ABSTRACT
Greek mythology has passed down the story of a young and beautiful girl named Atalanta who challenged, competed with and defeated male athletes in disciplines such as running, wrestling and hunting. The fame of her invincibility eventually reached the ears of her father. Since he had wanted a son, he had cruelly abandoned the girl since her birth. Atalanta’s father was proud of his daughter’s successes, and he accepted her back into his home once more as his child. He decided to find her a husband, but the indomitable and independent girl set as a condition that her numerous admirers must defeat her in a foot race, and if they lost, they would be killed without mercy. However, one young suitor who was protected by Aphrodite, the goddess of love, had succeeded at last in touching Atalanta’s heart and feelings. He devised a clever ruse thanks to which he slowed the girl down three times during the race and thereby won the contest. Was this merely an effective trick, or was it rather a free and conscious choice by Atalanta who had decided to renounce victory because she was willing to surrender to the young man?
