Melanion
Publié le 22/02/2012
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Melanion Greek A prince of Arcadia who won
the hand of the renowned virgin huntress Atalanta.
Atalanta did not want to get married, but she could
not disobey the command of her father, Iasus, king
of Arcadia, in the central Peloponnesus. A great
athlete, Atalanta put a condition on her acceptance of
a suitor: he must beat her in a footrace, or die. Many
died before Melanion sought the help of Aphrodite,
goddess of love. She gave him three golden apples.
These he dropped, one at a time, throughout the
race. Atalanta could not resist stopping to pick up the
beautiful apples, and so she lost the race and married
Melanion. The two had a son, Parthenopaeus. In
some versions, it is said that Aphrodite turned the
couple into lions who were forced to pull the chariot
of Cybele, a goddess of Earth and nature.