Atlas
Family: divine · Role: father of Maia · First appears: Fable 14
In Fable 14, Atlas is named as the father of Maia, one of his seven daughters. In Fable 27, Mercury is called the grandson of Atlas and Pleione; Fable 42 traces Hermaphroditus’s descent through Maia and Mercury to Atlas. In Fable 46, Atlas is identified as the son of Iapetus, and Themis’s prophecy warns that a son of Jove will strip his tree of gold.
As the day declines in Fable 46, Atlas refuses Perseus hospitality and tries to drive him from his doors by force. Perseus reveals Medusa’s head, and “Atlas, great as he is, becomes a mountain.” In Fable 56, Niobe calls Atlas her grandsire, who bears the skies upon his neck. In Fable 78, Hercules relieves Atlas for a time after sharing his hospitality; Fable 79 refers to Atlas supporting the heavens.
Relationship record
Life events
- Atlas refuses Perseus hospitality and attempts to drive him away by force.(Fable46 · 📍 kingdom of Atlas)
- With: Perseus
- “He adds violence as well to his threats, and tries to drive him from his doors”
- Perseus reveals Medusa’s head, transforming Atlas into a mountain.(Fable46 · 📍 kingdom of Atlas)
Fable 14
- child: Maia “Maia was one of the seven daughters of Atlas”
Fable 26
- child: Maia (Atlas is identified as Maia's father.) “The son of Maia the daughter of Atlas, observes them, and with his {usual} skill hides them, driven off, in the woods.”
Fable 27
- younger kin: Mercury “To her thus answered the grandson of Atlas and of Pleione:”
Fable 42
- with Hermaphroditus (Atlas is Hermaphroditus's great-grandfather.) “Hermaphroditus was the great-grandson of Atlas; as the latter was the father of Maia, the mother of Mercury, who begot Hermaphroditus.”
Fable 46
- parent: Iapetus “Here was Atlas, the son of Iapetus, surpassing all men in the vastness of his body.”
- enemies with Perseus “He adds violence as well to his threats, and tries to drive him from his doors, as he hesitates and mingles resolute words with persuasive ones.”
- with Themis (oracle-giver and recipient) “The Parnassian Themis had given this response: ‘A time will come, Atlas, when thy tree shall be stripped of its gold, and a son of Jove shall have the honor of the prize.’”
- with Perseus (Perseus transformed Atlas by exposing Medusa’s head.) “then, turning his face away, he exposes on the left side the horrible features of Medusa. Atlas, great as he is, becomes a mountain.”
Fable 47
- with Perseus (Perseus defeated Atlas, who was changed into a mountain.) “Perseus, after his victory over Atlas, and his change into a mountain, arrives in Æthiopia, at the time when Andromeda is exposed to be devoured by a monster.”
Fable 56
- with Niobe (grandfather-granddaughter relationship) “the most mighty Atlas is my grandsire, who bears the æthereal skies upon his neck.”
Fable 75
- with Mercury (Atlas is identified as Mercury’s grandfather.) “Jupiter came hither in the shape of a man, and together with his parent, the grandson of Atlas, {Mercury}, the bearer of the Caduceus, having laid aside his wings.”
- younger kin: Mercury “Jupiter came hither in the shape of a man, and together with his parent, the grandson of Atlas, {Mercury}, the bearer of the Caduceus, having laid aside his wings.”
Fable 78
- with Hercules (Hercules temporarily relieved Atlas of his burden) “Hercules relieved him for a time, when he partook of his hospitality.”
Fable 79
- with Hercules (Hercules became an addition to the burden borne by Atlas.) “By reason of his supporting the heavens, to the inhabitants of which Hercules was now added.”
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Extracted from the original text of The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Made with Rho MD.