Meleager in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Meleager

9 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Meleager, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Meleager was the son of King Oeneus of Calydon and Althaea. Seven days after his birth, the Fates appeared to foretell his future. Clotho and Lachesis... For the story in one place, read our article on Meleager.

Homer (1)

Homer, Iliad 9.529–605Phoenix tells the story of MeleagerPhoenix tells of the war between the Aetolians and the Curetes over the boar sent against Oeneus' land, in which Meleager, angered at his mother's curses, stayed away from the fighting while the Curetes pressed the city. The elders, priests and his own father and friends begged him to come out and offered rewards, but he held out until his wife Cleopatra pleaded with him, and then he fought without the gifts. Phoenix urges Achilles to come while gifts are offered, and not wait until the ships are on fire.

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.

Apollonius Rhodius (1)

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.122–233The catalogue of the Argonauts, continuedHeracles leaves the Erymanthian boar at Mycenae and joins the expedition with Hylas. The catalogue goes on with Nauplius, Idmon, Castor and Polydeuces, Idas and Lynceus, Euphemus, Meleager, and Zetes and Calais, the winged sons of Boreas, and ends with Acastus and Argus. The poet adds that the whole company was called the Minyae.

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 (2)

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.
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 (2)

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.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 4.2.1–7Messenia: Perieres, Oechalia, Aphareus and the founding of AreneThe sons of Polycaon are not named by any poet Pausanias consulted, and after the line ends the Messenians fetch Perieres to be king. He discusses the rival claims to Oechalia and then Aphareus’ founding of Arene and his welcome to Neleus, who settled at Pylus. He also covers Lycus’ revelation of the mysteries at Andania, and Idas and Lynceus, with Idas’ daughter Cleopatra and the fates of Marpessa, Cleopatra and Polydora.

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.