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Melanion

Melanion, also known as Hippomenes in later traditions, is a figure in Greek mythology best known for his involvement in the story of the huntress Atalanta. In several tellings he is the suitor who defeats Atalanta in a footrace, a contest she had promised to win unless a man could outrun her.

According to the myth, Melanion (Hippomenes) asks Aphrodite for help and receives three golden apples. During

Name variations and sources: The hero is called Melanion in Greek sources, while Hippomenes is the Latinized

Legacy: The Melanion/Hippomenes episode is frequently cited within the larger Atalanta myth cycle as an example

the
race
he
drops
the
apples,
which
Atalanta
stops
to
pick
up,
allowing
him
to
pass
and
win.
After
their
victory,
the
couple
marries.
The
marriage
provokes
the
gods,
who
punish
them
for
improper
behavior
or
for
failing
to
honor
Aphrodite
after
receiving
her
aid.
In
many
versions,
Zeus
transforms
Melanion
and
Atalanta
into
lions,
condemning
them
to
be
perpetual
companions
and
to
live
among
beasts.
name
that
appears
in
later
recountings.
The
tale
appears
in
a
range
of
ancient
texts,
with
variations
in
detail,
including
Ovid’s
Metamorphoses
and
Hyginus'
Fabulae,
as
well
as
other
compilations
such
as
the
Bibliotheca
(attributed
to
a
pseudo-Apollodorus)
and
Parthenius
of
Nicaea.
Differences
among
sources
concern
the
nature
of
the
offense
that
earned
divine
punishment
and
the
precise
circumstances
of
the
couple’s
behavior.
of
divine
aid
influencing
mortal
fortune,
and
it
highlights
themes
of
ingenuity,
hubris,
and
the
boundaries
between
mortal
achievement
and
divine
sanction.