Underground Journal

The Greek God Atlas

The Greek God Atlas was one of the most unfortunate of the Greek Gods and Goddesses, cursed as he was to carry the weight of the heavens on his shoulders for eternity.

His parents were Asia, the Oceanid and Iapetus, the Titan. Because of his parentage, Atlas sided with the Titans when the ten-year war between the Titans (led by Cronus) and the Olympians (led by Zeus) commenced. (Cronus, incidentally, is infamous as the king who ate all his own children!)

Anyway, back to the story of Atlas. When the Titans were beaten by the Olympians, Zeus banished most of the Titans to the hell of Tartarus, a place of horrible suffering and eternal torment below the bowels of Hades. But he had a special punishment in mind for Atlas, condemning him to stand at the ends of the Earth, holding up the heavens, until the end of time.

One day, while Atlas was standing alone with the weight of the sky on his shoulders, along came young Heracles who was searching for the apples of the Hesperides, which he had to steal to complete the eleventh of his twelve tasks. Heracles was aware of the fact that Atlas knew the Hesperides nymphs well, and so probably knew where to find their secret garden where the apples grew. So Heracles offered to support the sky for Atlas for a short time in return for Atlas gathering some of the apples.

Atlas agreed, passed the sky over to Heracles (who struggled managed to take the weight) and went off take the apples of the Hesperides. However, being a cunning soul, Atlas immediately hatched a plan to relieve himself of his everlasting burden and leave Heracles supporting the sky for ever.

Atlas offered to deliver the apples for Heracles and return before the weight became too much for Heracles to bear. Of course he never planned to return. But Heracles was equally cunning and asked Atlas to take the wieght of the heavens for a couple of moments so he could adjust his cloak to make himself more comfortable. Thinking nothing of it, Atlas put down the apples, took back the heavens and then immediately realized it was a trick as Heracles picked up the apples and ran off, never to return.

So Atlas went back to supporting the sky and the heavens and will continue to hold the burden for ever and a day.

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