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