HERO’S OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY – MELEAGER

Meleager was the Son of King Oeneus of Calydon and Althea

Seven days after his birth the Fates appeared foretelling his future

Clotho and Lachesis predicted he would be both noble and brave

However, the prediction of the fate Atropos was a little more grave

He warned he would die as soon as a stick in the fire burned away

So, Althea pulled the stick from the fire, put it out, and hid it away

While he was still a young man, he became regarded as second only

To the mighty Heracles in his speed strength skill and overall ability

He was the youngest to sail with Jason’s Argonauts and subsequently

He went on to kill King Aeetes of Colchis the Argonauts chief enemy

He returned from his time with the Argonauts and married Cleopatra

And they lived happily in Calydon and they had a daughter Polydora

His domestic tranquillity was brought to a tragic and abrupt end

When Artemis unleashed the fearsome giant boar in his homeland

Meleager naturally took a leading role in the hunt from the start

The Calydonian Boar Hunt ended with his spear in the beast’s heart

As Atalanta had drawn first blood Meleager awarded her the hide

Awarding the prize to a woman injured the some of the party’s pride

His uncles felt that his generous action had made them look small

A quarrel broke out between them and Meleager then killed them all

Althea, on hearing of her brother’s death’s by her own son’s hands

She was so distraught at the news that some instant revenge she plans

Remembering the words of Atropos about the stick on the fates visit

Althea took the stick from its place of safety and then she burned it

As predicted Meleager died and then in remorse took her own life

This is followed by the suicide from grief of Cleopatra his wife

HEROIC BATTLES OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY – THE CALYDONIAN BOAR HUNT

 

There was a custom in Calydon as there was in many lands

That the first fruits of the harvest be sacrificed to the goddess

Unfortunately, one summer King Oeneus made the mistake

Albeit accidentally of omitting to make a sacrifice to Artemis

 

Artemis, furious at Oeneus's negligence reeked vengeance

And sent down the most enormous wild boar to Calydon

The Boar ravaged Calydon, destroying everything in its path

Oeneus called in Atalanta and the noblest men to take it on

 

The King’s own brothers and his son Meleager joined the hunt

The Boars skin was offered as trophy to the one who killed it

Many of the men were unhappy fighting alongside a woman

Atalanta was a great huntress and she fought where she saw fit

 

Despite his being married Meleager was in love with Atalanta

And he convinced his uncles and the others they should follow

Atalanta was the first to see the beast, and quickest to shoot

Amphiaraus followed suit hitting the beast’s eye with an arrow

 

Meleager, was a fearless young dare-devil and took his chance

An excellent hunter he took his spear and gorged the Boar

But the great boar was big enough that it kept charging at him

And would have killed him but for the quick action of Atalanta

 

Meleager won the Boars skin and the credit for the beasts kill

But such was his infatuation with Atalanta he gave it to her

But the other hunters didn't like the idea of a mere woman

Getting the prize instead of a man no matter how good a hunter

 

The loudest of the protesters were Meleager's own uncles

And they declared that if he didn't want the great boar skin

That was quite acceptable, but it could not go to Atalanta

And by the right of blood, it should go to one of his own kin

 

Meleager in his anger fought and killed all of his uncles

And then he presented the prized boar’s skin to Atalanta

His mother Althea unable to forgive him for his actions

Was so distraught in her grief she killed her son Meleager

HERO’S OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY – ATALANTA

The birth of Atalanta daughter to King Iasus and Clymene begins our tale

But she was born into the world in the undesirable state of being female

Because of his yearning for a son and his disappointment with a daughter

He had her taken to the woods and left exposed somewhere in Arcadia

 

But for the fates intervention this could have been the end for her there

But they made it possible for the infant to be found by a passing mother bear

The gentle mother bear suckled young Atalanta until she became strong

Then the bear left her in a place where she knew hunters would come along

 

The hunters brought her up and as she grew older, she hunted with them

She spent most of her time hunting and she was soon the best amongst them

As Atalanta grew in stature as a hunter, she also grew up into a rare beauty

But she had no interest in men or marriage, so she chose to keep her virginity

 

As well as skill and beauty, she could out wrestle men and was hard to catch

For example, she beat Peleus who was to father Achilles in a wrestling match

And when two centaurs Rhoecus and Hylaeus attempted to rape Atalanta

She quickly killed them with her bow and arrows as she’d learned as a hunter

 

At the Calydonian Boar Hunt she drew first blood with an arrow from her bow

It was prince Meleager of Calydon however who delivered the mortal blow 

He was so infatuated with her that he gave her the trophy of the boar’s skin 

And such a row ensued it resulted in the death of Meleager and his mother’s kin

 

She loved hunting and the outdoors and had no use for a man in her life

And she felt she had more to offer the world than she would as a wife

Her reputation grew as a great warrior and especially her skill with a bow

Atalanta was so well respected she even sailed with Jason aboard the Argo

 

She did enough in the world that her Father forgave her for not being a son

On returning home however her remaining a virgin was the only condition

Iasus agreed, but because of her great beauty suitors soon came knocking

And so the king soon changed his mind but Atalanta continued blocking

 

She finally consented to wed any man who could beat her at a foot race

Such was her fleetness that she was confident she’d finish in first place

As she was one of the fastest mortals her maidenhood this appeared to insure

As an additional deterrent the losing suitor would be beheaded by Atalanta

 

Atalanta laughed confidently because she knew no man would ever beat her

Also, she knew the many executions would deter all but the most ardent suitor

The heads of the failed suitors stacked up and of course still they came to race

The vain, the arrogant, the brave but mostly the fool hardy lost the chase

 

Then one day a man came named Hippomenes and he was exceptionally smart

He knew he wasn’t fast enough, but he fell in love with Atalanta from the start

Knowing he wasn’t fast enough to win he did what all frustrated lovers do

He prayed to the goddess of love Aphrodite for help with how he should woo

 

Aphrodite had a weakness for lovers and an intense dislike of virgins in general

So the goddess gladly gave him three Golden Apples which were irresistible

Along with the golden apples Aphrodite presented Hippomenes with a plan

In return Hippomenes was to sacrifice to Aphrodite when he was a married man

 

Hippomenes stood on the start next to the woman he loved holding the apples

Atalanta just sighed that such a good-looking man would die like the other fools

Pausing to give just one last prayer to Aphrodite and then the race had begun

He got off to a good start and apart from being intelligent he could also run

 

Soon Atalanta sped ahead of him, so he threw the first of his golden apples

Slightly ahead of Atalanta and slightly off the track she found it irresistible

As soon as Atalanta saw it, she desired it and had to stop to pick up the fruit

Hippomenes passed her with delight, praying to Aphrodite along the route

 

But Atalanta soon caught him, and two-thirds of the way passed him again

This time Hippomenes through his Golden Apple deeper in the wooded terrain

As soon as Atalanta saw it she desired it and had to stop to pick up the fruit

Hippomenes passed her with delight again and still praying along the route

 

But Atalanta again caught him within sight of the finish line and passed by

This time Hippomenes through his Golden Apple ahead of her quite high

As soon as Atalanta saw it she desired it and had to stop to pick up the fruit

Hippomenes passed her with delight the crossed the finish line to win his suit

 

Despite her resistance once it was won marriage seemed to suit Atalanta.

And Hippomenes happiness and joy was so great he was devoted to her

Then one day he completely forgot his obligations to sacrifice to Aphrodite

When offending the Gods the punishment was severe and vengeance mighty

 

Aphrodite waited until Hippomenes and Atalanta were passing Zeus’s temple

Aphrodite sent flaming desire coursing through the veins of the young couple

The pair then lay together in Zeus' holy temple and they spent their passions

Zeus was horrified at the profanation and turned the young couple into lions