Calydonian Boar – Monster of Greek Mythology
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In Greek mythology, most people know all about the main gods and goddesses, particularly the Olympians. There were other players that were part of the stories, including monsters. The Calydonian Boar was one of those creatures that were alive during the age of these Olympian gods and goddesses, and the heroes of the stories spent a fair amount of time trying to hunt it down. Here’s more information:
About the Calydonian Boar
Referred to as Chthonic monster, the Calydonian Boar had a region that it called home. Located in Calydon, the boar spent much of its time in this location. The reason it existed was because of Artemis, who sent it to Calydon to wreak havoc on the region. The boar was sent out of revenge because she felt that the people of the region failed to worship her properly. However, because it was sent out of anger, with the sole purpose of creating destruction, the heroes knew that they had to try to put a stop to it.
King Oeneus’s Slight
The boar eventually lost its life during the Calydonian hunt. The problem with the boar actually began with King Oeneus, the ruler of the region. During their annual festival, he forgot to include Artemis’s Golden Throne as part of the festivities. These harvest sacrifices were an important part of the worship of Artemis and forgetting to include this throne was looked at as a slight. She sent the bull to ravage the land in retaliation for this act.
Calydonian Hunt
The boar eventually lost its life in the Calydonian Hunt. Once King Oeneus realized that the boar was wreaking havoc in his kingdom he knew that he had to do something about it. He knew that he had to get the best hunters and the heroes of Ancient Greece involved with trying to vanquish the beast. He sent word and offered a reward to whoever could kill the Calydonian Boar.
The fabled hunt attracted some attention. King Oeneus’s son, Meleager, some of the legendary Argonauts, and Atalanta, a female huntress whose exploits were legendary, all responded to the king’s message. The presence of the young huntress was difficult for Artemis since the two had a close relationship. Despite that, Atalanta was the first to have wounded the boar and Meleager dealt the final blow.
Aftermath of the Hunt
The hunt itself was a bloody affair, and not just for the boar. During it, one of the hunters, Peleus, killed the man who was his host. After the hunt was over, Meleager also lost his life. The Fates had predicted his death, and it occurred just as they determined. Despite that, the hunt was considered a success since the boar was no longer a menace to the kingdom.
The story of the Calydonian Boar is a prime example of what can happen if the gods and goddesses are displeased. Also like many stories in Greek mythology, it had a somewhat tragic ending.
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Categorized in: Greek Mythology
This post was written by Greek Boston
