ABOUT ATLAS

Look in any local telephone book under “Atlas,” and you will probably find dozens of listings. The word has come to mean strong, enduring, steadfast and even stoic.

In ancient Greek mythology, Atlas was a famed figure, a member of the Titan race of giants. The son of Titan parents (Iapetos and Clymene), he had three brothers: Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menetius. The Greek poet Hediod described Atlas as “a son of invincible spirit.”

When the Titans (the giants) went to war against the Olympians (the gods), Atlas stormed the heavens to fight for the Titans, although his brothers betrayed them, and the Titans were conquered.

Zeus, king of the Olympians, punished Atlas by forcing him to stand at the edge of the earth and hold the sky aloft on his shoulders. His perpetual task was to keep the heavens and earth from meeting. Legend has it that his fate also led him to become a master of astronomy.

Legend has it that Atlas stood at the farthest western point of the ancient Greek world, on the edge of a great ocean, which later became known as the Atlantic Ocean.

HERCULES AND ATLAS

Greek mythology recounts the story of Hercules (or Heracles), the strong hero who sought the Golden Apples of the Hesperides, as the eleventh of his famed Twelve Labors. The apples were guarded by nymphs, so Atlas’ brother, Prometheus (the fire-starter), told Hercules to send Atlas for the apples. Hercules held up the sky for him, while Atlas obtained the apples. Then Hercules tricked Atlas into retaking his weighty burden, picked up the apples and departed.

Finally, Atlas refused to protect Perseus. As a result, Perseus held up the Gorgon Medusa’s head, which he had severed. One look at Medusa’s head turned Atlas to solid stone.

The region where Atlas fell is now known as the legendary Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa.

ATLAS STRENGTH

Many people assume the mythological Atlas was forced to hold the proverbial “weight of the world” on his shoulders. Throughout the years, because of this legendary story, Atlas has become known as the god of weight-lifting, immense strength and heavy burdens.

However, as classical art often depicts, he held a celestial orb or a plant, perhaps not the entire earth. (In other artwork, Atlas held the sky aloft, not the earth.)

Since the 1500s, this common misconception (of Atlas holding the world in his hands) led to the use of Atlas’ name to refer to cartographic works, or collections of maps of the world.

The works of Plato also refer to another Atlas, who was called king of the lost city of Atlantis.

SOURCES:
http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon
http://www.gods-heros-myth.com
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com
http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/A/Atlas.html
http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/atlas.html
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/atlas.html