Atlas

Introduction

According to Greek mythology, Zeus punished the Titan Atlas by making him bear the load of the universe on his shoulders. Atlas was regarded as a wise person and the creator of astronomy in addition to being the father of several stars and a key figure in one of Hercules' most illustrious labours. He was the titular first monarch of Atlantis in Plato's account, and this enormous god also bestowed names on the big Atlantic Ocean, a vast mountainous region in northern Africa, and any significant collection of maps.

Origin

Greek mythology describes Atlas as the brother of Prometheus and the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) (creator of humankind). Atlas appears to have been a sea creature that held up the pillars separating heaven and earth in Book I of Homer's Odyssey. Later, the term Atlas was used to a group of mountains in northwest Africa. Originally, these were believed to be at the bottom of the sea just above the farthest distant horizon.

The hero Perseus later presented Atlas as the ruler of that region after turning him into a stony hill as retribution for Atlas' lack of hospitality by exposing him to the Gorgon's skull, which turned people to stone. According to Hesiod's Theogony, Atlas was a member of the Titans who participated in their conflict with Zeus; as a result, he was sentenced to keep the heaven high as a penalty. He was frequently depicted holding either the cosmic world or the skies (in classical art from the sixth century BCE) (in Hellenistic and Roman art).

Atlas' Punishment from Zeus

Zeus punished Atlas for assisting the Titans during their conflict with the God's of Olympian over possession of the sky by assigning him the responsibility of supporting the heavens. Similar to this, Homer calls Atlas "deadly-minded," "knowing the depths of all the seas," and "keeping those columns far out in the Atlantic Ocean which hold the heavens and earth apart" in his Odyssey.

In his Theogony, Hesiod similarly depicts Atlas with actually holding the sky and places himself far to the west, at the end of the universe in the region of the Hesperides (female deities renowned for their singing). The Atlas Hills in North Africa are connected to the god in later tradition, according to Herodotus. Here, utilizing the skull of the Gorgon Medusa and her poisonous gaze, Perseus turned the Titan from a shepherd it in to a huge stone hill as a penalty for his egregious lack of friendliness. This tale may have originated in the fifth century BCE.

The Various Myths Of Atlas

According to the Atlas and Perseus tale, Perseus used the head of Medusa to turn Atlas to stone

After slaying Medusa, Perseus was one day returning home. He reached the very edge of the planet and discovered Atlas supporting it. In order to get shelter from his arduous trek, Perseus begged Atlas. Atlas turned Perseus away because he had been warned in an old prediction somebody would arrive take his holy golden apples. In a fit of rage over Atlas' refusal to protect them throughout his exhausting voyage, Perseus removed Medusa's head from his knapsack and presented it to the god. When Atlas peered into the slaughtered Medusa's eyes, he immediately transformed to rock.

Hercules with his Twelve labours are the subject of some other Greek tale

Hercules had 3 children while he was engaged to Megara. Because Hercules served as a continual memory of her husband Zeus' immoral relationship with a human woman named Alcmene, Hera, Zeus' wife, repeated measures to have Hercules destroyed. Hercules, the son of Zeus who was born to this human lady, served as a continual recall of Zeus' relationship with Hera. She consequently made numerous attempts to murder him.

Hera once pushed Hercules into a state of madness where he felt compelled to murder his spouse and kids since he mistakenly believed they were another person. After killing them, he became distraught after realising that he had done. Hercules sought Apollo's counsel in an effort to put things right. Hercules was instructed by Apollo to go see King Eurystheus and serve him.

Representations in Art

Since the sixth century BCE, Atlas has frequently appeared in representations of Hercules' labours in Greek art, prominently in a metope from Zeus temple at Olympia (c. 460 BCE), where he stands in the Hesperides' gardens. Similar scenarios, notably those involving his brother Prometheus, were also frequently used as decoration on Greek ceramics. In Hellenistic and Roman art, Atlas is typically shown hunched over, holding the world on his shoulders by his bowed back and knees. The artwork from the second century CE that is currently housed at the Archaeological Museum of Naples is arguably a most prominent instance of this stance.

Conclusion

One of the most well-known Titans, Atlas was the child of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). He was the leader of the Titan uprising against Zeus, and after the Titanomachy came to an end, he received a just punishment: he was sentenced to support the sky for all eternity. He only had this load removed from him by Heracles once, and only for a very short time. He was transformed into the stony Atlas Mountains by Perseus, likely using Medusa's head. This is completely consistent with how Atlas is typically portrayed: as a gigantic, bearded guy who is perpetually hunched over and in misery under the weight of the skies, commonly depicted as a globe with the most well-known stars.

FAQs

Q1. What did Atlas do enough to attract a sentence?

Ans. Zeus penalised Atlas for commanding the Titans through their contest with the Olympian Gods over command of the sky by ascribing him the mission of assisting the heavens.

Q2. How is the world endorsed by Atlas?

Ans. In the Titanomachy, the Titans' controversy with the Olympians, Atlas and his brother Menoetius assisted the Titans. Zeus forced Atlas to perch first at western frontier of the earth and maintain the heaven on his shoulders even though that many Titans, such as Menoetius, were detained in Tartarus as a product of the Titans' disaster.

Q3. How was the capacity of Atlas?

Ans. Atlas has such a level of endurance that is substantial above that of a standard human. Atlas is assumed to be one of the largest things on this planet, arguably second mostly to Hercules, but the extent of his abilities is ambiguous.