Atlas (mythology)

Atlas
Atlas
	The Farnese Atlas, the oldest surviving depiction of the celestial spheres.
Abode	Western edge of Gaia (Earth), Libya, North Africa.
Genealogy
Parents	Iapetus (father/granduncle); Asia or Clymene (mother/cousin);
Consort	Pleione; Hesperis;
Children	The Hesperides; The Hyades; The Pleiades; Hyas; Calypso; Dione;
Equivalents
Roman equivalent	Atlas
Libyan equivalent	Atlas

In Greek mythology, Atlas (/ˈætləs/; Greek: Ἄτλας, Átlās) is a Libyan god ^[1] and a Titan in Greek mythology condemned to hold up the heavens or sky for eternity in Libya after the Titanomachy^[2]. Atlas also plays a role in the myths of two of the greatest Greek heroes: Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology) and Perseus. According to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, Atlas stood at the ends of the earth in the extreme west in Libya.^[3] Later, he is commonly identified as the local god of Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa and was said to be the first King of Mauretania (modern-day Morocco and Algeria, not to be confused with the modern-day country of Mauritania).^[4] Atlas was said to have been skilled in philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. In antiquity, he was credited with inventing the first celestial sphere. In some texts, he is even credited with the invention of astronomy itself.^[5]

Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia^[6] or Clymene.^[7] He was a brother of Epimetheus and Prometheus.^[8] He had many children, mostly daughters, the Hesperides, the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the nymph Calypso who lived on the island Ogygia.^[9]

The term "atlas" has been used to describe a collection of maps since the 16th century when Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his work in honor of the mythological Titan.

The "Atlantic Ocean" is derived from "Sea of Atlas". The name of Atlantis mentioned in Plato's Timaeus' dialogue derives from "Atlantis nesos" (Ancient Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος), literally meaning "Atlas's Island".^[10]

^ Maximus of Tyre, ibid: "It is at the same time the sanctuary, the god, the bond of oaths and the idol of the Libyans."
^ Nonnus, Dionysiaca 3. 349 ff : "And away by the boundary of Libya my [the Pleiad Elektra's] father still suffers hardship, old Atlas with chafing shoulders bowed, upholding the seven-zoned vault of the sky [seven-zoned, i.e. from the sun, moon, planets and fixed stars]."
^ Cite error: The named reference 517–520 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Smith, s.v. Atlas
^ Cite error: The named reference Diodorus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Pseudo-Apollodorus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Asia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Roman, Luke; Roman, Monica (2010). Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology. Infobase Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4381-2639-5.
^ Cite error: The named reference Daughter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "What does "Atlantis" mean? And why is the Space Shuttle Atlantis named after something underwater?". 8 July 2011.

[1] Maximus of Tyre, ibid: "It is at the same time the sanctuary, the god, the bond of oaths and the idol of the Libyans."

[2] Nonnus, Dionysiaca 3. 349 ff : "And away by the boundary of Libya my [the Pleiad Elektra's] father still suffers hardship, old Atlas with chafing shoulders bowed, upholding the seven-zoned vault of the sky [seven-zoned, i.e. from the sun, moon, planets and fixed stars]."

[517–520-3] Cite error: The named reference 517–520 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] Smith, s.v. Atlas

[Diodorus-5] Cite error: The named reference Diodorus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Pseudo-Apollodorus-6] Cite error: The named reference Pseudo-Apollodorus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Asia-7] Cite error: The named reference Asia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[8] Roman, Luke; Roman, Monica (2010). Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology. Infobase Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4381-2639-5.

[Daughter-9] Cite error: The named reference Daughter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[10] "What does "Atlantis" mean? And why is the Space Shuttle Atlantis named after something underwater?". 8 July 2011.

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Atlas
The Farnese Atlas, the oldest surviving depiction of the celestial spheres.
Abode	Western edge of Gaia (Earth), Libya, North Africa.
Genealogy
Parents	Iapetus (father/granduncle) Asia or Clymene (mother/cousin)
Consort	Pleione Hesperis
Children	The Hesperides The Hyades The Pleiades Hyas Calypso Dione
Equivalents
Roman equivalent	Atlas
Libyan equivalent	Atlas