Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
Perseus, probably using Medusa’s head, turned him into the stony Atlas Mountains. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). [24][26], Atlas became associated with Northwest Africa over time. In Greek mythology, who traveled to the land of the dead in order to find his wife? Atlas' symbols were the Globe and the Constellations.
[5] He was a brother of Epimetheus and Prometheus. When the Titans were defeated, many of them (including Menoetius) were confined to Tartarus, but Zeus condemned Atlas to stand at the western edge of Gaia (the Earth) and hold up the sky on his shoulders.
[11], Traditionally historical linguists etymologize the Ancient Greek word Ἄτλας (genitive: Ἄτλαντος) as comprised from copulative α- and the Proto-Indo-European root *telh₂- 'to uphold, support' (whence also τλῆναι), and which was later reshaped to an nt-stem. He was the leader of the Titan rebellion against Zeus, and he got a fitting punishment after the end of the Titanomachy: he was condemned to eternally hold up the sky.
According to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, Atlas stood at the ends of the earth in extreme west. Others, however, are more merciful, claiming that Atlas actually holds the two pillars which keep the earth and the sky apart. When Atlas set down the apples and took the heavens upon his shoulders again, Heracles took the apples and ran away. Ovid later gives a more detailed account of the incident, combining it with the myth of Heracles. In Greek Mythology, Atlas was a Titan who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a punishment bestowed on him by Zeus.Atlas was given this task in retribution for him leading the Titans into battle, or Titanomachy, against the Olympian Gods for control of the heavens. Instead, Heracles just seized the golden apples and never looked back. Because of this, after the Gods beat the titans, they were all given a punishment (other than Prometheus and Epimetheus who sided with the Gods). Only once, and for a very brief period, he was bereaved of this burden by Heracles. In Homer’s Odyssey, Book I, Atlas seems to have been a marine creature who supported the pillars that held heaven and earth apart. The "Atlantic Ocean" is derived from "Sea of Atlas".
Some say that the sky was placed directly on his shoulders. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Sources describe Atlas as the father, by different goddesses, of numerous children, mostly daughters. [6] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.[7]. And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus.". Heracles, however, outsmarted the gullible Titan, agreeing to the plan but asking him to hold for him the sky first so that he could adjust himself in a more comfortable position. According to Hesiod, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene.
Media in category "Atlas (mythology)" The following 57 files are in this category, out of 57 total. The term Atlas has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan. [17], One of the Twelve Labours of the hero Heracles was to fetch some of the golden apples which grow in Hera's garden, tended by Atlas' reputed daughters, the Hesperides which were also called the Atlantides, and guarded by the dragon Ladon. So, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa and Atlas was turned into stone, i.e., the mountain range in North Africa which still bears his name. Eusebius', For further comment on Mercator's chosen Titanic genealogy see, the personality of someone whose childhood was characterized by excessive responsibilities, on-line English translation at Theoi Project, Mercator & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress) (2000), "The 'Lafreri school' of Italian mapmakers", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlas_(mythology)&oldid=984753943, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "[Atlas] perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere. "Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
According to Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, the Pelasgians believed the creator goddess Eurynome assigned Atlas and Phoebe to govern the moon.[31]. Statue in Paphos, Cyprus, depicting Atlas bearing the celestial globe.
The etymology of the name Atlas is uncertain. Heracles’ encounter with Atlas is retold in the fifth chapter of the second book of Apollodorus’ “Library,” while his transformation into a mountain range is narrated by Ovid in the fourth book of his “Metamorphoses.”, See Also: Twelve Labours of Heracles, Perseus, Iapetus, Clymene, Asia, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus. Atlas was subsequently represented as the king of that district, turned into a rocky mountain by the hero Perseus, who, to punish Atlas for his inhospitality, showed him the Gorgon’s head, the sight of which turned men to stone. Atlas, fearful of a prophecy which warned of a son of Zeus stealing his golden apples from his orchard, refuses Perseus hospitality. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [1] Later, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania.
The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was the print-seller Antonio Lafreri, on the engraved title-page he applied to his ad hoc assemblages of maps, Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori (1572);[40] however, he did not use the word "Atlas" in the title of his work, an innovation of Gerardus Mercator, who dedicated his "atlas" specifically to honour the Titan, Atlas, King of Mauretania, a learned philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He had been connected with the Hesperides, "Nymphs" which guarded the golden apples, and Gorgons both of which lived beyond Ocean in the extreme west of the world since Hesiod's Theogony. ", "Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology.
According to Plato, the first king of Atlantis was also named Atlas, but that Atlas was a son of Poseidon and the mortal woman Cleito. [12], Atlas and his brother Menoetius sided with the Titans in their war against the Olympians, the Titanomachy.
In this account Atlas is not a shepherd but a King.
Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). Some of these are assigned conflicting or overlapping identities or parentage in different sources. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In time, Atlas even managed to become the leader of the rebellion, but that didn’t end up too well for him in the long run, since it got him the most severe punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In some versions,[20] Heracles instead built the two great Pillars of Hercules to hold the sky away from the earth, liberating Atlas much as he liberated Prometheus. Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives.By Pleione, he had eight daughters: the goddess-nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades (Alcyone, Asterope, Electra, Caleano, Taygete, Merope a… Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Atlas’ name is of unsure – probably pre-Greek – origin, but the Ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have thought it had been derived from a similar-sounding Greek root with the meaning of “very enduring.”. [1] Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve.[13]. Many people will not realise though that Atlas was a god of the Greek pantheon, and the one time antagonist of Zeus. Namely, Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity, standing at the furthest west edges of the earth near the garden of his daughters, the Hesperides. Atlas had 5 children: The Pleiades, Calypso, The Hyades, Hyas and The Hesperides. Heracles smartly offered Atlas to switch roles with him so that the Titan could fetch the apples from his daughters himself, causing no fuss or drawing unnecessary attention from Ladon, the dragon-guardian of the apples. and it was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. Corrections?
Either way, he had three brothers (Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius) and possibly as many wives. Atlas was one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). Omissions?
[23][24][25], Atlas was also a legendary king of Mauretania, the land of the Mauri in antiquity roughly corresponding with modern Maghreb.
Passing by the Titan, Perseus asked him for hospitality, but Atlas, fearing some humiliating trick yet again, turned him down.
