Guido Reni's painting of Atalanta and Hippomenes and the myth of their transformation into lions

Take to Your Heels, You Fool!

Guido Reni. Atalanta and Hippomenes, 1622-1625.

The picture is based on the myth of the beautiful Atalanta, who invited the men who fell in love with her to run away from her, and entirely unarmed at that. She herself pursued them with a spear and, having caught up, killed them; only the man who managed to outrun her was promised her hand. I cannot help asking: what use is a wife who threatens you with death? And what about a third option, simply having nothing to do with her? Men in the throes of the mating urge are very foolish indeed.

Only Hippomenes managed to elude the spear of the coveted Atalanta. Aphrodite gave him golden apples, which he threw upon the ground, and Atalanta stopped to pick them up; that is how he won. So she is not merely a maniac, but a covetous one besides.

Alas, having won, Hippomenes did not see fit to thank his saviour Aphrodite, and she cursed him, naturally with a passion for a woman. Befuddled by desire, Hippomenes clung to Atalanta in the temple of Cybele, and the lovers were at once turned into lions for profaning the sanctuary.

I hope everyone has drawn the appropriate conclusions.