The Hunt for the Calydonian Boar is an ancient Greek myth that unites some of the most renowned heroes from pre-Trojan mythology to defeat a boar sent by a vengeful goddess threatening to destroy the lands of Calydon. This often-neglected legend connects the quest of Jason and the Argonauts with the epic feats of the Trojan War. Despite the presence of these famous heroes, only Atalanta, with her sharp eyes, and brave Melenger, manage to injure the beast. Meleager was the son of King Oeneus and Queen Althaea, sister of the Thestiades. However, despite being King Oeneus’s son, Meleager’s actual father was Ares, the god of war. Meleager was a member of the Argonauts and was eager to lead the Boar hunt on his father’s behalf. Atalanta was the first to draw blood, impressing Meleager, who announced it to the panicked hunters… Meleager refused to be disheartened and hurled two spears at the beast. One missed and sank deep into the earth, but the other found its target and pierced the boar’s back. A fountain of blood spurted from the boar as Meleager seized the opportunity to charge and stab the creature with all his might in its side. The beast staggered and collapsed with one final roar of anger and pain. After so much death and humiliation, Meleager had finally slain the Calydonian Boar.
Appearance List Literature: Homer’s Odyssey (mentioned, c. 8th century BCE, English 1614), Homer’s Iliad (mentioned, c. 8th century BC), Hesiod’s Theogony (c. 700 BCE), Medea by Euripides (431 BC), poetry by Appolonius, Diodorus, Valerius, Apollodorus, Ptolemy, Pausanias, Hyginus, Tzetzes, Apollonius of Rhodes’ epic poem Argonautica (late 3rd century BC), The Argonautica by Gaius Valerius Flaccus (late 1st century AD), Argonautica Orphica, Dante’s Divine Comedy (briefly, 1308–1320), William Morris’ epic poem The Life and Death of Jason (1867). Film: Jason and the Argonauts (1963).
Description The Hunt for the Calydonian Boar is an ancient Greek myth that unites some of the most renowned heroes from pre-Trojan mythology to defeat a boar sent by a vengeful goddess threatening to destroy the lands of Calydon. This often-neglected legend connects the quest of Jason and the Argonauts with the epic feats of the Trojan War. Despite the presence of these famous heroes, only Atalanta, with her sharp eyes, and brave Melenger, manage to injure the beast. Meleager was the son of King Oeneus and Queen Althaea, sister of the Thestiades. However, despite being King Oeneus’s son, Meleager’s actual father was Ares, the god of war. Meleager was a member of the Argonauts and was eager to lead the Boar hunt on his father’s behalf. Atalanta was the first to draw blood, impressing Meleager, who announced it to the panicked hunters… Meleager refused to be disheartened and hurled two spears at the beast. One missed and sank deep into the earth, but the other found its target and pierced the boar’s back. A fountain of blood spurted from the boar as Meleager seized the opportunity to charge and stab the creature with all his might in its side. The beast staggered and collapsed with one final roar of anger and pain. After so much death and humiliation, Meleager had finally slain the Calydonian Boar.
