Some sources have even described Atlas as the inventor of astronomy: “For Atlas had worked out the science of astrology to a degree surpassing others and had ingeniously discovered the spherical nature of the stars.” FamilyĪtlas had a large family with connections across Greek mythology. According to a number of ancient sources, such as Diodorus of Sicily’s Library of History, Atlas was a master philosopher, mathematician, astrologer and astronomer. AttributesĪ figure of prodigious strength, Atlas famously bore the world on his shoulders and was renowned for his wit and wisdom. ErWin CC BY-ND 2.0 PronunciationĪtlas was often given the epithet Telamōn (“enduring”), due to his toils as the bearer of heaven. According to this theory, the Greek name “Atlas” was derived from adrar, the Berber word for the mountains that came to represent the doomed Titan (see below).Ītlas Mountains range, as seen in Morocco. Īn alternative etymology suggests a North African origin for Atlas’ name, tying it to the Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa. Some modern scholars, however, insist that Atlas’ name is pre-Greek in origin. The name “Atlas” was likely the result of joining the prefix a- with the ancient Greek word tlēnai, meaning “to bear.” The latter may have been used in reference to Atlas’ reputation as the bearer of the celestial sphere.
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