Calydonian Boar in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Calydonian Boar

7 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Calydonian Boar, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. The Calydonian Boar was a monster in Greek mythology that existed during the Olympian Age. It was sent by goddess Artemis to destroy the region of Cal... For the story in one place, read our article on Calydonian Boar.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.9.1–2Arcas, Auge and Telephus; Atalanta and MelanionArcas has two sons, Elatus and Aphidas, who divide the land; Aphidas's son Aleus has a daughter, Auge, who bears Telephus to Heracles and is sent away to Teuthras in Mysia. Lycurgus's son Iasus has a daughter, Atalanta, who is exposed but suckled by a she-bear and raised by hunters. She kills the centaurs who attack her, wrestles Peleus and hunts the Calydonian boar, and Melanion wins her in a foot race with Aphrodite's golden apples; both are later turned into lions, and their son is Parthenopaeus.

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 8.264–444The Calydonian boar huntArtemis (Diana), angered at being forgotten at the harvest rites, sends a huge boar to ravage the fields of Calydon, and Meleager gathers heroes from all Greece to hunt it. The hunters include Theseus, Jason, Castor and Pollux, and the huntress Atalanta, whose beauty and skill the others admire. Atalanta first wounds the boar, and Meleager kills it, and awards the head and hide to her. Meleager's uncles, jealous of Atalanta, snatch the prize from her, and Meleager kills them in a rage.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.45.1–7Tegea: the temple of Athena Alea and its sculpturesPausanias lists the townships of Tegea and the achievements the Tegeans claim: Ancaeus and Atalanta at the Calydonian boar hunt, Echemus' victory over Hyllus, and their defeat of Lacedaemonian invaders. The old sanctuary of Athena Alea was burned and replaced by a large temple with Doric, Corinthian and Ionic columns, which he credits to the architect Scopas of Paros. The front gable shows the Calydonian boar hunt and the back gable shows the fight of Telephus with Achilles on the plain of the Caicus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.46.1–5Tegea: Augustus carries off the image of Athena AleaPausanias tells how the Emperor Augustus carried off the ancient image of Athena Alea and the tusks of the Calydonian boar after defeating Antony, whose allies included all the Arcadians but the Mantineans. He argues that this followed a long-established custom of taking images from the defeated, citing the image of Zeus of the Courtyard given to Sthenelus, the Daedalus image taken to Gela, Xerxes' removal of Artemis from Brauron and Apollo from Branchidae, and images held by Argos and Cyzicus. The image stands in the Forum of Augustus, and a boar's tusk is kept in the imperial gardens.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.47.1–6Tegea: the cult image, offerings and sanctuaries of Athena AleaPausanias says the present image of Athena Alea at Tegea came from the township of Manthyrenses, where it was called Hippia, and was flanked by Aesculapius and Health by Scopas. He lists the offerings in the temple: the hide of the Calydonian boar, the fetters of Spartan prisoners, a picture of Auge and the shield of Marpessa. The altar by Melampus, the boy priest, the stadium and the games Aleaea and Halotia follow. He describes the fountain where Auge is said to have been violated, the sanctuaries of Athena Poliatis and of Artemis the Leader, and the story of Chronius and the tyrant Aristomelidas.

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.