Context

Atalanta was born in Arcadia to a father that abandoned her in the forest. She was found by a bear who kept her alive until a group of hunters found her. Atalanta quickly became a very strong and powerful hunter as a result of this upbringing. She was athletic and didn’t have the time for love nor did she desire any (which is part of the reason her transformation is so tragic). The first time Atalanta appears in Ovid is in the story “Calydonian Boar Hunt”. In this story, Atalanta, led by Meleager, hunts down and kills a boar that Artemis had sent down to ravage Calydon. After many members of the group fell, Meleager and Atalanta were finally able to kill the boar. Meleager then gave Atalanta the trophies from the hunt, making his uncles who were also on the hunt jealous. The uncles attempted to steal the trophies from Atalanta. This act prompted Meleager to kill his uncles which then resulted in Meleager’s mother killing him. The tragic tale results in an uptake in fame for Atalanta, who’s father comes back into her life and demands for her to marry a man. Atalanta reluctantly agrees to be married, but she would choose her husband on her own terms. She organized a race, where a suitor could race against her and win her if he won but would be killed if he lost. The stakes were high, but since she was so beautiful many men took the risk. All of the men died in the process. During the races, a man named Hippomenes saw her and like many other men fell for her. However, he knew that he could not beat her in a fair race. As a result, he used golden apples given to him by Venus to distract Atalanta at the beginning of the race, easily beating her. After the race they go to a Cybeleian temple and, mostly led by Hippomenes, they both perform impure acts. My lines start when they are caught by the priests of the temple. Ovid’s telling implies that Venus actually causes the act that desecrates the temple, causing both characters to be overcome with passion. The story of the footrace and the transformation is told by a spiteful Venus. Who tells it to Adonis so he doesn't pursue unholy love. The story of Atalanta is inherently tragic and also an extremely sexist one. As Atalanta loses all agency towards the end of her story.