Greek Atalanta Hippomenes Golden Apples

In Greek mythology, Atalanta was a swift-footed heroine who offered to marry any suitor who could outrun her in a race, but she could defeat any man until Hippomenes received help from Aphrodite to beat her. King Schoeneus, her father in one version, made the race a deadly contest, and Atalanta killed or humiliated the many suitors who failed to outrun her. Aphrodite, annoyed that Atalanta shunned marriage, gave Hippomenes three golden apples from the Hesperides and told him how to use them. During the race, he rolled the apples off the path one by one, distracting Atalanta just long enough for him to reach the finish line first and claim her as his wife.

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