Atlas from New York
Is the statue of Atlas with the globe on his back referring to the son of Iapetus named Atlas or is it actually referring to Iapetus (the father of Prometheus, Atlas, and other children)? I believe it is the father of Prometheus, Iapetus who was also referred to as Atlas, the brother of Cronus, in the ancient writings. He is credited with coming up with the idea of the sphere.
After the death of Hyperion, the myth relates the kingdom was divided among the sons of Uranus, the most renowned of whom were Atlas and Cronus. Of the sons Atlas received as his part the regions of the coast of the ocean, and he not only gave the name of Atlantians to his people but likewise called the greatest mountain in the land Atlas. They also say that he perfected the science of astrology and was the first to publish to mankind the doctrine of the sphere; and was for this reason that the idea was held that the entire heavens were supported upon the shoulders of Atlas, the myth darkly hinting in this way at his discovery and description of the sphere. - Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Book 2.
I believe he is the father of Prometheus and is often shown with him even though there was also a son named Atlas who was killed by Zeus.
by Rita Jean Moran (www.thelibrarykids.com and www.hiddenhumanstory.com)
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