atalanta, the human huntress (asteroid 36)
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Atalanta, left to die at birth due to her father's wish for a male heir, was raised by a bear for first few years of her life. Growing up in the wilderness, and eventually adopted by hunters, she became a skilled huntress. At a very young age, she vowed to Artemis to remain a virgin. And she did her best to keep that vow. Hylaeus and Rhoecus attempted to rape her, and she killed them instead. She frequently overpowered men in many competitive arenas and some say that she was among the Argonauts who sailed with Jason. In one myth in particular Atalanta wrestled Peleus and won during the funeral games of King Pelias. During the hunt for the Calydonian Boar, Atalanta drew first blood and the son of King Oeneus, Meleager, killed it. Meleager was enamored by Atalanta and offered her the skin - his uncles were offended by him and tried to take the skin from her. Meleager killed his own uncles to defend Atalanta's honor and to maintain his respectability. But somewhere in the fray, Meleager sustained an injury (often it is his mother that finds out that he murdered family, so she in turn burns his life source - a piece of wood), and he died. This was not Atalanta's only encounter with a male suitor - after reuniting with her father, he demanded that she be married (despite having been told that her marriage would result in catastrophe). Atalanta still wished to maintain her promise to Artemis though - she felt confident in her athleticism, so she stated that she would marry the first man who could beat her in a footrace. Many suitors failed until one asked Aphrodite for help - his name was either Hippomenes or Melanion (depends on which source you use). Either way this suitor was given three golden apples to drop as the two raced. The suitor dropped an apple whenever she was gaining on him - much like the goddess herself was once enchanted by the prospects of a golden apple, Atalanta was as well. She stopped to pick up each when she noticed they were dropped. When the young man won, the two married. But he forgot to thank the goddess Aphrodite, so she cursed the couple with uncontrollable lust. The two disrespectfully fornicated in a temple dedicated to Rhea. Rhea turned the couple into lions and forced them to pull her chariot. IN MY OPINION Atalanta in your chart can represent a) where you are resilient, b) your feminine strength, c) where you guard your honor physically, d) feminism, e) athleticism and/or f) where love and death are intertwined.
i encourage you to look into the aspects of atalantia along with the sign, degree, and house placement. for the more advanced astrologers, take a look at the persona chart of atalantia AND/OR add the other characters involved to see how they support or impede atalantia!
OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: artemis (105), aphrodite (1388), rhea (577), jason (6063), and peleus (11311)!
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