Άτλας – Atlas
Origin:
The name of a Titan, a race of deities in Greek mythology. There were 12 in all, the children of Uranus and Gaia.
Story:
Atlas was a Titan, who according to Greek mythology was doomed to support the heavens on his shoulders for eternity, as a punishment by Zeus. He is synonymous with endurance, and instructed man in the art of Astronomy, vital to help sailors navigate, and farmers plant their crops.
The term Atlas has been used to describe a book of maps since the 16th century when the Flemish mapmaker Mercator published his work and dedicated it to the mythological Titan, whom he regarded as the first great geographer.
The Atlantic Ocean actually means the Sea of Atlas, as he was thought to stand in the far west of the known world. The mysterious continent of Atlantis, believed to lie to the west of the Pillars of Hercules – The Straits of Gibraltar – was swallowed up by the sea after a great earthquake.
See also:
Titanic, Astronomy, Synonym, Geography