus was deemed the rightful winner, as he is the one who gave man the “gift of Prometheus”.
What does Atlas Mean In Greek Mythology?
The name Atlas comes from the myth of the Titan Iapetus, in which he is the father of Atlas and the other Titans with the Oceanids Oceanid and Clymene.
In the myth, Iapetus was the brother of Cronus (the King of the Titans) and the grandfather of the twelve Olympian gods.
The myth of Iapetus, Cronus, and Atlas begin with Iapetus being tasked by Cronus to “serve the Twelve Titans in the place of their father, whom Cronos devoured at the end of the Titanomachy”.
The Interpretation of Atlas In Greek Mythology
Atlas is the Titan tasked with holding up the sky and the land on his shoulders in the myth. He, therefore, represents the concept of stability and weight.
The notion of Atlas as a personification of instability is caused by the myth’s association with the Titan Prometheus and the concept of Atlas as the Titan who is tasked with holding up the earth.
Atlas And The Heroes
Heracles
Atlas, who had no personal myths to call his own, appeared in the tales of Greek heroes that were told. He aided Heracles on one occasion – retrieving a set of golden apples from Hera’s garden.
The daughters responsible for tending those apples were called Hesperides hence their name, and Atlas asked that Heracles hoist the celestial sphere while he was away.
When Atlas finally returned home with the apples, he saw a chance to break his curse forever. He tried fooling Heracles by offering to give him the apples and running away with them into the wilderness.
However, when she saw through his ruse and asked Atlas for a moment while she rearranged her cloak on top of him- leaving him without any weight.
With that done, Hercules took off with those golden treasures packed in that red silk, bag-leaving poor old Atlas holding up heaven’s sphere.
Another version of this myth is that Heracles built the Pillars of Heracles to hold up the sky. He thus freed Atlas from his punishment, just as he released Prometheus from the eagle sent daily to eat his liver. There were also other traditions in which he was eventually released.
Persues
Atlas also appeared in the story of Perseus. According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Perseus traveled to Atlas’s kingdom and asked for shelter, claiming that he was the son of Zeus.
Atlas refused because he had received a prophecy foretelling his downfall at the hands of one of Zeus’ offspring-Perseus used Medusa’s head on him and turned him into an actual mountain range.
Perseus was brave enough to say, “let this be yours,” but he did not wish to boast. He said no more, stopping only for a brief moment before continuing on his way and showing upon his left Medusa’s head a disgusting face.
Atlas had always been gigantic, but as it turned into a mountain with its huge beard and hair forming forests and mountainous ridges, the shoulders were now high mountains of rock shaped like Zeus’ own shield-his head became the top point; of Mount Olympus itself! His bones turned into rocks from all that weight he’d been carrying around for many years.
Attributes
Atlas was a prodigious figure of strength, famous for bearing the world on his shoulders. According to ancient sources such as Diodorus of Sicily’s Library of History and some modern historical texts that attribute it to him, he was skilled in philosophy, mathematics, astrology and astronomy.
Some sources even described Atlas as the inventor or discoverer who worked out how stars look like spherical bodies circling a central point: “For Atlas had studied the science (astrology) so well that he knew about our Solar Planets’ spherical shape.
Some Important Greek Myths With The Titan
The Pleiades and Atlas
In the Greek myth of the Titan, Atlas, the Pleiades were his daughters. Atlas was originally the brother of the seven sisters but was transformed into a mountain by Zeus after he tried to disobey him.
Atlas’ Journey to the Heavens
According to Greek mythology, Atlas was an immortal who had been given the task of holding the celestial spheres on his shoulders.
By holding up the Heavens, Zeus would be able to rule the world. Atlas would have to travel through the rivers Eridanos and Styx on his way to the heavens to complete his task.
Influence Of Altas Mythology
Pop CultureIt’s hard to imagine a world without Atlas’ influence. The name of the Atlantic Ocean can be traced back to the ancient Titan, though indirectly. These names were given because Ovid believed these mountains were true, in some way, the physical form of his petrified father and Hades’ brother, Atlas.
This term is also used to refer to a book of maps. This usage originated in the sixteenth century when Gerardus Mercator- father of the Mercator projection- dedicated his world map to Atlas, or once tasked with holding up heaven.
Atlas is a mythical figure who supports the Earth on his shoulders. He has appeared in countless sculptures, most notably in Rockefeller Center and other buildings throughout Europe. In some architectural pieces, he appears to be holding up the building above him rather than resting at its base – making it seem as though Atlas supports the structure instead of being supported by it.
The Legal World
The name Atlas is also used in the legal world. In some jurisdictions, courts are referred to as “the Court of Appeal at [place]” or “the High Court of [place].” This is done in honor of the mythological Atlas, who was a judge while he ruled over Atlantis.
Science
There have been several scientific uses for the name Atlas:
- Atlas was the name of the first satellite of the International Space Station.
- The Atlas was a Soviet space probe that carried a lander to Venus.
- The Atlas is a scientific instrument for measuring materials’ density and magnetic properties.
The Internet
On the Internet, the name Atlas is used for several different things:
- Atlas is the name of a web search engine.
- Atlas is a programming language.
- Atlas is a protocol for internetworks that allows them to access each other’s resources.
The Military World
The name Atlas has also been used by military organizations:
- The United States Air Force uses Atlas to refer to the Atlas-D missile.
- The British Army uses Atlas as a name for a weapon system.
- The United States developed the Atlas missile during the Cold War.
NASA developed the Atlas rocket during its early years of space exploration in space. It was named after Atlas, a Titan rocket that had been previously used in spaceflight.
The Culture
In some cultures, people believe that the sky is held up by Atlas, the Titan who carried the heavens on his shoulders in many cultures.
Interesting Facts
- One common misconception today is that Atlas was forced to hold up the Earth on his shoulders instead of the heavens.
- According to the myth, Atlas was associated with Atlantis by Pluto and was said to be the first king of Atlantis.
- Atlas was known to have a tough, strong personality that could take on anything and win.
Conclusion
The mythological Titan Atlas, who carried the sky upon his shoulders, symbolizes strength and endurance. The name Atlas is used for many different things.
This myth is depicted in many different forms and can be seen in movies, television shows, and even children’s books.
In Greek mythology, the word Atlas is “one who holds up” or “one who supports.” He was also called the Titan of strength and was the namesake of the Atlas bloodline of the Giants.
Many thanks for taking the time to read this article !