HIPPOMENES

[Greek heroic] A Greek youth, the descendant of Poseidon. He fell in love with the virgin huntress Atalanta. She had sworn to remain unmarried until someone could defeat her in a foot race; unsuccessful suitors forfeited their lives. Hippomenes challenged to a race, and won by means of the three golden apples given to him by the goddess Aphrodite. He dropped them one at a time and Atalanta stopped to pick up each one, thus allowing him to win the race. Because of a crime against Cybele, later they were both changed into lions.