Althaea in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Althaea

6 passages from 6 ancient authors that tell of Althaea, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. In Greek mythology, Althaea was the daughter of King Thestius and Eurythemis, and wife of the king of Calydon, Oeneus. She had seven children, called ... For the story in one place, read our article on Althaea.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 1.97–99Ellopia, a fierce boar and the house of AmphiarausA fragment describes the land of Ellopia, its flocks and cattle, and the oak oracle of Dodona. A longer passage describes a terrible fight in which no mortal could face a boar with gleaming tusks except Heracles. The last fragment gives the seer Amphiaraus, his wife Eriphyle and their son Alcmaeon.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 1.8.1–6Oeneus, Meleager and the Calydonian boarOeneus of Calydon is the first to receive a vine from Dionysus, and the Fates declare that his son Meleager will die when the brand on the hearth is burnt out, so Althaea hides it. When Oeneus forgets Artemis in his sacrifices she sends a boar, and a company of heroes is gathered; Atalanta wounds it first and Meleager kills it and gives her the hide. He kills his mother's brothers, the sons of Thestius, who took it from her, and Althaea burns the brand; a second version has him fall in a war against the Curetes. The section ends with Oeneus's later marriage, Tydeus (father of Diomedes) and the revenge of Diomedes on the sons of Agrius.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.34.1–4.35.4Deianeira, Meleager and the Calydonian boarHeracles settles at Calydon and marries Deïaneira, daughter of Oeneus. The chapters tell of Meleager and the Calydonian boar: his love for Atalanta, his killing of Althaea's brothers, and his mother's curse, with Oeneus's remarriage to Periboea and the birth of Tydeus.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 8.445–546Althaea and the death of MeleagerHis mother Althaea, hearing of her brothers' death, takes from a chest the brand which the Fates had said would measure her son's life, and throws it on the fire. Meleager dies in agony far away, and Althaea kills herself, and his sisters mourn and are turned into guinea-hens.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.31.1–12Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (4): Ajax, Meleager, Memnon, Penthesilea, Sisyphus and TantalusPausanias completes the underworld painting with the dicing group of Ajax, Palamedes and Thersites, Ulysses' enemies, and Meleager, with the rival accounts of his death. He describes Hector, Memnon with the birds called Memnonides, Sarpedon, Paris and Penthesilea, then the uninitiated carrying water in broken pitchers, Callisto, Nomia, Pero, Sisyphus and Tantalus.

Bacchylides (1)

Bacchylides, Epinicians (Odes of Victory) 5.1–200Ode 5: Heracles meets Meleager in HadesThe poet sends Hieron a song and compares his own flight to the eagle's, celebrating the victory of the chestnut horse Pherenicus at Olympia and at Pytho. He tells how Heracles went down to Hades for the hound of Hades, saw the shade of Meleager and drew his bow, but was told there was nothing to fear. Meleager tells of the Calydonian boar sent by Artemis, of the quarrel over its hide, and of the brand burned by his mother Althaea that ended his life. Moved to tears, Heracles asks about a sister he might marry, and Meleager names Deianeira; the ode ends with praise of Hieron and a prayer to Zeus.