Atalanta (at-uh-LAN-tuh). Abandoned at birth by a father who wanted a son, Atalanta became a great heroine and one the Argonauts. Unwilling to marry, she finally consented to wed any man who could beat her at a foot race. Such was her fleetness that she would have remained happily single, but that the Goddess of Love gave one of her suitors golden apples to scatter on the race course. These were magical, and Atalanta could not resist them. Stooping to gather them in, she lost the contest to her destined husband. Another picture.