Atlas

By H.L.

Atlas was a mighty Titan who played a major role in the ancient Greeks religious and physical beliefs of their life. Depicted as a gigantic bearded man, Atlas was the child of the Titan Iapetus and the nymph Clymene. Prometheus, the creator of mankind, was Atlas’s brother as well. When Atlas was born he inherited a Titan’s strength from his father. This strength made him arrogant, and as a result, he was punished to hold the sky and heavens up. Atlas was essential to a number of myths. In Heracles quest of the twelve tasks, Atlas was the only one who was able to retrieve the golden apples from his offspring, the Hesperites. Without his help, Heracles glory would be diminished, and his quest would fail. After Atlas took the apples, he tried to evade taking up the burden of heaven by leaving Heracles behind. Heracles cunning and quick thinking stuck Atlas back under the sky. The Greeks believed that this is how the sky stays in the sky, instead of falling and crushing us. Finally, Atlas still influences culture today. For example, the Atlas Mountains, so tall they seem to hold up the sky, are named after him. An atlas is also a pillar in the form of a man that holds up a structure, exactly like Atlas. Atlas, the Titan who holds up the sky, was a precious part of the great Greek myths; his legacy continues today.