Schœneus married in Arcadia and entreated the gods to send him a son. When his spouse bore him a daughter, he became so enraged that he took the child from her mother, carried her into the wilderness, and left her there. The child was nourished by a bear until she was found by some hunters, who took her away, brought her up, and named her Atalanta.
Atalanta grew in beauty and strength and became a vigorous huntress, surpassing all men and youths in daring, swiftness, and skill. Like Artemis, she chose to live unmarried and paid no attention to the youths who solicited her hand. When hard pressed she at last made this condition. He only should have her as wife who surpassed her in running; but those who were defeated should die.
Hard as the condition was, the beauty of the maiden attracted a crowd of suitors. Among them was Hippomenes, who came not to take part in the race, but to deride the youths who would risk their lives by such folly. But when the race began and he saw the beautiful huntress, he himself was smitten with love and hoped that none of the youths would win the prize, so that he might take Atalanta home as his wife. The race was finished. The maiden returned with the wreath of victory on her head, but the youths were taken away to suffer death.
Then Hippomenes stepped forward and said: “It was not much glory, O Atalanta, to surpass those. Now I wish to race with you. Should fortune favor me, it will be no shame for you to be beaten by one who is great grandson of Poseidon, god of the waters, and whose courage is not inferior to his skill. But should you win, your name will be honored in future days.”
Atalanta looked upon the bold youth, and as he was pleasing in her sight she was uncertain whether she wished his victory or his defeat. Then she said: “What divinity, O youth, seeks your destruction by giving you the desire to race with me? Those foolish ones, they tried and now must die. At least let me warn you to seek some other maiden. If you reject my advice, I bespeak for you the help of the gods that you may be the winner.”
While the beautiful huntress thus spoke, Hippomenes called to Venus, who suddenly stood by his side, unseen by Atalanta. She gave him three golden apples gathered in the gardens of the Hesperides, and told him how to use them. The trumpet sounded and both started swiftly over the course. What a sight it was to watch the beautiful creature whose feet scarcely touched the ground! “Look,” said one, “she could skim over the waving wheat without bending it, or fly over the sea without wetting the soles of her feet.” The encouraging shouts of his friends greeted the youth.
Hippomenes was overjoyed at the greetings, and Atalanta noticed it with pleasure. It seemed unendurable to her to be beaten, but it was even more painful to beat and thereby sacrifice Hippomenes’ life. For a long time they ran side by side. At last Hippomenes threw an apple to the ground. The maiden saw the rolling gold and stooped to pick it up. The delay threw her back in the race, but she soon caught up with the youth. He threw the second apple. Running out of her course she seized it and Hippomenes gained further advantage. He was nearing the goal when he heard the distant applause of his friends. The maiden put forth all her power and soon flew past Hippomenes with burning cheeks, so that his death seemed inevitable. Then he supplicated the goddess and threw the third apple, which rolled far out of the course. The maiden would have left it, but Aphrodite (Venus) induced her to get it. The goddess made the task so difficult that Hippomenes reached the goal first. The judges crowned him and Atalanta, as she had promised, gave him her hand.
The day of their marriage was the day of ruin for both, for they wholly forgot the goddess and neither made thank-offerings nor remembered her kind assistance. Aphrodite therefore decreed a severe penalty. The angry goddess changed them into a pair of lions and harnessed them to her golden chariot.