Wednesday 11 March 2015

Calydonian Boar..............The hunt


 In Greek mythology, Calydonian Boar was described as the gigantic boar sent by goddess Artemis to ravage the countryside of Calydon to punish King Oineus for neglecting her in the offering of the first fruits to the gods.
Artemis and Calydonian Boar.....

                  In Greek legend, Oeneus, the king of Calydon, held annual harvest sacrifices to the gods on the sacred hill.One year the king forgot to include goddess Artemis in his offerings and in revenge Artemis sent a savage boar which laid waste to the countryside. The king summoned heroes from throughout Greece to hunt down the beast.

                                 Among those who responded were many famous heroes, including some of the Argonauts, Oeneus' own son Meleager, and, one woman, the huntress Atalanta. In some version, it was described that King Oineus' son Meleager organizes a band of heroes to hunt the boar, including the huntress Atalanta.
Calydonian Boar hunt...

                                 
                         In some versions, it was described that goddess Artemis had sent the young huntress because she knew her presence would be a source of division. Many of the men were angry that a woman was joining them, but Meleager, though married, lusted for Atalanta, and so he persuaded them to include her. The hunt itself was a bloody affair, with several men being killed before anyone could even wound the boar.


Meleager Presents Atalanta the head of the Calydonian Boar
                                               Finally, Atalanta injured the beast with an arrow, and then Meleager killed it with his spear. Afterwards, Meleager tried to award the boar's pelt to Atalanta, since he was in love with her and since she had been the first to draw blood in the hunt. However, Meleager's uncles, Plexippus and Toxeus, objected to awarding the prize to a woman, and in the ensuing argument Meleager killed them. Meleager's mother, Althaea, then arranged Meleager's own death in revenge for the deaths of her brothers.

Calydonian Boar Hunters

Acastus-a splendid javelin- thrower,
 Admetus-the son of Pheres, from Pherae
Alcon-one of three sons of Hippocoon or Ares from Amykles in Thrace
Amphiaraus-the son of Oicles, from Argos,
 Ancaeus-from Parrhasia, son of Lycurgus, killed by the boar.
Asclepius  -son of Apollo
Atalanta- also called Tegeaea, the daughter of Skoineus, from Arcadia
Caeneus-son of Elatus,
The Dioscuri- Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda, from Lacedaemon
Cepheus - from Arcadia
Cteatus - son of Actor.
Deucalion - son of Minos
Dryas of Calydon- son of Ares 
Echion one of the Argonauts
Epochus
Euphemus - son of Poseidon
Eurypylus
Eurytion - accidentally run through with the javelin of Peleus
Eurytus - son of Hermes
Hippasus - son of Eurytus
Hippothous
Hyleus - killed by the boar
Jason  - Aeson’s son, from Iolkos
Idas and Lynceus - sons of Aphareus, from Messene
Iolaus - son of Iphicles, nephew of Heracles
Iphicles - the twin of Heracles, 
Kometes and Prothous - the sons of Thestios, Meleager's uncles
Laertes - son of Arcesius, 
Lelex - of Naryx in Locria
Leucippus - one of three sons of Hippocoon or Ares from Amykles in Thrace
Lynceus and Idas
Meleager - son of Oeneus
Mopsus - son of Ampycus
Nestor
Panopeus
Peleus - son of Aiakos
Phoenix - son of Amyntor
Phyleus - from Elis
Pirithous - son of Ixion, from Larissa, the friend of Theseus
Plexippus  -brother of Toxeus, slain by Meleager
Polydeuces
Prothous and Kometes - the sons of Thestios, Meleager's uncles
Telamon - son of Aeacus
Theseus -of Athens  AND
Toxeus

INDEX

No comments:

Post a Comment